Wilson Lake Smallmouth (Page 2): Wow that’s awesome 👏...

NJ219bands Loc: New Jersey

Wow that’s awesome 👏

Ivey Loc: South Central Tennessee, Tim's Ford Lake

Flytier wrote:

Red should work too. Doesn't mess up your night vision. Most animals can't see it. We used to use red headlights to spot the foxes trying to steal our bait on the beach.

Flytier, I use black lights mainly because I use a florescent line and it shows up in the black light looks like a well rope. I've got several small LED black lights mounted under the rub rail, run the wiring thru the rub rail up to the front of the boat to a switch. It works really good and no wires showing. I mounted the light to a piece on L shaped Aluminum so I could screw it into the rub rail instead of the fiberglass. Had these lights on the boat for over 10 years now with no problem. If you've never tried night fishing I highly suggest it, in the summer when everyone fishing in the daylight is dealing with jet ski and wake boats I wait till they pull out then slip out after hours.

Flytier Loc: Wilmington Delaware

Ivey wrote:

Flytier, I use black lights mainly because I use a... (show quote)

Kinda nice looking. I thought black lights went out with the 70s. Don't know how it would work for me. Banco issues, especially in the dark. If I'm fushing in Delaware I don't have an issue with other boats. All the state controlled waters that are bass lakes are no wake zones.

JB134 Loc: Montana

Absolutely a beautiful fish. Huge congrats to angler… 👍

DocB Loc: Bama

Ivey wrote:

Guys, I got a text from an old friend tonight who fished Wilson lake last week after dark. Just to show what lives in the Tennessee River I thought I'd share this pic. An 8.5 pound Smallmouth caught around midnight on a Spinnerbait. Now that's a HOG, or as I like to call them a GO-rilla

Mike,
His brother had a 7.7 an hour later to go with it, and some 3's and 4's as well.... They had one heck of a night!

Ivey Loc: South Central Tennessee, Tim's Ford Lake

DocB wrote:

Mike,
His brother had a 7.7 an hour later to go with it, and some 3's and 4's as well.... They had one heck of a night!

Wow I just got the photo of the 8.5, I'll be I know where they were..

Anybass Loc: Pa.

I, is that the red pull handle to make him swim?

DocB Loc: Bama

NoCal Steve wrote:

OJ.... last Summer I went night fishing on my favorite smallie based on Ivy's posts. It was fantastic! One of my boat projects this Winter is to set up my boat for night fishing with black LED lights.

Steve,
I use the same lighting system that Mike has, with some blue lights mixed in. The blue gives some light to pick out structure along the bank, and to help illuminate lines with less fluorescent properties (such as high vis braids).. Actually, the blue works so well, I have been considering changing my black lights over to blue... Another tip is make sure you have some light forward of the turn at the front of your boat... If you think about it, the guy in the front of the boat is usually fishing at about a 30-45 degree angle in front of the boat... I helped my nephew rig his boat with blue lights, and he loves his, and he has fished with me with the system I currently have, and with gunnel mounted lights as well... Whatever the color you choose, the under the rub rail system is the best overall system I have ever fished over....
Doc

Ivey Loc: South Central Tennessee, Tim's Ford Lake

DocB wrote:

Steve, br I use the same lighting system that Mike... (show quote)

Doc, I have one blue light in the middle of the boat and I'll agree it does help illuminate the bank without affecting the fish bite. The only other suggestion I'd make is to be sure the wire you use is waterproof or direct burial wire. Mine was installed first with a non water proof and the wire rotted and broke. I replaced it with a wire used for trailer lights and it's worked very well.

DocB Loc: Bama

Ivey wrote:

Doc, I have one blue light in the middle of the boat and I'll agree it does help illuminate the bank without affecting the fish bite. The only other suggestion I'd make is to be sure the wire you use is waterproof or direct burial wire. Mine was installed first with a non water proof and the wire rotted and broke. I replaced it with a wire used for trailer lights and it's worked very well.

Mike,
I had the same problem, Greg used small gauge wire to fit in the rub rail, and it deteriorated over time.. I replaced mine with 24 gauge Teflon coated automotive wire, and have had no more problems... I also taped over the screw heads in the rub rail...

ghaynes1 Loc: Strawberry Plains, TN

Ivey wrote:

Guys, I got a text from an old friend tonight who fished Wilson lake last week after dark. Just to show what lives in the Tennessee River I thought I'd share this pic. An 8.5 pound Smallmouth caught around midnight on a Spinnerbait. Now that's a HOG, or as I like to call them a GO-rilla

Yikes. That's a fish.

NoCal Steve Loc: Dunnigan, CA

DocB wrote:

Steve, br I use the same lighting system that Mike... (show quote)

Thanks for your input Doc. Much appreciated. I'll post some pics of my finished project next year. I plan to do a lot of nightfishing in 2023.

DocB Loc: Bama

NoCal Steve wrote:

Thanks for your input Doc. Much appreciated. I'll post some pics of my finished project next year. I plan to do a lot of nightfishing in 2023.

Steve,
It's the best way to beat the heat, and the jet skiers.... Good luck with the project, and one more tip, put the different sides of the boat on separate switches, and your blue lights as well... just gives you a little more control over your lighting....
Doc

NoCal Steve Loc: Dunnigan, CA

DocB wrote:

Steve,
It's the best way to beat the heat, and the jet skiers.... Good luck with the project, and one more tip, put the different sides of the boat on separate switches, and your blue lights as well... just gives you a little more control over your lighting....
Doc

I had already planned for different circuits for the colors but didn't think about the sides. Good idea. Quick question for you... do you have any experience with the bigger LED flood lights? Would one be helpful to see at a distance from the front of the boat?

Bass hawk Loc: Southwest Virginia

That's fish of life time