Outdoors

As boating and fishing traffic on our lakes and rivers increases during the summer, some anglers have learned that night fishing can be very productive.

Especially on Logan Martin.

Summer nights can be peaceful, with fewer boats on the water and air temperatures in a more comfortable range to fool some late-night fish. Crappie, bass and catfish can be caught after dark during the summertime, and the cool night air makes being on the water more enjoyable.

Different tactics and baits apply to each species and, when one understands the lake structure, the fish can be easily located.

Nighttime safety

"There are not as many boats on the water, and it is a lot cooler at night," Munford's David Austin said.

Logan Martin receives some pretty heavy fishing pressure and boat traffic during the day. As the water clears and daytime temperatures rise, bass, crappie and catfish head for cooler conditions in deeper water.

After dark, they move shallow to feed under the night sky.

In recent years, the popularity of night fishing in the summer has increased. Some bass clubs and marinas around Logan Martin and other area lakes offer weekly tournaments at night during the summer.

One particular night tournament limits the weigh-in to just one fish per angler. This puts less stress on the bass and greatly improves the survival rate during the hot-water months.

Boating safety is important on the water anytime, but even more so after dark.

"Fish an area of the lake you are familiar with," said Weaver bass angler Greg Davie, who has fished at night for many years on Logan Martin, along with other lakes. "After dark, certain landmarks are not visible, and the lake surroundings can look completely different."

GPS electronics with mapping can be a great asset during nighttime fishing excursions. Favorite fishing holes can be marked by waypoints and easily located under lights-out conditions.

Most GPS units have a back-track or trail feature that makes it easy to reverse course to head back in the dark to the launch ramp.

It's best to fish with at least one partner when on the lake at night. Partners can assist each other in boating fish, handling equipment and watching for objects on the water.

One safety tip for nighttime boat operations is to slow down. Judging distances on the water at night is a little different than in the day, and excess speed can have objects coming in faster than expected.

Small flashlights kept in reach will come in handy for changing lures or unhooking a big keeper bass. After several minutes of darkness, your eyes should adjust to low-light conditions. Keep lights in the boat to a minimum in order to avoid losing your night vision.

The newer stern navigation lights are mounted higher above the boat and offer a diffusing lens that helps keep the white light away from the angler's eyes, but it's visible to other boats.

Fishing locations after dark

What areas of the lake would be productive at night?

Fish the same areas you would normally fish during the day. Points leading to shallow water flats, weed beds and lighted piers are good places to search for night bass. Humps near deep-water drops are also good areas to check, as bass will move up shallow in search of food.

On lakes where the water is clear, the daytime fishing and heavy boat traffic forces many bass to feed after dark. Baitfish will move up shallow to feed on the plankton, and bass won't be far behind.

After dark, train your ears to listen for bass busting shad on the surface, and key in on these areas.

Weed beds are a prime choice for after-dark bass. The fish move up along the weed edges searching for baitfish, insects and maybe even a small snake.

Most weeds on Logan Martin are along shallow banks or points. Target the larger weed beds near deeper water.

Crappie can be located around bridge pilings in major creeks and rivers. Look for crappie around pilings and supports near the channel ledge.

Usually, these pan fish can be caught from 3 to 20 feet of water. Also, the intersection of creeks and river channels is another area to search for crappie after dark.

Catfish can be found along the river and creek ledges and on deeper humps in open-water areas. These whisker fish are generally close to the bottom but will move up some to feed during the night.

Basic black for bass

How about lure selections for nighttime angling?

Lure-color selection for after-dark bass catching might not make sense to novice night anglers, but Davie and Austin will explain.

Both agree. Their number one choice for nighttime bass is a dark-colored spinner bait. These lures should have a single, large Colorado style blade to give off plenty of vibration for attracting hungry bass looking for a midnight snack.

Some spinner baits have rattles, copper or dark-painted blades to make the lure even more enticing to the bass.

Hey, wait a minute. How are the fish going to see a black lure at night? That is a good question, and Davie explains it.

"The bass are underneath the water, looking up to a dimly lit sky," he said. "The lure is silhouetted against the sky, making it easier for the bass to see."

Noisy top-water lures are also good choices for bass after dark. Buzzbaits or prop baits can attract bass by their surface commotion.

When working noisy surface lures, keep the retrieve steady to allow the bass to home in to the sound. A big, black Jittberbug is an old forgotten lure that works well on lakes and rivers after dark.

Alive in the night

Better results can be achieved with live bait for both crappie and catfish during the summer. Small minnows fished below a float are the top choice for crappie anglers after dark.

However, if the crappie are feeding, small jigs or even crank baits will help put a few fish in the boat.

For catching catfish in the river lakes, live shad will be the best producer. Shad 3-5 inches in length fished near the bottom will generate strikes form lazy cats.

Stink-type baits — such as dough balls, chicken livers or cut shad — will also work on catfish after dark.

Special lights can help

With a fluorescent-coated line, the use of a "black light" will make the line glow above the water.

"With a black light, the line will look as big as a ski rope," Davie said. "Even the lightest strike will make the line jump and help detect the bite."

For night fishing, Davie says he prefers a slow steady retrieve, regardless of the lure type. The uniform vibration or noise gives the bass a chance to home in on the lure's location.

On spinner baits and top-water lures, most strikes will be aggressive. On soft plastics and jigs, the strike is more subtle.

Many old crappie fishermen used Coleman-style lanterns hung over the side of the boat for night fishing. The light attracted bugs that would fall on top of the water, and small minnows would come to feed on the bugs. Crappie and other fish would feed on the minnows.

Special crappie lights encased in foam can be floated on the surface to attract the fish and reduce glare.

Some crappie anglers will use both types of lights, one each of the floating lights on either end of the boat and the lantern in the middle.

Summer night bass can still be a little finicky and might want a different presentation or lure.

"Have your partner use a different type of lure than you to see what the bass prefer for that night," Austin said. "This saves time by narrowing the lure choices quickly."

It is best to have only a few rods rigged and ready and also, keep the clutter out of the boat during nighttime fishing excursions. This will allow you to move around in the boat without stepping on rods or tripping over something when that big strike occurs.

During the summertime, high temperatures during the day can make fishing slow and almost painful for most bass anglers. But for a chance to catch some quality fish and enjoy the outdoors under a cool summer moon, just turn out the Mother Nature's lights.