# Where to night fish



## Wiggles (Dec 25, 2020)

Any of y’all come to Destin much? Where can I throw flies at night on fort from pcb to Panama City?


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Not from that area -but here's how I learned to fish nights down here in south Florida (and I've been guiding night trips for years since it was the first thing I ever learned down here in paradise..).

The key to night fishing are the lights on fishing piers, docks, seawalls, etc. -as well as any on your local bridges - particularly small bridges that get a nice water flow at night.... Those lights attract bait of all kinds small crabs, shrimp in every size (and some places squid..), as well as baitfish.. Hungry predators learn early on that any "night light" is a feeding station.... For your first forays - check out fishing piers that have lights on the end - and just spend some time watching the show - look to see which direction the water is coming from, note whether the fish hold right in the light or in the shadows nearby. Make a point at each spot of figuring out just what the forage is at each spot (that will changed depending on the time of year in most places...). The best lights? Those are the ones that are on night after night for years if possible - brand new lights may take a month or two of being on every night before the fish begin to use them to feed.... 

I'll quit now... since night stuff is part of my business -but all you need to do is make a point of prowling around on foot on in your boat to light after light - then "match the hatch" when it comes to lures... An imitation shrimp if that's the forage -but that same shrimp is useless if the lights are holding baitfish... One last tip... if in a boat stay as far away from any light as possible (a long cast away...). Once fish in a light see you - you're done...


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## Wiggles (Dec 25, 2020)

lemaymiami said:


> Not from that area -but here's how I learned to fish nights down here in south Florida (and I've been guiding night trips for years since it was the first thing I ever learned down here in paradise..).
> 
> The key to night fishing are the lights on fishing piers, docks, seawalls, etc. -as well as any on your local bridges - particularly small bridges that get a nice water flow at night.... Those lights attract bait of all kinds small crabs, shrimp in every size (and some places squid..), as well as baitfish.. Hungry predators learn early on that any "night light" is a feeding station.... For your first forays - check out fishing piers that have lights on the end - and just spend some time watching the show - look to see which direction the water is coming from, note whether the fish hold right in the light or in the shadows nearby. Make a point at each spot of figuring out just what the forage is at each spot (that will changed depending on the time of year in most places...). The best lights? Those are the ones that are on night after night for years if possible - brand new lights may take a month or two of being on every night before the fish begin to use them to feed....
> 
> I'll quit now... since night stuff is part of my business -but all you need to do is make a point of prowling around on foot on in your boat to light after light - then "match the hatch" when it comes to lures... An imitation shrimp if that's the forage -but that same shrimp is useless if the lights are holding baitfish... One last tip... if in a boat stay as far away from any light as possible (a long cast away...). Once fish in a light see you - you're done...


You the man ! Thank you


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## 17376 (May 5, 2017)

I'd say in the water!


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

As for flies at night, start and end with white in various patterns. Here's my Night Fly (a simple, bushy tarpon pattern on a 1/0 or 2/0 hook that every thing down here eats - and have for many years...). White works very well since it allows the angler to see exactly where the fly is in relation to the fish he (or she) is looking at... 









If the bait in lights is on the small side we go to a #4 Crystal Schminnow (my version of Norm's famous pattern)... and do without a bite tippet, using only a straight section of 20lb fluoro instead...









I have noted that folks over on the west coast like smaller patterns than we use over here on the east coast... 

Good luck and post up a report in the fishing reports section...


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## Wiggles (Dec 25, 2020)

Very good. I have several white patterns of shrimp and CM variations. I’m used to those big ol flesh flies way up north so it was an easy transition. I appreciate the tips though, the wisdom is greatly appreciated


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