Story by Ken Duke | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons
We’re coming up on the dog days of summer and it’s gotten hot here in east Tennessee. We’ve had a lot of rain this year which has kept the lake temperatures a little cooler and the fish up a little shallower. Granted, you can catch fish in 30-35 feet of water, but there are a lot of fish in 10-15 feet because of this. And the bait is there, too.
One of my favorite things to do is fish at night. I’ve been doing it since I was in high school. During college the night “rodeos” put spending money in my pocket. Boone Lake near Johnson City had three night tournaments a week from early April until October and they were lots of fun. My buddy Brian and I won several of those.
I basically do two or three things when night fishing: I’ll throw a Summer Craw-colored jig, a single bladed Night Vibez Spinnerbait from Pulse Fish Lures (Purple Dawn or Black and Blue), and a topwater.
I use a blacklight at night so I can see my line, and I use a fluorescent fluorocarbon line that glows in the dark so you can see where your bait is located. I’ll use 15-pound test for the jig rod and 17-pound test for the spinnerbait. I’ll throw the jig on a medium heavy rod with a 7.1:1 gear ratio reel, and for the spinnerbait I’ll use the same medium heavy rod with a 6.4:1 gear ratio since I want to keep the bait down.
I like to fish points at night, and the last third of a bluff where they taper off. Also, anywhere there is a dock with lights on them is a bonus. That’s where the topwater comes into play. A lot of times fish will move up on a point at night and you can catch several without even moving your boat. Moon phase can play a key role too. I’ve noticed the first third of a moon up to a half moon seems to be the best for me.
Another bonus to fishing at night is you mostly have the lake to yourself. You don’t have to deal with the fun times at the boat ramp or the excess traffic on the water. Night fishing to me is some of the most peaceful fishing you can do in the summertime.
Back in the day it was common for Brian and me to catch 30-40 fish in a night, but nowadays if you catch 10-20 in a 6-hour trip, you’d call that a good night.
Another thing that goes unnoticed is night fishing in the late fall, even into early December. I have had many nights where the water temp is still 55-59 degrees and if you can brave the elements, you stand a great chance to catch a real big one. Most of the time they’ll be right on the bank. My favorite bait in late fall is the spinnerbait.
If you want to take a break from the summer heat, try night fishing. I wish my eyesight was as good as it was back then. That’s the only drawback for me these days.
Tight Lines!
Todd Goade – Angler Profile
