Thread: went last night

Just curious- could you tell a little more about your experiece in detail.

The more people know about night fishing the more will well get interested.
From past experience - it is a lot of peaceful relaxing fun.
A partner - generator - bait - several rods - clear - star lite skiy -
quietness. Doesn't matter whether you are vertical or bobber fishing it is
fun and peaceful.

I use 2 over head white led shop lights got them at Lowes 19 dollars each I mount them close to the water to bring the crappie in close and to keep the bugs away from me I also keep them on the same side of the boat one in the front one just past the middle to create dark spots between lights crappie like to ambush from the dark I then put out 6 to 8 micro rods 1 to 2 foot from bottom in deep water starting with the deepest hole in the lake or if you have structure in a hole the better until I find them If I have not caught anything in a hour I move I also find the higher I fish in the water column the more gar I catch this is a fun way to fish and you can load the boat plus you don't have all the other boats to contend with you can also drift at night I still use lights only to see the rods and it works pretty good but I like sitting in a hole and let them come to me hope this helps forgot to mention I use minnows with jigs and some without jigs and a split shot I use 2 lb test no more than 6 lb and use different colors on your jigs to see which one they will eat better it makes a difference and sometimes the plain old minnow works better

Good explaination gw.

Interesting that you said you use Jigs -various colors and hooks - have
never tried that idea. Usually use 1/4 oz bullet weight with tiny pinched split shot approx
1' above #2 hook - set up various depths down water column from one ft down to
1 ft above bottom. I work around drop off's - try and set boat on edge of drop with
single anchor on top of drop. Wind will move boat around back & forth over drop.

Have you found any Florida lakes you like better than others.

Is there any time of month you prefer better.


Again, thanks for your response - would like to how others night fish during summer
months

I have killed them in east lake and lake Conway this year I been trying to figure out Maitland chain and it's been ok not alot of numbers but have hooked some big ones and caught some decent ones the crappie that come out of Conway and Maitland chain taste better than any lake I have fished as far as time of the month don't like a bright moon darker the better so my lights are more effective and I believe in two anchors to keep the boat in one place to keep the bait in close plus it helps with the light bites alot of times a crappie will grab the bait and not move or very little and if you don't see it they will sometimes spit it out and you bring up a half dead minnow that has been my experience unless they are feeding heavy then it doesn't matter the last night I went they were hitting really hard and fast now the biggest crappie came out of East lake and there are giant schools one time me and my buddy were fishing in the main lake out from the canal that goes into fells cove and one hour before daylight my fish finder went almost completely black and we loaded the boat craziest thing I have seen have you ever tried Monroe at night I would suspect the i4 bridge would be pretty good also what lakes do you like at night

Am somewhat familiar with East Lake Toho - if this is lake your speaking of,
however, do not know where Maitland Chain - Lk Conway or canal into Fells Cove
would be.
Night fishing i have been on Lake Kissimmee number of times (not too much past
4 yrs) Usually work grass lines during happy hour off Grassy Island.
Than set up Southwest end of Bird when just about getting dark.
Years ago Marker 8 was exellant area...........

Been on Tiger Lake few times............kinda so so.
Lake Tarpon - Tarpon Springs is excellant for night fishing working the holes &
just off Sandbars
Set up couple of times yrs back with both anchors - got beat to death when winds
came up - have always considered it somewhat dangerous holding a boat tight when
working in windy conditions (just my thinking)
East Toho to me is a somewhat dangerous lake in wind........and the amount
of hydrillia abouding on it.
Thanks for your thought GW

I have night fished yeas ago with little success so I gave up on it cause boat was not set up for it, fishing buddy didn't care for it. Harold, what kinda lighting do you use, how do you set it up and do you use a generator? GW do you use a generator or battery?

Usa a generator -

use 2 - 250 halogen lights on 5' poles straight up off of pedstal seats and than
out at 45 degree over over water about 5'.
Use 4 flood lamps along side on top rail - use 100 w - cool bulbs (will not blow if
rained on) and when shut off can handle on deck without burning hands or carpet.
Usually run 12 -14 rods off one side of boat - vertical drops using 1/4 wgts, pinched
1 ft above hook with spit shot. All hooks minnow tipped

Gonna have to be different budget year for me. By then hopefully I can drum up some night fishermen around here and get the boat set up. Harold, if you get your boat done this summer, let me know and maybe we can plan a trip or 2. Thanks for the info and pic.