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Fall 2019
When the full moon actually comes up over the mountains, or rises up, it just pops out and up it can be like a light switch and that can make all the difference for fishing. It doesn’t have to be the absolute full moon; but any night around the full moon is going to be more productive.
THE RIGHT LIGHT
A few additional pieces of equipment can be used for better night fishing.
I use four types of light for safety and to make it easier to fish:
• Of course, your boat
navigation lights
• A good spotlight for running
• A headlamp
• A black light (some guys don’t like to use one;
but I do)
When picking a good black light, I am looking for one that doesn’t draw a ton of power from the battery and suction cups that allow it to be stuck to the side of the boat.
Like I said, some people don’t use a black light; but I can hardly fish without it, at night. I use it to illuminate the line, which can tell you the bait is on the bottom or that a fish has picked it up and started swimming with it. If you’re not able to feel the bite, a blacklight may allow you to see it and that is a big deal in night fishing.
LINE THAT ILLUMINATES
Fluorescent colored lines are typically what you can see with the blacklight. I use Trilene Fluorescent Blue on a lot of my baitcasters, because it comes in heavier sizes. I like it in 17- or 20-pound- test.
On spinning rods, I like braided lines or super
lines and the Berkeley Nanofil High Vis Yellow glows under blacklight. It is the only super line on the market that I know of that does.
NIGHTTIME BAIT COLORS
A lot of the bait colors that
I would use during the day will
still work at night; but I generally
pick darker shades – black, blue,
purple and dark green pumpkin.
When you have a full moon
with relatively clear water, I
think I think those darker colors
show up a little better and leave
a better silhouette.
Another cool thing is the
color “motor oil” from Berkley PowerBait actually glows in the dark with a black light; so, you can literally see it if you’re pitching it or casting it towards a wall.
DARK TECHNIQUES
I keep nighttime fishing pretty simple. I know a lot of the people back East throw spinnerbaits; but out here in the West, I’ve always had better luck with three specific techniques – dropshotting, pitching a Texas-rig worm or craw and deep cranking.
DROPSHOT: I will use a little bulkier bait at night, than I normally would. Often, I will use a six-inch Berkley Bottom Hopper in Ike’s magic, which works really well in the dark. I also use a short leader at night, which I think is critical to keep the bait close to the bottom.
TEXAS RIG: For this technique, I like a Berkley Chigger Craw or the 10-inch Power Worm, both in black and blue or motor oil. These are good for big bites.
CRANKBAIT: For nighttime crankin’, the Berkley Dredgers are my favorite. I don’t feel that crankbait color matters as much at night. I go for a
Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay
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