# Fishing the flats at night?



## Guest (Jan 27, 2012)

I have not found the flats to be productive at night as it is sight fishing.

I would buy some nice light weight nylon high SPF rating cloths. Head to toe!


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## AfterHours2 (Aug 2, 2010)

Ive wandered out on the flats at night on a few occasions but have never had much success. Like Brazil said, I think it is best for daytime sight fishing. Not to mention, I know the depths of the area very well and would even second guess myself running at night without being able to identify my landmarks... Bridges and docks, however, awesome at night...


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

Ive had pretty good success drifting the flats at night , freelining live pilchards. But yea, not as good as day, but not bad. And it is hard to know where to run, but i just drift till i end up back in a channel, no rush..


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

Full moon on the flats is a blast at night.
But there is one minor problem, skeeters can get intense after dark.
I used to look forward to full moons, just so I could make a trip to Flamingo
and be able to have out front to myself. I'd arrive at the ramp at sunset
and run out to Dave Foy Bank just before dark. Jet outboards have their uses.
Snook, tarpon, snapper, trout feeding in the potholes after dark.

NE Florida, night fishing for me means dock lights.
After dark the ICW gets real quiet, except for the pops and slurps
that take place at the shadow edges of the lights.
Bridges, private docks, marinas all can hold some serious fish.
Great for flyrod and tiny topwater minnow plugs.
It's the one time I wish I had a trolling motor.

Oh, yeah, two words....gigging flounder! [smiley=happy.gif]


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## JaxLaxFish (Aug 23, 2010)

We don't really have flats here in NE FL but I can tell you that most of my success in areas with no light has come from noisy topwaters or rattletraps. I would try drifting as cutrunner stated with a freelined pilchard in the rodholder behind the boat and casting out in front of the boat with something noisy. If get some hookups try to emulate the drift again.


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## beyondhelp (Nov 6, 2008)

Bridges, private docks, marinas etc... sound like fun. I'm going to have to do some daytime scouting so I'm less jittery at night. 

The few times I have gone out at night, I was blown away at how different things looked and how well sound travels too. I could hear dinner conversations from 1/4 mi away while fishing in Fort Pierce.


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## anytide (Jul 30, 2009)

love it  night fishin is one of the best times full moon and clear water is like daytime anyways , no sunburn , less people nice quiet and relaxing..
make a plan to drift to where you want to be motor up wind drift to channel or desired locale. youll be suprised  all the cool feeshes out there at night. when in doubt just motor around slowly , fishing the skinny at night is safer than the open water and channels by far.. i shut off all lights in the skinny and anyone gets close i shine em real quick so they no to steer clear , but usually there not a sole around   -chuck a topwater out there and chug chug BAM!!! -youll sleep all day and fish all night..

-a


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## pole_position (Dec 5, 2009)

I go with 400 watts of underwater halogen lights and a 10' 5 prong gig!


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## anytide (Jul 30, 2009)

> I go with 400 watts of underwater halogen lights and a 10' 5 prong gig!


yep.. them snoooks were always bitin' :-?
-a


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## nightfly (Jul 7, 2011)

full moon is the key for the most productive night. if you know the area you can anchor up and throw live bait and cut bait. sometimes you catch catfish in the same areas will you get reds and snook. and you could always do dock lights and bridges which are always good


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## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

In te summer months I do a lot of night time bonefishing. Look for bright moons. On those big full moon nights with no wind, it lights up the sandy flats. Plenty of bones. I usually do very good on those nights. Catching 12 bones in an hour. Once the tide swings its over.


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## Creek Runner (Sep 1, 2011)

I'm in NE FL and I love night fishing. The key is to be sure as to were your running. My night fishing usually is when I'm waiting for the tide to get right to break out the gig to stick some flatties. But sometimes I will light fish for Gator trout. 

And as Brett said bring a Thermal cell, and some OFF or your going to have no blood left from all the skeeters.


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## barnicalle_bill (Jul 1, 2011)

The flats here in Key Largo are a blast at night. Huge mangos on topwater, snook, poons ,charky's etc. etc. :


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