Contrary to popular opinion, catfish bite all day and daylight hours are often better fishing than at night. It has been three years since I last fished at night. I caught a few fish, but no more than I normally do during the day…and the bugs are much more active at night (think West Nile virus).
Still, night fishing has a special charm. So does skate boarding on a busy freeway. But, you need to be fully prepared. Part of that is knowing the spot you plan to fish…from fishing it in the daytime. Not good to damage a boat by ramming rocks or to fish in a spot where there are too many snags and not enough fish.
There is no particular time of day or night anybody can say is universally better than another. The fish bite according to their own clock. And, that can change on a daily basis. There are a lot of factors that determine when fish feed…not just the time of day…especially with cats.
**If I go night fishing, I hit the water before it gets dark. I try to search out spots where there is a good depth and also some fish. If it is calm, you can drift. If there is a breeze, put out the anchor. **
Some folks like bobber fishing for cats. I use bobbers but not for night fishing. You can use those that light up, but I prefer to just chuck out a weightless bait and leave the bail open on the reel for the fish to take off line after they pick it up. But, if you are fishing in an area with a lot of bottom snags, then a bobber will save you some tackle. That is not the case on most of Utah Lake.
All that being said, night time is the right time for some of the biggest cats during the summer. And, the big cats often go very shallow at night, looking for crawdads or small fish that are also foraging in the shallows. In the days before they closed access to the rocky shelves off Lincoln Beach, you could fish a large bait only a foot or two under a bobber, very close to shore, and hook some big ol’ bigguns.
A good game plan if you do not find fish in deeper water is to move near some reeds in shallower water. Cast your baits near the line of reeds and foraging cats will find it. Have stout line, because big cats know all about running back into the brush and reeds for an escape plan.
Be sure to keep a light lit on your boat at all times, as per regulations. After that, you should have a powerful spotlight for navigating or emergencies. Otherwise, a small headlight for retying or for landing fish is helpful…and handsfree. Unless you love bugs, do not use a bright lantern or even a flashlight for any period of time. Better to fish in the dark than to eat bugs.
Good luck.
