Night fishing

ryguyfi

ryguyfi

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Joined
Oct 18, 2006
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I got a nice mouse pattern from the fly swap, and it got me into thinking about trying some night fishing this year. I tied a spun deer hair mouse myself the other day and it didn't turn out half bad. I also saw the headlamp post in the other forum. I got a headlamp for Christmas this past year and want to try my luck at some night fishing for some big trout.

A few questions.
What time of year do you usually go fishing at night? And at what time do you go, and for how long?

I'm assuming you go to a stream that you know pretty well to be somewhat aclimated with it in the dark.

What types of flies do you use?

Do you go alone, or fish with a friend, just to be a little more careful?

Do you use heavier tippet?

any input is always appreciated.



Ryan
 
rule of thumb-big browns feed when its most comfortable for them-night time in summer and early fall-mid fall,winter,early spring they feed heat of day if they aren't being disturbed.
2-woolly buggers,streamers,surface stripping patterns but stay away from anything that wraps around hook
3-I am a loner
4-4 or 6 pd in the east
 
I have not tried it yet. I have fished into the darkness of night when hatches are around, but usually within the first hour of darkness I am done. I do have a friend who night fishes. He swings wet flies most of the time. He fishes Penns Creek. I would probably use a heavier tippet since you are targeting bigger fish. Good luck, hope you get one or two of those big browns that only come out at night to feast.
 
I haven’t been night fishing in quiet some time but I used to go very frequently. To increase your probability of success, you really need to plan ahead and not just show up.

First, I never fished water that I wasn’t very familiar with. Most of the time I would go alone but sometimes a friend would come along. Generally I would day-fish stretches of water several times beforehand not so much to catch fish but to scout the water and hopefully through some “sloppy wading” or well placed poking with a wading staff spook a few big ones out from their holding spots. To me that was the key, locating the sections of water where big fish reside. I would even write down notes on a little pocket pad (deep holes, submerged logs, access points, etc) and reference the notes when in the water.

Second, when scouting the water look for areas where you can land the fish and areas where you don’t want the fish to run. There’s nothing worse than finally latching onto the big one only to have him run downstream under a submerged log because you didn’t know it was there.

Third, you’re targeting big fish and not fishing for numbers. It is very easy after 45 minutes of casting a big mouse pattern with nothing to show for it to clip it off and tie on a smaller streamer. You’re specifically targeting big fish and it takes time, patience and perseverance. Trust me, you will leave with nothing to show for you efforts more often than not but when you do hook into one it makes it all worth it.

Fourth, I always fished surface flies (mouse, hoppers, crickets) on a leader no longer than 7 feet simply because I liked to see the hit. Streamer fishing works but I just liked the excitement of seeing a bass-like surface explosion.

Fifth, I always seemed to have my best success on a clear, summer moonlit night in the 11 pm to 1 am range. Generally during early and later parts of summer when it is cooler during the day I might fish earlier but from the end of June through middle of September I generally never got onto the water before 11 pm. I also tried other times (3am to daybreak) and sometimes just before daybreak can be productive. However, I ended up settling into the 11pm to 1 am routine. Try various times and see what works.

Sixth, when changing flies, always turn the opposite way from where you are fishing. One streak of light across the water you are fishing could easily spook the fish you are trying to catch.

Lastly, the fish will hit when you least expect it. You will give up hope, loose all faith and then BANG!
 
I generally do my night fishing in the heat of summer: mostly because I generally get wet doing it and warmer nights add up to more comfortable fishing.

My experience has been that the fishing is better just after dusk than before dawn-I don't know why. But like anything in fishing, there are no absolutes.

I like articulated flies that push a lot of water and that are dark in color so they provide a nice silouhette. Surface flies are fun, and I've even caught big trout on poppers in the dark.

Nightime hatches are great as well. White flies, Brown Drakes, Hex, and even sulfurs are fun to fish in the dark. If you fish your dries downstream and let them swing in the current, the fish will smash them.

And if you're fishing a stream with some big fish in, try your mouse in the daytime, you might be surprised.

I almost forgot tippet. I generally run about eight pound test to dries and fifteen on subsurface patterns: secured with a loop knot.
 
Night fishing can be very exciting, and it can also be very, very frustrating. Like others have said, go into night fishing with the mindset that you are not going for numbers.

I have mentioned a book on night fishing here before and I will recommend it again: "Night Fishing For Trout, The Final Frontier". This is an older book that was writen by a Pa'er, Jim Bashline. Most of the fishing in this book took place near Coudersport, Pa. Jim covers many old patterns that were tied for night fishing as well as where in a stream that you should expect to find big, night feeding browns.

As far as leaders and tippets go, keep things simple. For swinging big wets I use a 7 1/2 foot 2 or 3X leader. For big, bushy dries I would use the same leader, not going smaller than 3X. For streamers and mice you can easily go to a 1X leader with no concern about the leader spooking the fish.

Many serious night fishermen consider night fishing to start long after dark. There seems to be a huge disagreement between the theries of whether it is best to have a full moon, or little to no moon light. I would go out with good moon light in the beginning and fish through a moon phase to see what works best for you.

For saftey, as well as to have someone to take pics, it would be good to have a buddy along. However, sometimes it can be hard to find a fishing buddy who is willing to go out and fish into the wee hours.

I would also recommend traveling light. Put a night box together and a couple leaders and a few spools of tippet. The less fumbling around in your vest that you do the better. Every time you put your light on you mess up your eyes adjustment to low light. I use a headlight with a red light for fishing and I carry a brighter light for the hike in and out. (Put the extra light in a zip-loc in case you take a swim.)

Whether or not you manage to catch a huge fish you will still have the experience of being out on a trout stream in the solitude that often only night time can provide.
 
In reference to streams. I was thinking of the Neshannock for a few reasons for me.

A. I've fished it a good amount of times and am semi-familiar with it.

B. They have a lunker stocking (actually on Saturday) so there will be some big fish in the stream.

Any other stream suggestions for me here in lowly western PA?
 
These guys offer a full moon float trip that I have been eyeing up for some time

http://www.profishwv.com
 
Careful if you were going in the DHALO section of Neshannock...

DELAYED HARVEST ARTIFICIAL LURES ONLY
Open to fishing year-round (no closed season).
Fishing hours – One hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset.
 
Careful if you were going in the DHALO section of Neshannock...

DELAYED HARVEST ARTIFICIAL LURES ONLY
Open to fishing year-round (no closed season).
Fishing hours – One hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset.

I could never understand the closing of SR areas for night fishing?
 
yeah I'm going to pretend I didn't read the last 2 posts (I actually thought of that after I posted it)
 
They close special regs at night to prevent poachers.

I have fished at night, but don't like it too much -- I don't feel comfortable.

Definately go to a stream that you are familar with so you know where to cast.

I always used buggers - white and black, or large moser streamers.

Those stocked fish will have to be in the water for awhile to have that night predatory instinct. Wild browns are what I typically think of for night fishing.
 
Freshly stocked hatchery raised fish whether large or small have zero wild instincts so you’ve probably got a better chance at catching these stocked lunkers during daylight hours. Nighttime feeding is a survival instinct inherent with wild trout and acquired over time by holdover trout. Fish that get large in the stream get large because they have superior survival and predator skills no matter whether wild or stocked. A 12” stocked trout that grows to 20” and 4 lbs in the stream has reverted back to its wild instincts and has managed to survive. A 20” 4 lb hatchery raised brown has no more survival skills than a 12” hatchery raised brown. In fact, the larger fish probably has less chance of survival simply because it is older and has learned to reply on the daily rationing of Purina Trout pellets.
 
I have fished strange stretches of the Missouri,Yellowstone,Madison and other big Montana river alone and its no different than doing the same during the day-
You need to be able to read the water but nothing to fear but you know what--lol
Don't know if Eastern streams are different but as a nite fishing nut with over 30 years of it under my belt I found anytime from sunoff the water til sun on could be good or bad.
You gotta just keep casting away in the good ol summertime.
Its magic out there
I felt the full moon didn't bother trout one bit-its water temp their main concern-catch the big boys right with the noon dinner bell in the winter.They just prefer to rest during the warmer daylight hours in the summer and roam at nite.In Montana right around the last week of Oct. you would get the switch around.
 
My experience has been that a full moon really puts a damper on fish activity - both bass and trout. I have no idea why this is but my night fishing experience was pretty consistent. Dark nights always fished better for me. Night fishing is usually a summertime game for me but I had some good days in Oct and early Nov.
 
I too have done best on new moon evenings. It sucks cause its REALLY dark, cant even see where a lot of your casts go.
Always best either right after dark, or after midnight.
Sometimes when they hit, it scared me almost outta my boots.
Big fish that you never knew were there.
 
My experience is the same as Fishidiot and Squaretail. I fished a lot at night, mostly on the Delaware River. We camped overnight along the River on many weekends through the late spring and summer and fished at night. Bright full moon nights, when you could actually see what you were doing, were almost always a bust.

Many of the largest fish I caught from the River were at night. I probably caught more fish on a large black wooly bugger w/ 0x tippet than any other fly.

Give it a try, especially in a place that has some lunker trout, but make sure you take a buddy with you.
 
and I would take one week in Sept.and one in Oct. during the full moon to nite fish the Missouri river.-did that for about 15 years in a row-never made squat difference-funny how Western trout are different.
They were mostly browns coming out of lakes to spawn.
I have always fished full moons-still do in Florida
Teto.
 
Afish -

That sounds like an idea camping trip to me! If you have any camping locations to suggest I'm all ears!
 
I'm not a big night fisherman, my trips are mostly just staying out for an extra hour after dusk. I had friends who did a lot of it, though, especially when I lived in Potter County.

The basics: Summertime, after the air and stream have gotten slightly on the warm side, fish, and especially big fish, will feed after dark.

Yes, knowing the stream like the back of your hand is a necessity. Even if you think you know it, a daytime scouting trip is good. Do a dry run, and note the locations of hazards and places you want to throw a fly to.

Flies: Streamers work. Also, night flies, like Harvey's "pusher" flies. The fish feed by sound and feel more than sight, you want something that moves a lot of water.

Having a friend is probably a good idea, but the guys I knew did it alone. There might be a tactical advantage to alone, but there's a safety advantage to a friend (night is a good time to injure yourself). Its always a good idea to be near the car, don't go way back in somewhere.

yes, heavy tippet.
 
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