Beat The Heat
Date: July 9, 2020
Summer is here and you know what that means? It is hotter than all get out! July – September is as hot and sticky as it gets here in the bay area and the fish know it too. A great way to escape the heat a little is to fish at night. Now it is still humid and most likely 80 degrees but that is way better than the sun blazing down on you and 90-95 degree temperatures.
Fishing residential docks for snook & trout is a great way to spend an evening. Once that ball of fire drops beneath the horizon and the snook lights are on you should have no problem finding fish. I prefer docks that have good tidal flow but that is not always necessary, cruise along on your trolling motor and you will see the fish in the lights. Drop your baits up current out of the light and hold on! Most fish are waiting in the shadows to ambush their prey. White bait is great but shrimp are just as readily taken as are most of your favorite artificials.
Bridge fishing is a past time that I hold dear to me. I have caught more big fish working the Courtney Campbell, Howard Frankland & Gandy bridges than I can count! In my younger days I spent many of nights fishing from shore tossing artificial shrimp catching anything from snook, ladyfish, jacks, tarpon, cobia and black drum to name a few. I like to fish the slower parts of the tides normally 1-2 hours before and after slack tides. Baits will vary depending on what fish you are targeting as will tackle. You will want to bring out the heavy stuff for black drum & tarpon. You can’t go wrong with a blue crab cut in half for bait.
Since I have become a guide it has been hard for me to fish at night. It just isn’t healthy staying up until 1 or 2 in the morning then waking up a few hours later to run a charter that starts at 8am. I am going to make a point this summer to reverse things and start running night trips instead. So, if you would like to learn firsthand the tactics I use to catch large fish at night give me a shout and let’s get a trip on the books and get it done!