Night fishing

[the-nynphster]

I was just wondering do any of you flyfish at night? I would like to try it but Iam not sure of what type of fly to use. Should it be bigger or should I just fish as I would during light hours. And does it pay off, I heard the big boys come out at night but how true is that I caught allot of big fish during the daylight hours.

 

[tomgamber]

Of the few times I fished at night (on purpose that is) three things...Large, dark, noisy. I have had success on the surface with dark flies that make a good disturbance. Whitlock has a "night fly". I was using an unweighted bugger and a black muddler. Both drew ferocious strikes. Now the fun part. Its dark! This makes wading dangerous, detecting surface strikes dependant on hearing only and landing fish when you have them hooked difficult. I have hooked many at night...landed only 2. One pulled hard enough that it made me wonder what in the heck it actually was, although I'm pretty sure it was a brown trout. The Boise river doesn't have alligators but it does have beavers...

I googled but couldn't find a pic of the night fly...I'll post it if I find it.

 

[tomgamber]

http://www.pennswoods.net/~tomdewey/fishing/nightfishing2.htm

this should get you started...interesting article.

 

[the-nynphster]

Hey Tom not only was that very helpful but the history behind the article and the way that guy told his story was great. It made me actually want to try this more now. thank you

 

[Fishidiot]

I used to do a fair bit of night fishing for trout - more for bass. I was younger then, unmarried, and less fearful of falling down or getting injured. Night fishing is definitely the way to get big trout, esp browns. Joe Humphrys' brown - which is still the largest fly caught brown in Pa - was a night fish and his books cover night fishing well. In short, this is a summer and autumn game. I have never night fished past mid-October. I like quiet nights that are very dark. Stable weather helps too. I like a small, red lens headlight. Eyeglasses or goggles will protect your eyes from branches. Whether fish can see the red lens I don't know (some mammels can't) but it seems to spook fewer fish. Fish a large black streamer in the tail ends of pools and riffles and hold on.

 

[Chaz]

If you plan on going learn the section you plan to fish by fishing it during the day. Learn it well, otherwise we may read about you in the paper. This comes from folks who've written about night fishing.

 

[ArkieFlyGuy]

Night fishing in the Ozarks is most likely the same. Big and dark are the key flies. Sculpin or streamer patterns work best, but there are some here that will nymph with oversized flies - larger than fished during the day. Scuds, nymphs, and others.

Dave Whitlocks sculpin, pine squirrel, and other streamer patters are great. Black or purple woolies are good, but at certain times white unweighted wooly buggers work GREAT on Taneycomo.

I carry a small LED flashlight that tends to not spook the fish too much when I use the "focus" setting just to see the stream bottom at my feet. But it's a fact that you should fish the area and get to know it during the day.

Yes, Joe H is a great night fisherman. He's been to Arkansas a couple of times to try for a 20 lb brown and had his best chance during a night fishing session on the White system.

 

[Allmyne]

Is there any difference with night fishing a stocked stream to a stream holding natives? Once went out in potter county at night last year after a few cocktails damn leaving the rods in the truck, hooked into something large but lost it. Want to go out one night with no cocktails and see how it goes.

 

[jayL]

Big browns feed at night.... it doesn't matter whether they were stocked or not.

I've got an undercut or two that I'm going to try this year. :-D

 

[the-nynphster]

I have a few spots picked out that I know well, now I just need the temperature at least in the 40s at night. I want to fish when there is a full moon and not use any flashlight at all near the streamside, I figure this way you have natural source of light that the fish are use to and use the moon glair to get a feel for where your line is.

 

[Fishidiot]

nynphster,
Are you planning on night fishing during the winter? Your description of temperatures seems to imply this. If you are heading out soon I'd be extremely careful with this slippery snow we've got right now. I wouldn't think of walking in the stuff without cleated soles. I haven't heard of anyone night fishing for trout in PA during the winter but it might be worth a try, esp in a limestoner with warmer water. During the summer I always did better on dark, moonless nights. For some reason a full moon, although easy to fish, seemd to turn the fish off.

 

[afishinado]

Nymphster,

It defies logic, but I’ve experienced, and much of what I’ve read confirms, that night fishing isn’t very good during a bright moon. I’ve had good night fishing, and as soon as the moon begins shining on the water, it shuts down. Dark nights are best - I don’t know why.

I used to camp overnight along the Delaware River a lot, and the night fishing was unbelievable for big browns. It was common for us to catch more and bigger fish at night, fishing for just a few hours, than we caught fishing for the whole day.

Also, summer seems to be the best season for night fishing since the temperature begins to cool to a more comfortable level for the fish at night. Also, most fish predators (birds) don’t hunt a night. I guess the fish feel safer. Give night fishing a try this winter / spring and let us know how you make out. As FishIdiot said just be careful. Have a buddy with you. Falling in the water at this time of year can be deadly.

One last thing, I find a big black wooly bugger is all that I need. For night fishing, I tie it without weight. Dredging the bottom is not necessary, and an unweighted fly is easier to cast at night. Also, I tie the bugger a little uglier. I palmer the hackle as usual, and I add an extra long soft hackle collar at the head of the fly. Cast across and strip slowly. Strike detecttion will NOT be a problem. Use 2x or heavier tippet. Good luck.

 

[the-nynphster]

Thanks everyone for the info I do not intend to fish at night until the end of march begining of april. I will be fishing with someone and very cautious cold water is nothing to mess with. I guess it dosn't suprise me that the moon will effect night fishing I will try without it on the first run. It seems an unweighted fly is the way to go, I have already started tying an arsenal buggers in black. I have some small rattles I am going to tie in some of them that i use for bass flies it wont hurt to try it. thanks again