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Ocean Trolling @ Night?

7K views 15 replies 9 participants last post by  Big Jay 
#1 ·
Ok - I may be getting a "no dummy you can't do that" type of replies but why don't we troll at night in the ocean for stripers during the fall/spring?

I understand the safety concern being the biggest hurdle but there were some pretty calm seas this fall run that looked doable.

Is it flat out that the fish won't see anything we pull through the water?
 
#2 ·
Totally can be productive. Last year in November I did a late afternoon trip. The plan was to fish until dark and head home but when I got to the spot where my friends had a good bite all day it shut off. We were frustrated to say the least then started to get a couple weird bites around 4:30. You know the kind of bites where the fish aren't really committed and you end up missing them or pulling hooks. Then just at about sundown it lit up. Wide open bite in the dark until about 6:30. We ended up with our limit and headed home. Fish were hitting the standard umbrellas, mojos and tandems. I think when the tidal conditions are right and you are in the right spot you will catch no problem in complete darkness.
 
#3 ·
Ok - I may be getting a "no dummy you can't do that" type of replies but why don't we troll at night in the ocean for stripers during the fall/spring?

I understand the safety concern being the biggest hurdle but there were some pretty calm seas this fall run that looked doable.

Is it flat out that the fish won't see anything we pull through the water?
Because our inlet sucks, and with the way the swells can build up even on nice days, the thought of coming back in the dark with that following sea is damn scary.

It's one thing to run out INTO IT when we're going for tuna at 3am, but having it build behind you as you're coming in blind? Nah, no thanks.

We've come back in in the dark after an offshore trip when we stayed till sunset, and it was nerve wracking even though the inlet was flat calm.
 
#7 ·
Take this with a grain of salt,

But from my experience, moon cycles have a little bit to do with the night bite. On a full moon, I've had fish act shy most of the day, hitting nothing but mojo's and umbrellas every now and again if your lucky, then start hitting stretches like crazy when the sun sets. Like they gorge themselves at night, during a full moon, and take a break during the day. Same thing with tuna..
 
#12 ·
I was just having this conversation with my buddy. during a full moon they've gotta bite pretty decent at night given the right conditions and circumstances. I do plan on testing this theory out as I just bought a boat with radar. Probably have to wait until next season though.
-Gary
 
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