I checked ROFB.net, and there isn't an article in the Q&A on night fishing.
Probably ought to be, as popular as that is. I'm going to recycle a couple
of posts from years back, in case some of you weren't here then. The info is
still relevant..... Joe
________________________________

In May, 2002, Jim Laumann wrote:

There was a thread two weeks or so ago in which the URL for your ODF re-fit
project was posted. In your page describing your efforts
(http://www.secretweaponlures.com/odf/odfsite.html) you mentioned black
lights. Could you expound on this some more? When and how you use them -
brands if any, the low down on how the effect your fishing - what they do
for you etc.

Thanks

Jim
- - - - - - -
Sure, Jim.

I've been using black lights for close to 18 years now, and they make a
tremendous difference in both my casting accuracy and strike detection at
night.

In general, black lights serve to make "fluorescent" mono and super lines
glow like purple or green Jedi light sabers. Line watching is especially
important for fishing slow-moving baits like worms, tubes (my favorite night
bait is a 4 inch black salty tube) and craws when fish are not striking
aggressively. The highly visible line makes it easy to detect the tell-tale
twitch of a subtle strike.

The theory is that although fluorescent light will light up a line fifty
feet and more away from the boat, it penetrates water only a few inches,
meaning that it is invisible to fish a foot or more under the surface and
that line underwater doesn't glow. I'll admit I haven't checked out this
theory by swimming around my boat at night, but I guess I should.

I use black lights for fishing along banks and around exposed cover. When
I'm off the bank a ways fishing humps, ridges, shelves and drop-offs,
though, I sometimes turn the lights off and fish by feel or by watching the
moonlight glint off my line . I've been told by more than one really fine
smallmouth guide that even black lights will spook smallmouths at night.

The best lights are ones my partner and I made ourselves years back, but
I've given those away and am now stuck with store-bought models -- some of
which are pretty good substitutes. Our homemade lights had double-stacked
fluorescent blue tubes in a black plastic box with a clear Plexiglas front.
Mounted on swivels above that were two "moon-lights," black plastic boxes
with white Plexiglas fronts that each had a single 12-volt lamp controlled
by a rheostat. One such unit positioned halfway back along the gunnel was
adequate for two anglers sharing a boat. We used a long bolt through the
bottom, which we dropped through the oarlock on our jonboat. We positioned
the moon lights to spread the light enough for us both to see the snaky
trees overhanging the sloughs we usually fished, and we could turn one
around to light up the interior of the boat for digging through tackle boxes
or storage, unhooking fish, or reading maps.

These days I use a Stan Sloan "Piggy-Back" lamp (Zorro Baits) with standard
cord and 12 volt plug (costs about $80). The piggy-back model has a blue
fluorescent bulb and a small incandescent white light bulb. The amount of
white light can be controlled with a built in rheostat, while the blue bulb
is on or off.

A buddy of mine, Odell Braswell, used to make and sell a superior lamp,
called "Cat Eyes" I think, in his Tennessean Outdoorsman shop in Cookeville.
I think his were about half the price as Sloan's. There are plenty of others
on the market, starting with the plastic ones you can buy at Wal-Mart for as
little as $25. They all seem to use the same bulbs -- which is the most
important part of the whole apparatus.

Some lamps include a white fluorescent bulb, which is fine for docking or
when you stop fishing and want to light up the area to eat or something, but
it gives too much light for bass fishing IMHO.

One nice feature of Sloan's is the flip-top cover that swings over the top.
Usually, it shields the boat, but if you want light inside, you just swing
the shield over and then the light shines where you need it.

The blue (black) light is primarily for illuminating your line, although
when used alone it gives some definition to bank structure and foliage. As
my eyes age, I find myself needing to add a bit of white light to be able to
see the overhanging tree branches, dock pilings, buckbrush, and laydowns
clearly.

My advice is to avoid the white light as much as possible. On clear, rocky
banks I sometimes switch it off entirely.

Your options are cord with 12-volt plug, phono-jack plug, and cordless,
battery powered models. I prefer the corded models for use on my jon boat so
I can move a single lamp from starboard to bow to port -- wherever I need
light. On fiberglass bass boats, I'd probably go with the phono-jack
connections, and I'd install four outlets -- starboard-bow, starboard-stern,
port-bow, and port-stern. Then, with two lamps, my partner and I could just
pop the lamp up and move it to whichever side we're fishing from.

Most lamps have two or three big suction cups on the bottom that secure the
lamps on wide, smooth fiberglass gunnels while also providing some shock
absorption to protect the bulbs. For a jon boat, you'll need to attach a
flat piece of Plexiglas or aluminum mount. Or do what I do -- just slap it
on top of your tackle box or set it on the carpeted deck so it peeks over
the gunnels.

Some sites to see different models a
http://www.optronicsinc.com/fishing.htm (I think the BlackEye FL-222B is
what you can buy at Wal-Mart.)

http://www.bassbuckandduck.com/stan_...blacklight.htm (for Stan Sloan
models.)

Once you've fished with black lights at night, you'll not want to be out
after dark without one or two on your boat.

TNBass

__________________________
To which Jack Schmitt added....
Date: Fri, 31 May 2002 14:25:26 -0500

A caveat to the excellent advice from TNBass is, if you use the phono-jack
plugs, be sure and get an extra plastic insert or two to plug the jack when
the light is removed. These jacks face skyward and are notorious for
collecting water. The use of the plug prevents water collection with
resultant corrosion. The plastic plugs are quite easy to lose.