Night Fishing

Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 7:50 am

Hi all! Any hints for night fishing.

I dont care what i catch big or small. I fish southend on sea from the beach and get a few Dab some small Bass, whiting and plenty of crabs.
I would like to know how to get the size of my catch up, and generally refine what i do so that i can get a bit more rod action.

Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 2:46 pm

hi matey,
the big question, night fishing.
personally i dont do anything different, same rigs same everything. the only difference being is that the fish come closer inshore so you may not have to cas as far! other than that theres not alot else thats different from fishing during the day.
hope this helps
cheers phil

Occasional Joined: Dec 02, 2005 Posts: 144

the best tip is to have a decent head lamp. i know the best ones are alot of money but it makes everything sooooooooo much easier with one.

reflective tape on the rod tip is a good idea to. i have also had alot of success with glow in the dark beads (larger ones), this isn't a must though.

if you can i would suggest fishing 2 rods. 1 for the smaller fish with a 3 hook rig, and 1 for the bigger fish with a pennel rigged big bait. this way you are kept busy with the smaller fish til the bigger fish find your bigger bait.

Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 6:01 pm

this is true, a decent light source is a must! i use a tiga sl headlamp retail about 120 quid. expensive but well worth the cash.
also i would invest in a coleman petrol lamp, good for light and very good on heat for the cold nights! but like i said no change really in fishing set up.
also a good shelter, you dont want to be wet cold and cant see very well! so try and keep all COLD weather at bay the best you can. at night it gets very cold. just thought that if your after bass, they come in Very close at night within 10 m of the beach so dont shine a light on the sea. just a tip

Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 7:21 pm

Depends what you are targetting and at what range. If I was out Bass fishing and you appeared lit up like the Eddystone lighthouse, I would probably have some choice words for you. Keep all light off the water, you will spook every fish within 100 yards.

Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 7:52 pm

thats exactly what i mean! no light if your fishing close. and the just a tip bit ment just a helpful tip,duh!

Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:04 am

Thanks for all your tips. The only light i use is a LED head light, and only turn it on when i'm baiting up. There is enough ambiant light at most marks, especially if there is a full moon.
Sounds like i'm casting over the bass. I've been gently flicking it about 30 yds and regularly get 6-8" bass but would really like to get one to top my 7yr old sons record of 17", he is driving me mad with the bragging rights!!

I seem to have most sucess all round on Lug worm but what would be a good choice on the pennel rig (i have never used one before)

Guest

Heres a tip I have used a few times when fishing at night.Try and get a small rattle of sorts and attach it to your lead just off the bottom along with it attach a feeder filled with loads of old smelly rotten bits then your snoods further up as usual.That brings in all sorts of fish the smell and the noise really brings in the BIGUNS. I got this idea off my fishing buddy and it seems to be working for now.Maybe its beginners luck who knows.Give it a go it might work in your area.

Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 3:22 pm

Have tried a feeder with bread and crab oil but never tried a rattle. Can't wait to get out again and try all these ideas.

Wish i'd found this site 2 years ago when i had just started, but hey, a couple of years of tiddlers just gives me practice for the monsters to come!!

Guest

Well Done Mate At least you kept at it.I have a few mates who after only catching tiddlies gave up.If its not in your blood then you miss out on some real fun. Good Luck at the Night Fishing remember in close at night but dont forget sometimes they can also be further out depending on the Tide and weather.
PS you probably already know this but never fish at night alone need I say more....... :lol:

Posted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 4:11 pm

there's no way i'll give up. My seven year old son has the family record with a 17" bass just under 2lb and wont let me forget it! This was caught mid morning about 12 feet out on the turn of the tide. Me being older and wiser I still chuck it 30-40 yds! Why do we never learn from kids, they keep it simple and get it right!

Anyway only 8 days (nights) to go and there is a good tide, the wife has given me a night pass and i can try all of these tactics out. cant wait!!

Member Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 9

when on the piers walls etc try float fishing in the dark insert one of those small chemical lights in to the top of the float and use live pouts ,poor cod smelts etc as bait . if you cant get live bait use good fresh sprats etc. set them up like the pike anglers do when live baiting. work the float out with the current paying line out and keep hold of the rod!!! works for me best bass so far 10lbs 2oz using this method.

crabby.

Guest

MJB wrote:

Depends what you are targetting and at what range. If I was out Bass fishing and you appeared lit up like the Eddystone lighthouse, I would probably have some choice words for you. Keep all light off the water, you will spook every fish within 100 yards.

agreed MBJ!!! Some of the above answers are spot on, others i have to politely disagree with!
Only use as much light as you need, dont go and get a tilley lamp and light up the beach like Blackpool illuminations, When baiting up n stuff ALWAYS face up the beach, NEVER shine your light on the water!! If a bass sees something out of the ordinary then you cant blame it for being wary and keeping its distance!!!! Also use a big bait for bass at very short range, try 10ft, this may seem to some a bit sus but literally cast 10/15ft. Keep very quiet and use STEALTH!!! pretend you are not there!! Since i have been using these methods my catches have increased ten fold!
Good luck

Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2006 5:01 pm

Thanks again.

I always bait up facing up the beach anyway. Not for any reason, but I just do it. As I said above, my only light is a 1 LED Head light and I only turn it on for baiting up.

On the subject of distance, Southend has very shallow beaches and at 10ft out only a couple of feet of water. Is that enough?

Is it worth poping the bait up from the bottom (carp Style) as this worked for my sons Bass, or was this just coincidence?

Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2006 7:51 am

Hi crabby.

I have tried float fishing, but we don't have peirs and walls accessiable at night. It is a very shallow beach and i struggle to get the float out/keep the float out.

Should i try with a lighter rod (freshwater float rod for example) or is there another trick for getting it out there so that it stays out.

It seems to drift back in regardless of whether the tide is running in or out.

What am I doing wrong???