How To - Night Fishing With Lights

Our most successful/consistent fishing trips on Beaver Lake have been at night. I grew up fishing waters that were stained and shallow with vegetation, just throw a fluke at the weedline and catch a fish. Beaver lake is the exact opposite and we had to learn the hard way that the same tactics do not apply. The parts of the lake that we fish get to about 100' deep with 15' visibility. It is all rock and the shoreline is bare unless the water is at flood stage.

Prep
Don't take a ton of stuff, it will just get in the way. The more you prep before getting on the water, the happier you will be. Usually you catch most of your fish in short bursts. Being prepared and keeping baited hooks in the water during these times is crucial. You don't want to be fumbling around tying a knot while the bite is hot.

Checklist:
Headlamp - Most important. Hands free is the only way to go
Warm Clothes - Layers. I have been cold in June before.
Snelled hooks - pre-make #2 snelled hooks with a 1'-2' leader. A direct conection to the hook will result in line twist and fewer strikes. The longer leader results in swallowed hook a lot. Extras to change out are necessary to reduce the amount of knot tying you have to do.
Snap swivels - see above.
Barrel sinkers - these will get your bait deep quicker and hold them a more in a central location. You are usually fishing with multiple poles/people and a shad swimming in a big circle will tangle everything up.
Glow sticks - these help dramatically when the fish are biting light or you are using a couple rods and one is out of your peripheral.
Towel - thing will get nasty if you wipe your hands on your shirt all night.
Pliers - white bass have small mouths and walleye have teeth
Shad net - we don't catch many shad with a cast net. dropping down a gill net usually does the trick.
Shad bucket - in the summer heat, shad don't live very long.
Bait dip net - chasing shad all night gets old.
Dip net - never lose a fish at the boat.
Starting bait - it usually takes a bit to start catching shad. Have some minnows or jigs handy to start off with.
Lawn chairs - back support for 6 hrs is priceless.
Cooler - bring ice for the fish. White bass taste much better if immediately cooled.
Drinks/Snacks - you will get hungry/thirsty/bored. these things make you want to leave earlier.

We go out just before dark and find a place to tie up in 25' or deeper. Turn on the shad lights. Put the shad net in the water. Put the shad bucket in the water. Drop the lines down to the bottom and slowly work the water column. You will eventually find how deep they are liking.

The new light project. 16' waterproof led strip wrapped around sand filled PVC.



Protector for the ride out.

Out of the water.



In the water.





You never know what you will catch. Flathead, white bass, striper, crappie, walleye. All the good stuff.



It's good when you have to start filling a separate container.



It's great when the fish are too big for your container.



White bass die quick. Another reason to put them on ice. Especially when on the water for 6 or more hours in June.



Do not stick your thumb in their mouth.




Cooling them right away helps the flavor.

Our fish cleaning station. The little bowls that came with it just won't due on a good night.




Thanks AGFC for the free fishing weekend.

I think this was my first trip night fishing with lights. Thanks Andrew for getting me hooked on this.




Pretty good night.



I had him hold it out. My fault, not his.



A couple good walleye.