Night fishing is done at night though not always. It is commonly done from boat but can also be done from rivers, streams and shores. Artificial lights are used in some places to attract the big fish. However artificial light is not allowed everywhere, its use is restricted. You thus need to go through the rules and regulations of the concerned area before going for night fishing.

Night fishing is an adventurous and thrilling experience for the anglers. It's quite an experience to catch a big fish in total darkness. There are several challenges in night fishing and anglers just love these challenges. The best time for night fishing is from middle of April to October. Most of the night fishing excursions is organized during the summer months.

You need to prepare yourself well before going for night fishing. The lights on your boat should be working fine. The running lights are compulsory in almost all the areas. You should also check the bulbs and fuses. Also check your battery terminals for any acid corrosion. The engine of your boat should be in proper condition and working smoothly. It must be in prime working condition because it's not such a great idea to spend the whole night in the middle of a lake. You also need to take flashlights and extra-batteries along with you. The flashlight should have new batteries in them. All this is required so that you are not lost in dark.

It is must to have a pair of needle nose pliers in the tackle box. The line is not clearly visible at night so the hook may be swallowed by the fish or it may get inside its mouth. The hooks can be removed by needle nose pliers. You also need to carry cans of insect repellent. This is needed to protect you from mosquitoes and other insects. You can also take extra repellents because there any many anglers who forget to carry them.

You should remember where you have kept different things in your boat. This is so because it would become quite difficult to find things at night in case you have no idea about them. Flies, terminal rigs and leaders need to be pre-tied. In case you tie too many, don't worry. You can use them on you next excursion. You should tie enough because it's quite tough to tie in the dark, so make sure that you don't tie less.

Fishing at night has several advantages. Anglers get tranquility and solitude in night fishing which is not there at day fishing. You can enjoy fishing in calm surroundings, leaving all your worries behind. Big fishes are not found in shallow water during the day time because of the hot conditions during this time of the day. However the big fishes come up at night to feed and you can thus get hold of them. This is the reason that night fishing usually produces large catch.

Fix you boat over ledges and reef in case you are fishing at night. You can also pull the boat within shallows casting distance. Trout lurk and big bass are found in weedy areas where they wait for their prey. Many small marine animals are attracted to these areas because of the street lights. The big fishes will obviously follow their preys into shore.  Fishes hide themselves in shadowed areas when they are waiting for the prey. You can also park your boat in a harbor or bay entrance. Big fishes come up in these areas at night to feed.

Several varieties of fish can be fished at night like smelt (which is quite popular in spring), bass, catfish, trout, walleye, snapper, king mackerel, bullhead and shark. A number of baits can be used for night fishing because fishes that feed at night are quite sensitive to smell and sound. The baits that can be used for night fishing are nightcrawlers, chum lines, crustaceans, shiners, minnows, prepared bait, cut bait, bug hatches and egg sacs. Some artificial bait is also there like streamers, spinners, dry and wet flies.

You should talk to a professional and experienced angler in case you want to go night fishing. The angler will tell you about the various equipments used in night fishing.