5 Tips For Better Night Fishing

If you find you can’t sleep on a warm summer night in Georgia, don’t count sheep – head to your local Public Fishing Area (PFA). Now equipped with lighting on piers and parking lots, 10 of Georgia’s PFAs are open for night fishing to anglers that hold a Georgia fishing license. Here’s a few tips to help you get started with this new way to enjoy the “night life”.

There won’t be much light, so change up your lures.

You’ll need to change up your fishing strategy. Use noise making lures to help that lunker locate your bait easier in the dark. You’ll want your lure to be make vibrations as you bump, drag, and pop through the water. Dark blue and black lures work well by making a solid silhouette against the sky and other cover. Reel your bait in slower to give fish a chance to find and nail the lure. Spinner bait, top water frogs, or a Texas rigged trick worm with a glass bead under the weight are all good bets for dark water fishing.

Prep your tackle box for an after dark adventure.

Have a flashlight or two so you can see what you are working on in the dark. It is always good to have a backup and some extra batteries! The next item is very important. Two words: Bug spray. If you aren’t familiar with summer nights in Georgia, the mosquitos and gnats can get rough. You’ll be able to focus more on fishing and less on swatting bugs away.

Travel light and pack smart.

It’s best not to load yourself down with 12 fishing poles and a ton of tackle unless you’re an experienced night angler. A lot of gear can get in the way if you aren’t used to rigging up rods and sifting through lures at night. Make sure you have all your gear organized and ready in the daylight so you don’t forget anything when it is time to get on the water.

Boating safety is number 1.

If you’re heading out on a boat, be sure to check if the running lights are working before you hit the water.  You should do this before any trip but especially if you don’t take your boat out at night often. Make sure you have enough gas on hand. There’s nothing worse than getting stuck in the middle of the night somewhere unexpectedly.

Night-time brings out more wildlife.

Be aware of your surroundings. Georgia is home to many species of wildlife that prefer nightlife to daylight. Make sure any food you take with you is secure so critters don’t drop by for a midnight snack. If you do encounter an animal, remain calm and give the animal some space.