If you opt for the phono-jack plugs, be sure and get an extra plastic insert or two to plug the jack when the light is removed. These jacks face skyward and collect water when left uncapped. Plugging the outlet keeps water from filling the jack and will prevent corrosion.
Most lamps have two or three big suction cups on the bottom that secure the lamps on wide, smooth fiberglass gunnels while also providing some shock absorption to protect the bulbs. For a jonboat with narrow gunnels, you may need to attach a flat piece of Plexiglas or an aluminum mount. Or do what I do -- just suction-mount it on top of your tackle box and position it so the light is cast over the gunnels.
Once you've fished at night with black lights, you'll not want to venture out after dark without one or two on your boat.
When to venture out
Some anglers consult Solunar tables to determine peak feeding activity times. Others go whenever they can work a few hours on the water around their work, family, and sleep schedules. According to my fishing log, there are generally two peaks of feeding activity each night, around 10 P.M. and then again about 1 A.M. That's not to say fishing any other period is a non-productive; you can expect to catch fish on any cast throughout the night.
The most comfortable months of the year in our area for night fishing are between April and September. Percy Priest has produced the biggest bass for me each year in March. But if the weather cooperates and you dress appropriately, night fishing yields rewards year-round. Most of my bass over six pounds have come at night, with the four largest coming in January.
Safety considerations
Safety should always a high consideration for anglers, but extra precautions are warranted at night.
Wear a comfortable PFD, like SOSpenders or a Mustang Survival vest.
Sit down to fish, or at least use a leaning style butt seat, even if you prefer to stand in the daylight. You're less likely to take a spill when the boat gets rocked by an unexpected wave or bumps into a stump that you did not see in the dark.
Carry a cell phone.
Use the kill switch lanyard to turn off your outboard if you should be pitched out of the driver's seat or tumble forward off the bench when you collide with a floating tree, unexpected boat wake, or boulder just below the surface.
Make sure someone knows where you are and when you are expecting to return so that they can respond if you're way overdue.
Whenever possible, fish with a partner in the boat.
Over the past twenty years, I've logged easily twice as many hours fishing after dark than during the daytime. Not only are the lakes less crowded between dusk and dawn, but the weather is generally more hospitable, too. The peaceful sounds of water lapping on the shore, night birds calling, rustling of forests critters foraging in the darkened woods, and the melody of frogs and crickets can wash away workaday stress and cares. Not only that, but below the surface the pace of life is quickening. Feeding bass are on the prowl, alert for their next meal, and every cast offers a chance of the bass of a lifetime!
So the next time your spouse tells you she's going stir-crazy and has a hankering to get out of the house and enjoy local night life, just tell her, "Honey, I'm feeling the same way too. Get dressed while I run out and hook up the boat."
"...What goes on when the sun goes down Makes the every day life of two people in love go round."
About the author
Joe Haubenreich is president of Secret Weapon Lures, manufacturer of premium, high-performance spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. Their lures, made in America's heartland, were conceived on the clear rivers of Missouri and have been honed and field-tested, and daily prove their worth on lakes and rivers across the U.S. To learn more about Secret Weapon Lures, visit secretweaponlures.com on the Web or call toll-free 866-391-6108.
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