How To Make Night Fishing More Fun

     I have to admit night fishing is not one of my favorite things to do. Part of it is I'm afraid of the dark, well I'm afraid of the mice and other small animals that move around in the dark. Another part of it is because I'm very clumsy. I roll my ankles on flat surfaces with nothing to trip over in the daytime so rocky surfaces in the dark are not fun for me. I prefer night fishing close to the vehicle or from a campsite but I have found with enough lanterns and flashlights, I can night fish almost anywhere. Here are some tips I've come up with to make night fishing easier and more fun:

     The first tip is to get organized before the sun goes down. Make sure you know where all of your lures, hooks, bait and "squishies" are while the sun is up so you aren't looking for them later. It is also good to make sure your flashlights, bug repellent and night time snacks and drinks are easy to find, also.



 

Cori organizing her "squishies"

 

    My next tip is to make sure your rod holders are in the spots you want them to be when the sun goes down and if you are going to throw lures you have an idea where you are going to stand. It is a very good idea to know your surroundings before it gets too dark for you to see them well. Right after the sun goes behind the mountains is my favorite time of the evening and is a great time to get to know your surroundings. I will sit in my chair and enjoy the views and also make sure I know where the big rocks are I will probably trip over at some point in the evening and also watch for the nice calm water for fish activity so I know where to try to cast once the sun is down. The fish may not still be there when the sun goes down, but it's still really fun to watch fish surfacing on nice calm water.

 

 

 

     My next piece of advice is totally optional, but I TOTALLY recommend it. Get a glow-in-the-dark fishing rod!! My husband gave me this rod as a gift a few years ago and it is the rod that I have to keep an eye on at all times while we're night fishing because people are always coming over to look at it once it is dark outside. If I have the rod out in the sun all day, it will glow for most of the night. If the glow goes away then there is a switch to turn on a couple of blue lights that will charge the glow and also look really cool in the dark.

 

     My grandpa was a State Patrolman for a very long time and then became a sheriff so I grew up respecting law enforcement officers very much....until they threaten to "confiscate" my glow rod! We were camping at one of our favorite lakes 2 years ago a sheriff deputy drove up to our campsite and started talking to my husband and brother about the glowing rod. I was in the RV so I came out when I heard them talking about it. When the cop said "I'm pretty sure that is illegal, I'm going to have to confiscate it." I said "NO WAY! You can't take my rod!" And then I realized I just yelled at a police officer. Thankfully the officer was joking and also took my yelling as a joke (after he gave me a stern look) and agreed not to confiscate my rod or arrest me for yelling at a cop. Phew!

 

 

     I am a lot better about night fishing now even though I still get a little nervous. I hate when bats fly around above our heads and mice and lizards scamper around in the rocks behind me, but with my arsenal of flashlights and my glow-in-the-dark fishing rod, I'm more comfortable.