Night Fishing is more fun

[Monty]

I much prefer fishing in the dark rather than the day/light.
When I fish I usually am on the water from 1:00 AM-~8:00 AM.
I try to cover a large area walking, time driving is time not fishing. It seems no two trips are the same.
Never have a problem with crowds, love the solitude.
Senses are heightened in the dark.

Fishing in rough weather in the dark is a great challenge. Areas that usually draw a crowd even at night will be empty in strong winds and rain.

In calm weather, no wind or waves the rush of a fish smashing a swimmer on top is awesome.

I really love when a Gator slams a metal lip plug on a calm, quiet night..about 10 feet out. That hit and the drag singing, then the water splashing...an adrenalin rush. I can't duplicate that feeling in daylight.

Fished ocean side late July/August for the first time (usually stay bayside that time of the year). Had a great time. Five trips, saw only one other person fishing. Weather was great. Shooting stars each trip. And enough action with short bass, fluke, shad and blues to hope the sun would not come up.

The awesome feeling of walking up to the surf for the first cast of the night, its 1:00 AM, I'm all alone. Knowing that for the next 4 or so hours I will be able to fish a mile or so of beach at my own pace, in the dark, lost in the pursuit of trying to catch a fish. That is my favorite time on the water.

Here is a pic of a 32" Blue caught last year at the False Rip at 2:30 AM, all alone Sunday the day before Sandy hit. Water current was crazy out there Was intense fun.

[7deadlyplugs]

Nice bluefish. Fighting that thing in current must of been a blast. I like fishing at night except this fall we had some good times from sunrise on at moses. Otherwise your right the night time is the right time a lot more quieter

[VSdreams]

I really love when a Gator slams a metal lip plug on a calm, quiet night..about 10 feet out. That hit and the drag singing, then the water splashing...an adrenalin rush. I can't duplicate that feeling in daylight.

Right on. I split my fishing between the day and the night. The night is a lot more interesting. In the day you see the take when the fish hits it. In the night its all about the feel and you are taken by surprise. Its pretty cool that a big bluefish like that will hit in the night i thought they mostly hit in the daytime

[Monty]

Its pretty cool that a big bluefish like that will hit in the night i thought they mostly hit in the daytime

I have caught a lot more blues and gators in the light, but the ones at night really seem much more memorable.
Here is a Skinny Blue that hit a Rip-Plugger metal lip around 2:30 AM ocean side.

[albiealert]

The only time I can get out is the night time. The rivers I fish are best on the night tides when the fish are less spooky. nice pics monty

[Blazin420]

Good thread Monty and i agree 100% about the dark...Nothing better!! This time of year is about the only time i fish more in the day time...But i definitly perfer the night...I have had many a night were it was about 12-1am no one around and i am bailing bass on after another..1 night i remember was about 3 years ago i walked on a spot on Lav after skunking out all day with the crowds,About 2am not a soul around and from the 1st cast to the last about 4am i had bass after bass all from 28in to 38in..It was 1 of my all time top 5 nights...And to have it in the dark with out a single soul around was the icing on the cake...Ive had other nights that were similar but that night was awesome...

[jigfreak]

I rarely fish in the daylight. Sandeel bite yes. Other times the night time is the right time. Nice pics monty keep em coming.

[vpass]

Great Thread Monty. I agree, I love fishing nights. Your right about the Senses are heightened in the dark. I don't get much of a rush like I do during the day, but nights it's different and everytime you hookup the feeling are mor intense. I hope to have a better season next year. not fishing as much is my biggest regret this past year.

[plugcrazy]

Great Thread Monty. I agree, I love fishing nights. Your right about the Senses are heightened in the dark. I don't get much of a rush like I do during the day, but nights it's different and everytime you hookup the feeling are mor intense.

x2 its definately a rush to have a fish hit that plug somewhere during your retrieve. When its a new moon you can't even see it you just feel it. Addictive

[surfstix1963]

I like the 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. shift on the south shore of the island depending on conditions but I also like to give it a shot at dusk for an hour or so.In my younger days you could only find me at inlets but my rockhopping days are over so my fish of a lifetime is pretty much over too since I have strong opinions that these very large fish(#50 or better) are in the inlets and rocky shorelines.You get those few that come from the beach but they are needles in a haystack.

[baitstealer]

INever have a problem with crowds, love the solitude.
Senses are heightened in the dark.

Fishing in rough weather in the dark is a great challenge. Areas that usually draw a crowd even at night will be empty in strong winds and rain.

In calm weather, no wind or waves the rush of a fish smashing a swimmer on top is awesome.

I wondered if I would ask you if your best trips have been on calm nights or when it is rough out? thanks

[DarkSkies]

^ I can't answer for monty, baitstealer. Monty loves that white water. The other night there was plenty of it and we didn't do that great, one fish he got in close to 8 hours of fishing....I got nothing at all.
My experience, is that for me to catch multiple fish at night, I like a light wind, less than 10mph.....
Sometimes that's better than completely calm and no wind....it does depend on where and how you're fishing.....JMO.....

The best times fishing the jetties in the winter, were with a light breeze at my back....

Also, depending on where you are, a S or N wind, can be a bite killer, but not always.....
I'm much happier with westerly winds, for a sustained bite in NJ....(other states are different).







**Maybe some of the members here have had different experiences and want to share them.

[Monty]

I wondered if I would ask you if your best trips have been on calm nights or when it is rough out? thanks

Wind in face is my favorite time and also my most productive. Bait "blown", pushed over a sandbar has produced my best fishing nights.

^ I can't answer for monty, baitstealer. Monty loves that white water. The other night there was plenty of it and we didn't do that great, one fish he got in close to 8 hours of fishing....I got nothing at all.

It was breezy the other night.
But fun. Really didn't feel that windy.

[DarkSkies]

It was breezy the other night.
But fun. Really didn't feel that windy.

You're freaking delusional!
I thought that at first, when it was 10--15 and I said it would lay down (we all know how I like to minimize things)

Then towards first light instead of lessening it got worse, steady 20 mph NW to North, with higher gusts.....
I tried to give you some distance because I know you got wood, over that wind..... Monty was in his glory.....

And you gotta admit it sucked, we had to move to get a lee from it....many of our casts only lasted a few secs in the strike zone before the wind got to em....




Baitstealer..... Monty makes a good point here....even though I was busting his balls....
When you have a series of sandbars, often times the wind in your face will blow the small bait, if it's close to the surface, over the bar, especially on the flood tide......so it really depends on where and when you are fishing.......

Good discussion.....Any other thoughts or experiences?

[baitstealer]

Thanks guys for sharing your knowledge and experience it really helps.

[Monty]

You're freaking delusional!
I thought that at first, when it was 10--15 and I said it would lay down (we all know how I like to minimize things)

Then towards first light instead of lessening it got worse, steady 20 mph NW to North, with higher gusts.....
I tried to give you some distance because I know you got wood, over that wind..... Monty was in his glory.....

And you gotta admit it sucked, we had to move to get a lee from it....many of our casts only lasted a few secs in the strike zone before the wind got to em.......

Jeesh your getting old, or soft.... Or old and soft. It was a little breezy.

One question on surf fishing lingo, maybe you could help me out with this one. When someone says "I am going to move over there to get a lee from the wind", does that always mean nap time on the other side of the rocks?

[Pebbles]

Only if two guys are spooning!

[DarkSkies]

^Thats what I get for being a nice guy and helping you on your dead things finding trip (with only 1 fish, it wasn't much of a fishing trip....but the dead things were popping up every so often, good night for hunting em..... )

I fished 4 nights prior to that...out putting a lot of miles on the feet in search of fish....when 2 energy drinks can't even light a spark in me, I know I'm done for the night.....I was useless at that point, and the water in front of us is (usually) better mid tide, which was a few hours ahead of us......
So eff ya's all....
That's why I'm in the effumall club....

[storminsteve]

^Thats what I get for being a nice guy and helping you on your dead things finding trip (with only 1 fish, it wasn't much of a fishing trip....but the dead things were popping up every so often, good night for hunting em..... )

so now I'm getting a better picture here! DS is the bird dog finds the dead things and points them out and Monty takes the photos lol! So therefore you should say that it was a team effort. I KNEW you were up to no good to get those pics Monty. No one can be that good. You had help!

[storminsteve]

Getting back on topic I have to agree night fishing is more fun. Go out on sandy hook or island beach during the daytime where the crowds are and it looks like a circus. Go out at night and at most you will run into 5-10 people. Especially lately when no one is catching.