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Been working over my boat to be better prepared to do some night catting. Put in LED lights in the standard light locations to save battery and some courtesy lights around the side panels and two flood lights on front. What else can you think of to make the night fishing easier/better? Oh and what are the rules for the green/red light in front? Is that used only while underway and moving or do you have to keep it on while anchored up fishing? The white light in the back is the anchor light, right? I know it has to stay on, but I don't navigate in the dark much so I'm trying to learn the rules to be legal and safe. I know my GPS will be my best friend in the dark on Cutler with all the shallow spots and structure and I know my spot lights will do little to help me see outside of floating stuff I don't want to hit. Anyway I'd appreciate any ideas you have. Thanks J
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Hey Jeff, you only need the anchor light when just sitting there as far as I've ever known. The best thing I've found while out there fishing at night is to keep the lights to a minimum if possible or at your back anyway. It really helps to develop the night sight once you settle in to a spot.
I usually keep a lantern going if the bugs get too bad because they swarm the light more than me. LED lights would be a great way to illuminate the area without blinding yourself.
The biggest help for me when night fishing for cats is to go buy a cheap box of glow sticks from the party supplies isle at Walmart. They are something like 4-5 bucks for a box full of them and last many fishing trips. I'll tape them with electrical tape to the spine of the tip of my poles and I'll even bend them over on themselves and tape them to bobbers. I'll fish a bobber pole and a bottom pole and with the glow sticks it makes it very easy to see when you get a hit. It's really cool to look over at your bobber and notice it's not there anymore, but there is a faint glow streaking away under the surface!
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Thanks Mike, I do love it when those bobbers take off in the dark, you know it's going to be fun at that point. So if you keep the lights at your back, do you face away from your anchor light? I noticed it throws a fair amount of light in the boat at night. Not fishing yet, just turning it on after dark. I actually haven't mounted my courtesy lights yet, but I heard you want to point them at the floor so you see reflected light and not directly the bulbs. Does that sound right? On the bank I fish in the dark until I hook up, then I hit my headlight to land the fish. Would landing flood lights help or hinder in your opinion? Not sure where I'd mount them, but curious. Anyway thanks for your help. J
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I just try to position myself whichever way it takes to see my pole or bobber and not get the light directly in my eyes. My anchor light is right in the transom so it doesn't really get in my way. I think as long as you don't have a bunch of harsh little bulbs blinding you it should be fine.
Illuminating the floor would be a wise idea for when it gets busy with a big fish and you're chasing it around the boat. I really ought to be setting mine up for nigh fishing and making some modifications too.
For a landing light I would be willing to bet that the anchor light would provide plenty of light....mine sure does.
I know it sounds weird, but when I set mine up for a night fishing trip I get in the boat at home when it's dark and set my stuff around the way that I would have it when I'm night fishing and it just naturally makes me set the light, cooler, tackle boxes, etc. in the most efficient places.
Mike
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Thanks Mike, I've been doing the same thing you mentioned going out to my boat after dark and trying to think through what else I might need to have ready... Hey do you have a big rubberized net for landing the big cats? My net isn't quite big enough when I'm landing a 27"er so I'm thinking if I ever get into a 30"er that might be a weak link... Do you know where you can find a good one that doesn't cost an arm and leg??? Also what size is best?? Don't want an over sized one, but it's hard when the fish won't fit into the net... They seem to be so dang expensive, but after having a rubberized net, I can't go back to the regular ones... Wipers ruined me on those, the twisting and wiggling critters tied my hooks up so bad in my old net, that I spent way too long getting the hooks cleared to go back to fishing... May go surf Amazon and see what they have, seems like the regular sources are a bit tooo high for me to shell out that much, that's why I got the size I did was price... Still like that net for most trips, but when I'm playing with lakers and big cats, I need something better... Anyway had a few minutes to try fishing tonight, but it was the triple downer day, with cold temps, wind and front just passing and a full moon close.. So I figured I'd save a skunk and try it another day... Thanks for the help and we'll have to get the night catters trip together sometime between April and June... Seems like once the water temp starts to get extra warm the night catting really picks up for me.. Anyway catch ya later... J
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I just use a regular old 4-5 foot long 24" or so opening net. I've never got a rubber net before so I don't know they work.
I can't wait till the night cattin begins!
Mike
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Thanks for your thoughts, I do like the rubber for keeping hooks out of the net. Especially treble hooks. Found a 27" X 20" oval net for $55 but I'm not sure it's worth that much to me when I already have one that will work. May just have to take the chance. I did get a 29"er in the net the year before last, but I was in the toon so it's easier to net them. I'd sure like to try the cats but between the weather and my schedule I don't know when I can make it happen, but it will be fun when I do. Later J
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[#0000FF]Just add fish.
Hold the skeeters.
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That's for sure, seems like some nights those head nets were required to allow breathing without chunks...Later J
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I found that using a RED light at night keep many of the bugs away as they don't seem to be attracted to the light - found this out because many of the head lamps have that option and noticed the buggies were not drawn to it. You might even try covering the LEDs with clear red tape they have for auto tail light repair at Wally World: http://www.walmart.com/ip/3M-Red-Lens-Ta...ethod=p13n
And by the way I HATE bugs !!
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Hey thanks for that tip, I heard nightcrawlers don't spook to red lights as easy either... Guess I better get me a red light... Thanks for the tips... J
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I used to go night catting in my younger years but I didn't need a boat for that.
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[#0000FF]Didn't we all. But as we get older the bait gets stale and the "kitties" don't wanna play no more.
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I'd watch myself out there in the dark, not sure even a red light will scare the boogy man!
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I tell ya what, there are some night sounds out in the swamp that makes ya wonder. One night a green heron came flying in the dark about 6' over head and must of seen me because it all of a sudden freaks out and makes some freakin weird noises that I hadn't ever heard before, plus all the wing noises that sound like I'm about to be hit and knocked into the pond as catfish bait. That and the screamers that keep getting closer and closer to you as the night goes on. Yup scary spot to hang alone in the dark. What we do to try and beat BLK. I know a million power spot light would probably make me feel better but I'd probably keep all of Logan awake if I had one of those pointing at each strange noise. Later J
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Be sure to leave the chickens at home. Last year I attempted night fishing and I had three chickens with me that made it last a whole 20 min.
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The bats used to drive me crazy after dark. They will get within six inches of your face before their radar can detect you.
Try one of those baseball cap lights that Browning sells at the outlet store in Morgan. Just reach up and turn it on after you set the hook. They are more powerful than the cheapies and the batteries last longer than 5 minutes.
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Will do, took some kids one night and yup didn't last long. It's not the spot for light weights for sure. Later J
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Bats can freak ya out, especially after a fresh rabies scare. Had a spooky night on a raft at White pine as a scout when the bats really dive bombed us. Really freaked us out when our leaders started ticking our hats with the tips of their fishing poles. We were sure the bats were attacking us.
Appreciate the light recommendation. I have a good high quality Cabela light that works great, so I'm in good shape there. Thanks J
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[#0000FF]Many long years ago...on a calm moonlit night on Willard Bay...I was float tube cattin' with my oldest son. We were just drifting along...trying to keep from falling asleep in the wee hours. Suddenly there was a huge splash beside his tube and he hit high C. Seems he put his hand over the side of the tube to trail his fingers in the water and touched a huge snoozing carp. Couldn't say who got the worst scare...my son, the carp or me.
Been on a few nighttime trips with nervous Nellies who imagined every noise to be some hideous monster. And that was before Trump.
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