Sea Fishing Into the Dark

There are some magical moments whilst fishing and most of them for me happen at night!

Sometimes you get to a mark and its fishing that well you wish you could stay that extra couple of hours into the dark. When night falls you can get into anything from Bull Huss to Conger not to mention all the other nocturnal species that come out on the feed. As far as shore fishing goes dusk and after the last hours of light is a great time to score yourself some great catches but at the same time can be very challenging.

Where to fish!

Pick a mark that you are very familiar with, one that you can map in your head in the dark so to speak. A good night fishing session compromises of two things. One, not blanking and two safety.

Night fishing can be fun if done safely, it’s best to go with another fellow angler or at least let someone know where you are going. I highly recommend a Floatation suit or some form of a life aid plus it pays to carry a mobile phone sealed up in a plastic water tight bag.
A good place to start off is at your local Pier, lots of fish can be caught at night from man-made structures such as Dogfish, Conger, Bull Huss, Pollack and Bass. When you gain more experience you can then try out a safe rock mark which does not involve you with a 100ft drop and strong tidal currents!

When night fishing I usually beef up the tackle. 60+lb rig body, 30+lb Amnesia trace line for bottom fishing or 250lb mono for conger traces minimum. Keep your rigs dead simple i.e. running ledger.

For Big Conger Fishing look to using the stiffest Beachcasters you can get hold of, along the lines of a Conoflex Highlander or a light boat rod. Use the minimum of 40lb mainline with 80lb+Shock Leader and a good quality Multiplier.

For bait Mackerel is killer at night in Cornwall also Squid is very productive. Be prepared to try out different baits depending on your area and what you are targeting. Some to try out are Sandeel, Ragworm and Peeler Crab. Baits that fish poorly during the day can be amazing at night.

What to Bring

We humans aren’t very good at seeing in the dark. So I recommend the following items, a good make of Head Torch with a good charge, don’t go to cheap as you don’t want it to pack up on you in the middle of a session. A Rod tip light such as Delta or a selection of Chemical Night Lights. If possible, I’ll say it again you should also bring a Floatation suit! Not only they could save your life but they keep you warm and dry too.

Now for the luxury’s! Hot Coffee or Tea, Munchies, warm hat and gloves if it’s going to be a cold night and for tackle, Night Floats, Disgorger for toothy fish, spare tip light batteries and a nice selection of glow in the dark lures such as Glow grubs by Fishtec.

Good luck with your night session and stay safe.

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