Last year at or just about dark a huge caddis hatch took place. Now I hate to ask this question because I’ve fly fished for years, but how the heck do you cast and fly fish in the dark and still know what’s going on at the other end of your fly line?
Use a headlamp, or get reaaaaly adjusted to the light. Trout and bass love to feed at night. Even using a lil nymph works fairly good.
Try it. it is a blast! I fish for trout in the NYC watershed. No crowds, bigger fish and a bit spooky (the dark you know). You’d be suprised how in tune you can get with the end of your leader. It’s all a “feeling”. DB 
it’s all by feeling instead of watching
I fish a LOT at night.
I usually try and scout my night fishing locations ahead of time during daylight so I can measure my casts and figure things out.
I also prefer a larger pool for night fishing so I will try and find one and end up there to close out the night.
I have almost never fished and couldn’t see a LITTLE bit. Sometimes a lower position in relation to the water will enable you to see the glare on the water AND your fly or indicator.
I fish dry flies a lot at night and as long as I have an idea where my fly may be; when I see a rise, (if I can see); anywhere near where I THINK my fly may be I set the hook. If I can’t see; when I HEAR a rise I set the hook; REALLY, you can hear the rises!
Other times when fishing large streamers or wets it is all feel. Again the most important thing is knowing your pool by scouting it when it is light or just knowing the body of water like the back of your hand.
Try it; it’s lots of fun…except for BATS! :shock:
Oh swell Bat’s (No thank you I don’t drink wine that is.) I was fishing a weed line for Bass and some really big bass were killing both the blue gills and the caddis flies which were as large as the gills (well almost), but it was so dark I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face. I had no light either. I sure would like to learn though.
Fly fishing at night…
WOW… I could get into that!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:
Hobo… let see if I can add right…
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your fly fishing at night (In Texas)
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your fly fishing for bass (In Texas)
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Back to fishing…
Night fishing is a blast!!
I have done it now for 8 maybe 10 years… spend over 100 nights on the the water
I have based my guide service around night fishing…now Im on the water 3-5 days a week (IM LOVING IT!!)
Like the other guys said… its all in the feel…
even though I done this for quite sometime… Im still learning a few tricks…
As the bats goes… just take a pair of gloves if you happen to hook one the gloves will come in handy…
Feel free to post ANY questions you have about night fishing…
Leonard
The Bats-the darn things move so quick its hard to understand what they are doing, but I had to minimize my false casts (which is a good thing, I know) because the bats seemed like they were chasing my fly when casting. I actually felt like I tugged one but did not hook up, thankfully! This was right at dusk and I gave up when darkness fell.
But I can see with one of those headlamps how fishing at night would be possible, and intruiging…now my wife is going to lose me all day AND night when we camp. Thanks everyone!
Please check your fishing regulations. In some states it is illegal to fish at night for trout.
Tim Anderson
In Ontario it’s illegal to fish with a flash light on. You can use it to tie the fly on your line but not to watch it on the water. It’s also illegal to use lighted lures etc but for some reason it isn’t illegal to sell them. Go figure.
As for fishing in the dark? It’s true chuck and duck fishing!! It’s all by feel and sound. A full moon helps too…sort of.
We fish for striped bass alot at night.
Hearing what your line is doing is very important.
A piece of weed on the fly or even a wind knot in your leader sounds different than “normal”
Seeing is not an issue on a wide open beach. Most often there’s plenty of light for anything short of tying on a fresh fly.
The fish feed more comfortably in the dark, so short casts are the rule not the exception.
Some nights a quick flash of a light on a caught fish is a good idea so as you don’t lip a bluefish thinking it was a bass :shock:
Knots that you have practiced and can “tie with your eyes closed” can be very important.
One moonless night I lost my whole leader, and when I went to try to tie on a new one, my flashlight was dead too. (now I carry two flashlights)
In the dark, I stripped off some coating off the line tip, tied a perfection loop in the line core and attached a new leader, tippet, and fly.
All in the dark. No problem
You do have a tendancy to rely on other senses at night. Its funny, I have a hard time hearing someone talking to me that is right next to me but when I am on the water I can hear a skeeter buzz 50 feet away. :lol:
It is also surprising how well you can see at night once your eyes have adjusted. That big puddle of water in front of you reflects a lot of light so it is easy to see what the end of your line is usually doing. As far as flash lights and head lamps go they screw with your night vision so use them sparingly.
Night is also a good time to fish light sources if they are around, like street lights and spot lights that can cast shadows on the water. They are good at attracting all the little crittters the big critters feed on.
If you fish at night try using a headlamp with a red lens cover. It won’t ruin your night vision and it won’t spook fish, but it will allow you tie on a fly, apply floatant, undo a windknot, or anything else you may need light to do. Resist the urge to use a light unless absolutely necessary, and like said above, you’d be surprised what you can see when your eyes adjust.
One other thing not posted above use a heavier tippet. The Trout and other fish can hit hard and night and break the same size tippet that works in the day time. This will help to save you from tying on another fly as much. As example I have been known to use up to 8-10 LBS tippet for fishing at night on lakes with streamers for 18-26 inch trout. The heavy tippet and leaders will not spook them at night like it does during the day.
Hopping to get into some nice sized Browns this coming weekend while doing some night time fishing in E Washington.
One thing from above talked about already but that can not be stressed enough, know the area you are going to fish in the light of day before fishing it at night, both to better work the water and for your own safety.
I’ve never fished for trout at night, nor on moving water. Many times on farm ponds. On a few of the motorless lakes here in Minnesota. For largemouth bass using black poppers. I’m more of a sidearm or three-quarter caster so I rarely have to worry about hooking myself even at night. That explosion bass make on a topwater in daylight is even greater at night. Really pumps the blood. I have a nephew who loves night fishing as well, and when we fish together we’ll take opposite banks of a farm pond. I love hearing the kid cuss, which he does even when he hooks up. I have a head lamp I use only for the tying on of a nw popper if I should lose one. You eyes amazingly adjust to the darkness. About the nephew, now in his mid-30s and an attorney. We are planning a trip to the ponds sometime this early summer. If you haven’t tried night fishing, give it a try. As far as line control, you learn real quick about feeling the rod load and all of that. Really, it isn’t as difficult as it sounds. JG W
What I know about this, is: Once you turn on the light to tie on your fly it will take you 20 minutes or more for your eyes to adjust again. Anyone that thinks that they can use a flashlight to see their fly has one huge flashlight. Fishing for trout in the dark is all about hearing. Get to the spot you want to fish before dark. Get a feel for how fast the water is flowing so you have an idea how fast your dry fly is moving over the water. It all about drys, you won’t be fishing anything else. As it gets dark make a few casts through to keep your timing on. The fish will just up and stop feeding some time during dusk and start again after dark. When they start it’s showtime. cast to where you think your casting to, this part is mostly done by measuring the cast from a weight standpoint. I can’t really explain this, stand in an open space and close your eyes and cast to a circle, your doing well to get it to hit the ground let alone the circle your aiming at. It’s the same thing. When the fly hits the water listen very closely, the popping sound over by your fly is a trout eating it. Pull !!! The upside is the fish don’t seem to care if you fly is not doing a dead drift, nothing you do has to be perfect. The fish seem to eat with almost a reckless abandon. Good luck with this, it’s really a hoot. The only thing I have yet to get used to is wading in the water in the dark. Just creeps me out.
Lake taneycomo is a tailwater… there generate a lot of water…
As a rule of thumb… if the water is on… I wont wade over thigh deep…
But if you want something to really creep you out… wait till you meet the friendly little beavers
The bug, bats, sound of wildlife…Im fine with… BUT MAN…I hate them beavers…
Night Angler is a experienced fishermen at night.
I am somebody who has only flyfished once at night. My impression is that it is very strange. I felt my focus shrink to looking at individual fish rising. There was a fish rising a foot away from me and my daylight brain said “Doug that fish will never take your fly!” , well that trout took my fly alright and took off for parts unknown! :lol: It was a surreal experience. I guess you could practice by going into the closet with a candle.
I am very curious about how much Night Angler had to fish at night before he learned the rules of what not to do and what to do. I think safety is very important and being very familiar with your fishing spot.
Doug
One other thing that has made night fishing a bit more interesting for me; especially on the big wide, (and dark) Susquehanna River is the now, (unfortunately) discontinued Rio Lumilux (glow-in-the-dark) fly lines.
Besides having a great all around supple coating for fishing dry flies & poppers; when it gets REALLY dark; the subtle glow of of the line AND being able to see it REALLY helps you to know where your fly is; especially on big water.
Luckily I grabbed a few before Rio closed them out. If you never tried one for night fishing you missed a good one IMHO.
Also; whether you use it to tie on flies or not; get a headlamp; preferably one that has both LED & a halogen light source. The LED if fine for tying on flies; etc but the incandescent bulb still offers superior distance and penetration into the water. Walking off of a big wide river or through the woods on a moonless night can get pretty hairy and it’s REALLY nice to have both hands free for balance or WHATEVER. :shock:
And yes, like Dudley said; carry a spare light of some type. Being lost in the woods…on an unfamiliar creek…in the dark…ALONE…with no flashlight…because the bulb blew…and I didn’t have a spare…
…is NO fun!
Another thing I started doing after getting lost on unfamiliar water in the dark, (I do that a lot); is carrying Fire Tacks which are small thumbtacks with reflective tape on them that are popular with hunters. As I am fishing in daylight; if I come to a spot where it is safe AND NECESSARY to wade across; I sure as heck want to be able to find that spot hiking back to the car when it’s dark. A few Fire Tacks on a nearby tree on both side of the creek serve as a blaze mark which is visible for a LONG distance when illuminated with my headlamp.
They have gotten me out of more than a few jambs on the way back to the car at night.
Coyotes…skunks…deer that have no idea you are standing there…passionate couples in the sand dunes… :shock:
There’s a lot of scary stuff out there :lol: