Night fishin'

**gabowman** · 05-04-2008, 04:05 PM

Tommy, scout out some areas on your lake looking at the sonar for steep banks or creek channel drop offs running near the banks. Look for schools of baitfish. Fishing is the same as hunting.....gotta have food or they aint there. Find different places for a suspectable decent spot to set up for a nightstalk. People fish different ways but I use rod holders to hold my rods and fish tightlines. I usually set up in @30' of water and usually catch fish anywhere from 12' to 17' down, depending on the water temps/time of year. I stay away from bright moonlit nights. Better to take the wife out somewhere on those nights.

I use Brinkman submersible lights but the floaters you use should do the job too. Main goal of the lights are to draw baitfish, which draws crappie. My rods stay in the holders with the tips painted white so I can see the bite. Sometimes the rod tip will only slightly bounce or barely show a slight pull and if they werent in the rod holders I probably wouldnt see the bite. I use clamp on type trouble lights with 12 v. bulbs inside the boat so everything in my boat is lit so I can see. I also use the light already mentioned on the bill of my cap for seeing to retie hooks, etc. Big weather changes will affect how the fish bite. It can completely shut 'em down. I like Jan./Feb. nightstalking the best. Cold water doesnt get affected as much and as a general rule larger fish are the standard. In my area this holds true up until the spawn is over then all the 'lil fellas seems to come out to play. Lots of hook swallowers after the spawn.

**Bullsprig** · 05-04-2008, 06:22 PM

nope it was Poinsett. They had them figured out. For a while....

**tommyboyrn** · 05-04-2008, 06:24 PM

Much apprecitaed information. I have went nightstalking twice so far. did a little better keeping bout 8 crappie and 1 blue cat. never really any baitfish noticable around the lights. I have a lot more 'scouting" to do for sure.

Thanks so much again for the info.

**Bullsprig** · 05-04-2008, 06:25 PM

Originally Posted by tommyboyrn

and could see the thermocline on electronics bout 15ft below

Don't think they have stratified yet. Mud line perhaps???

**tommyboyrn** · 05-05-2008, 06:08 PM

I dont know, could have been.

**gabowman** · 05-06-2008, 07:20 PM

Originally Posted by tommyboyrn

Much apprecitaed information. I have went nightstalking twice so far. did a little better keeping bout 8 crappie and 1 blue cat. never really any baitfish noticable around the lights. I have a lot more 'scouting" to do for sure.

Thanks so much again for the info.

Down here in the south our waters are around 72 degrees surface temps. Not sure what yours is but before the water got this warm lots of times the bait wouldnt come close enough to the top to be seen. With the graph on you'll still be able to see 'em though....maybe 5' or more down. About an hour of so into the stalk check your graph and see if there's any baitfish. If so, try keeping your hooks just below the bait. The best bite ius usually just below the bait.

**tommyboyrn** · 05-06-2008, 08:06 PM

very good tip. We could see long isolated lines passing underneath on graph, and since we were anchored I didnt think it was anything "floating" underneath except the possibility of baitfish. But I did not nor have not tried to fish just below those depths. Thanks for theinformation, its much appreciated.
Tom

**gabowman** · 05-08-2008, 08:36 PM

Originally Posted by tommyboyrn

very good tip. We could see long isolated lines passing underneath on graph, and since we were anchored I didnt think it was anything "floating" underneath except the possibility of baitfish. But I did not nor have not tried to fish just below those depths. Thanks for theinformation, its much appreciated.
Tom

When sitting still, when a fish come underneath the cone the graph starts drawing a single line, 2 fish 2 lines, etc. It will continue drawing this line as long as the fish remains underneath the cone. You might notice these lines moving up or down as the fish will do. When the line stop you'll know the fish have moved out of the cone. When a group of baitfish moves under the cone it will be a "mass" of lighter gray (on a monochrome graph) usually ranging from a scattered thin mass up to sometimes almost the depth of the water youre in. I have had so many baitfish underneath the boat that they stop the ping from going to the bottom causing your graph to start reading 5' deep or whatever even when you KNOW youre iun 20 or 30' of water.Usually the mass of bait begins small, 3 to 5' thick and grows from there as your lights begin to attract more baitfish. Also, usually the baitfish doesnt show up on the surface first either. They may show up on the graph at 10' deep or more but usually moves up as the night goes on. With cooler waters they may not surface but each trip thru the cone and you may notice a pattern where the baitfish slowly begins coming closer to the top.

**SlabCO** · 05-08-2008, 09:01 PM

I'm your neighbor over in Texas, looking at different boards. I like the green stick when night fishing crappie. I have used every light there is, and nothing compares to the green stick. It is a submersible 4' and 8' florescent bulb with a lime green cover. It really brings in the bait fish, and then crappie. Get one and try it. Good fishing

**tommyboyrn** · 05-08-2008, 09:49 PM

Thanks. I have heard good things about it. I probably get one.
Thanks

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