Night fishing under the lights

An alternative to beat the summer heat and to enjoy some great fishing is to fish at night. The night has other advantages such as generally less wind and no skiers or Jet Skis. A little breeze is still preferred, especially on those hot, humid and stale nights.

Fishing under the lights has been around forever. Most folks who live on the water have lights on their docks that attract fish. I have used a lantern before hanging off the edge of the boat to do the same thing.

The lights attract bugs, and the fish move in to feed on them. Yes, some of the fish do feed on the bugs. But it is usually the plankton that are attracted to the light, which then brings in the small fish and then the bigger fish.

The night lights available these days come in a variety of colors, but most agree that green lights are generally the best. Science will tell you that the most penetrating frequencies of light in the water are blue and green in the spectrum of available colors. White lights are still offered, and they do work. White has all the colors of the spectrum. However, the general consensus is green is all that you need. Some folks may disagree.

Most of all, the newer lights and some of the older lights are submersible. The big advantage to submersible lights is the fact that the bugs are kept at bay. Very little light is reflected up, which cuts down on the bugs. You know and I know that the bugs can get unbearable from a hanging white light.

The action can be tremendous under the lights. Concentrating the baitfish will bring in the predators and at times, the action will be outstanding, especially if the fish are in a feeding frenzy. Many indoor fishing docks across the country use lights to attract fish. It is a known technique.

There are many different portable lights on the market, and I’m aware of four types. They are floating sealed beam lights, fluorescent lights, LED lights and submersible halogen lights. All of these types of lights will do the job. There are pros and cons to each.

Light Emitting Diode lights generally have the longest life and use the least amount of energy. They used to be priced out of the market, but currently, the prices are becoming competitive with other types of lights. Many of these types of lights will run the night on a few dry-cell batteries. LED lights come in a variety of colors, and they can be configured in many different ways. Those I have seen are configured in a submersible vertical tube. Check the output in candlepower. Some of these lights that are currently available have a limited output.

Fluorescent lights are generally a floating or submerged vertical tube light that is put in the water vertically. There are some floating horizontal versions as well, but the vertical lights are preferred because you can position them at deeper depths if needed. They come in a variety of lengths and colors. Green is the most popular color, as I mentioned earlier. Fluorescent fishing lights have limits on the amount of light they put out but they also draw less current than the sealed-beam floating lights or halogens. Fluorescent submersible lights can be more expensive as you generally need a light longer than 3 feet (typically 4 feet) and maybe two to do the job. Fluorescent lights are typically thrown away at the end of their life, but the halogens and LED bulbs can be replaced. The smaller versions (less than 3 feet) have limited light and limited applications.

Submersible halogen lights operate under the surface so there is minimal impact due to wind and waves, and you minimize the bug impact with the light under the water. These halogen lights will generally draw more current for the same level of lighting as fluorescents, but they are generally smaller, and you can buy replacement bulbs as I mentioned earlier. These can put out a tremendous amount of light and they can be positioned easily around the boat. It is advisable to have a dedicated battery on board for any DC night lights, especially those that will draw the extra current. Halogen lights are generally compact and are easy to carry versus the longer tubes for some of the other types of lights.

When night fishing on a boat with lights, it is a good idea to anchor the boat securely so that movement is minimized. Either tie the boat between two trees or double anchor. The floating lights you choose can be placed next to the boat. The other submersible type lights can be lowered to a desired depth around the boat.

Wait a few minutes and the baitfish will move in. The bigger predators will more than likely be under or on the edge. Be careful not to spook the predators. Work different depths until you locate the best depth. If for some reason the fish don’t move in, move and find another potential spot.

If you decide to do some night fishing, make sure you know the area where you are to fish. With less light, you need to be careful navigating especially with our low-water conditions. Every body of water I have ever been on looks different at night.

FISHING REPORT

Lake Granbury water temperatures are in the upper 80s and low 90s and the lake level is about 2.5 feet low. Thermocline is still present, and all the action is in the top 20 feet of water or less. Sand bass are good near Indian Harbor and DeCordova in 5 to 15 feet of water. Look for schooling activity early and late. Striped bass action is hit and miss, but when located, action is good on live bait or trolling jigs/crankbaits. Catfish continue to be good especially at night on cut bait. Crappie action is the best with limits common mid-lake near structure on small minnows. Largemouth bass on Lake Granbury are good to 7 pounds on Texas rigged worms working deeper docks and main lake points.

Lake Whitney striped bass limits on live bait are common on the lower ends near the Island and near Bee Bluffs. Possum Kingdom Lake striped bass are good on the lower end on live bait and down-rigged jigs with curly tail trailers.