Fishing by Moonlight: Tips on Staying Safe and Enjoying the Night

Night fishing, with its calm environment and peaceful setting, gives fishermen a unique perspective of Massachusetts’ world-famous waters. Whereas during the day you may encounter distractions on the high seas, at night, chances are that your experience will be a lot more tranquil, and perhaps a lot more successful.

However, night fishing is vastly different than day fishing, and not just because of the visibility. Night fishing requires different preparation, different tackle, and different methodology. So if you’re thinking of taking the boat for a spin after the sun sets, there are some important things to keep in mind.

It is crucial to prepare yourself, your boat, and your tackle box before casting off for some night fishing. Regardless of the time of day, safe fishermen should always have life preservers, flares, and other safety gear aboard, but these precautions are even more important at night. (A flashlight couldn’t hurt, either.) Beyond the basic safety gear, it is also important to eliminate anything that may cause accidental harm to you or your passengers when vision is obstructed. Make sure that the deck of your boat is clutter-free, and that there is nothing on it that will cause you to trip or injure yourself during your fishing excursion.

Scouting a location, or knowing where exactly you want to fish, is critcial for night fishing. During the daytime, it is easier to see movement of the fish, to track a jump or ripple in the water. However, at night, scouting by sight is next to impossible. Try going out during the day to find some hotspots, or go to your favorite tried-and-true places to cast off at night.

Nighttime may not be the best time to try out new hot spots or take a chance on a more risky environmental location near rocks or other landscape that could cause your boat harm. Since it will be hard to see at night, and therefore challenging to bait your hook, prepare your tackle box in a way in which your essential items are easily accessible. As to what kind of tackle to use…there are many schools of thought. Some recommend using a black lure. Although it seems a bit counterintuitive, the fish can actually see the silhouette of dark colors more easily in the water at night because it is lit by the sky, so your darker lure may yield the best results.

Most of all, remember to enjoy the quiet and serenity fishing at night offers. Who knows? If you are at one with nature, maybe the fish will come to you.