Night fishing is the way to go if you want rich catches and that all-important calm, relaxed and tranquil feeling. It’s becoming increasingly popular among pro fishermen and serious hobbyists — especially those who have a super-busy work life.
The problem with fishing at night is the fact that fish can’t really see in the dark! They are a lot like humans in this regard. So, that’s why you will need a green fishing light. This way, you double (if not triple) your chances of attracting bucketloads of fish.
Fishing with a Green Light — Tips and Tricks
Without further ado, let’s get into the pro’s tips and tricks on how to fish with a green light, shall we?
Perfect Anchoring is Key
Fishing lights are rendered pretty pointless if you don’t properly anchor your boat. You need to be as still and silent as a rock. Trust us, if you start moving, speaking loudly or swinging around, you’re only going to scare the fish away.
If you don’t fancy going out on a boat at night, you can always fish from the shoreline. At the end of the day, it’s up to you. Just make sure you’re nice and still.
Practice Your Patience
Larger fish will take longer to be attracted to the light than the average phytoplankton. In fact, you’ll probably notice that these little guys swim up pretty quickly. This is the start of your fishing bonanza. Don’t try to rush the chain reaction!
The bigger fish are more likely to be attracted to the phytoplankton (i.e. a meal) than the LED light. However, it’s easier to attract them with a light than without.
Adjust the Light Correctly
There is nothing worse than purchasing fishing equipment — such as a green light — when you don’t set it up in a location that’s easy to reach for the fish. Make sure you know your area well since then, you’ll be able to locate the feeding grounds without much effort. As long as your chosen spot has enough logs, hiding spots and reefs, you’ll do just fine.
Match the Size and Color
If you were to wear green on green, people would say it’s a bit too “matchy-matchy”, wouldn’t they? Well, that’s exactly what you want in this case.
When you’re fishing at night with a green light, you’ll want to try and match the bait size and color. You’ll have to make sure you research the area to figure out what species, size and color of baitfish will be swimming around your LED light.
Don’t get us wrong, you do not need to match it exactly. But getting pretty close will increase your chances of catching plenty of fish.
Know the Depth
Of course, no one sets out to do something with the intention of failing. With that in mind, you’ll need to put your light in at the correct depth to ensure success.
If you’re in the ocean, make sure the light is at a depth where you can make adjustments as and when the tide dies down and picks up.
Have Multiple Lights
Sometimes, less is more but in this case, more is more.
Night fishing with numerous lights increases your chances of success by quite a lot. Obviously, this isn’t always practical for the hobbyist but, if your budget allows it, purchase two.
Although, bear in mind that you shouldn’t set them up right next to each other. Leave a 3 to 4-foot gap around each one to boost your big-catch chances.
Edges are Good
If you fish directly in the rays of your green light, your success rate will be significantly decreased. Instead, stick to the edges of the light. Predators prefer to swim around the outside so they can jump in and out for a bite to eat. This is where you can come in and catch yourself a winner.
Edging too close into the light when you’re fishing from a dock or boat will scare the fish. To make sure they don’t suspect a thing, stay inside the casting distance. Smart fish especially prefer this method since they don’t realize you’re reeling them in from the dark areas.
Deep Cell Battery
For those anglers who love to fish all night, you’ll want to get a deep cell battery that has a good AH rating. It’s best not to use the starting battery on your boat otherwise you risk draining it which would be less than helpful!
These batteries are made to be drained but never empty. If you do empty it, you’ll shorten the lifespan of it which renders your investment almost pointless. However, if you’re only going on a short excursion, a 12v battery should be fine.
On the other hand, if you can use an outlet then a 110 to 250v converter is the optimum option!
Keep it Clean
At some point, you are going to have to clean your green light. It’s easy to do so it won’t take up much of your time!
Just take your light and rinse it in some fresh water. Then, remove any debris from the waterproof connectors so this doesn’t damage your equipment. And that’s it!
See? It’s not that hard. Making sure you keep it clean will allows you to get many years of night fishing fun out of your equipment.
But Which Green Light Should I Use?
You now know how to fish with a green light, but we haven’t addressed which green light to use yet.
We see a lot of people asking this question thanks to the hundreds of green lights available on the market these days. So, we’re going to give you our humble opinion.
We have been using the Green Blob Outdoors Underwater Fishing Light for a while now and we’re in love. That link above will redirect you to Amazon.
The light is exceptionally bright thanks to the 30,000 lumens output and a 360-degree viewing angle. Not to mention that the developers have managed to pack a self-weighted system into the light itself. This means you don’t need extra equipment (i.e. the weights) bogging you down while you’re just trying to enjoy yourself.
Plus, this handy product is made for fresh and saltwater fish. It has been known to attract fish such as stripers, snooks, squids, crappies, bass, and tarpons. We’ve realized that it truly does live up to these claims.
You will not be disappointed.
The Bottom Line
Regardless of whether you’ve been night fishing for years or you’re starting on a new adventure, our top tips are bound to give you fantastic results. Before we go, let’s take one last look at the best tips, tricks and fishing bits:
- Anchor your boat properly
- Set the lights up correctly
- If you have numerous lights, place them 3 to 4 feet apart
- Make sure you know the right depth
- Stick to the edge of the light’s rays
- Match the bait size and color
- Always keep the light clean
- Remove debris from the waterproof connectors
At the end of the day, the most important tip is to have fun. After all, what’s the point of night fishing if you’re not going to unwind and relax?
