Tried it several times year before last and had NO luck at all. Did it on a full moon most of the time and seeing your poles was not an issue so much as not getting bit. Got a place I want to spider rig this summer using a light tho. The lack of black crappie here makes it tuff night fishing as the whites tend to be in open water, at least that is my thinking but heck I was wishing someone a happy birthday 4 1/2 months late yesterday so you mite not put much faith in my thinking.