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Fishing the Green Lights

Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 10:38 am
by CityByTheSeaCitizen
Hello all. I am new to saltwater fishing, and I just purchased my first kayak. This is my first time to post, but I am a long time lurker of this site. I have been fishing the green lights in the canals for a few months now, and I am looking to share my experience and gain some new knowledge.

Time of Year:
I only have 8 months of experience to speak of, but I have noticed that the green light fishing has been much better in the cold weather months. I have noticed the threadfins do not school over the lights at all this time of year. I think they are called threadfins, I am talking about the baitfish that religiously circles the green lights in the summer. Please correct me if they are not called threadfins. Anyways, do they migrate to deeper water this time of year?

As the moths got colder, not only do I get more strikes and hook-ups, but I also see larger fish on the lights. To this day, the only fish that I have caught has been trout. Does anyone else have success on any other species fishing the green lights?

Choice of Lures:
Well, I have thrown my entire tackle box at these lights, but I have had much more success with smaller lures fishing very fast. Most of my success has been with a Mirrolure 4M. However they are fairly expensive so I am looking for alternatives. I threw 4” Saltwater Assassin Glow/Red Tail on a ¼ ounce jig head last weekend, and I had many fish look at it, but I couldn’t trick any of them into dining. I fish it just like a jerk bait, and I surely thought I would have success with it.

However I am not sure that the lure was the problem. Loosing my second 4M caused me to switch to braided line. I switched to braided line and to the SW Assassin at the same time, so maybe the line was the problem. Any input would be appreciated.

Happy Holidays,
CityByTheSeaCitizen

Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 11:02 am
by SOUTHWESTPADDLESPORTS
You may want to try a glow in the dark DOA shrimp or minnow bait, I also like to throw bright Gulp colors and dosen't really matter which bait you choose. I have had some of my best trips at night fishing lights during the summer months. As far as line goes I'm still old fashioned I guess and still use mono, I just don't like the way braid is like fishing with rope, I enjoy alittle bit of stretch and I would much rather fight the fish then just winch it in. Hope I step on any toes with the line comment but it's just the way I feel.

Chris

Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 11:16 am
by Tyak
Our place is close to you in Bahia Bay. I have also thrown the tackle box and have only one conclusion.

Jig a DOA shrimp through the lights slow. Gold sparkle works best!!!!!!

Ty

Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 11:26 am
by SafetyHooker
A TTF Flats minnow on Bone works well.

Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 11:52 am
by GoinCoastal
If you want to catch bigger fish, target the shadows/dark water off to the sides of the lights as opposed to directly over or thru the lights. Those big boys and girls don't like to be in the spotlight much.

Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 12:53 pm
by double dip
I'm fairly new to this stuff also, but I think the reason you see larger fish and bait is mainly growth over the year after they spawn. Fish and bait both grow after the spring spawn and in general you use bigger baits as the year goes on. Saltwater fish grow amazingly quick and add large percentages of body weight throughout the year.
However there is a school of thought out there that large fish are looking for small bait in the winter because they metabolize bait slowly and don't want to chase or eat large fast bait.


DD

Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 2:47 pm
by HARVEY
A friend of mine recommended the lights in The Island subdivision in Port Aransas but he didn't say where I could put the kayak in. He, as well as I, uses flies and said that he always has good luck casting to the shadows of big trout and reds in the green lights. Is anyone else familiar with this particular subdivision and where to put a kayak in?

Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 3:39 pm
by Yaklash
I'm not sure about Threadfins - maybe Needlefish - same thing??? I know that you want there to be baitfish under the lights. The lights bring the bait, which attracts the target species. We use a dip net to catch the Glass Minnows that usually come to the lights, then put them on a small treble hook and throw that out there, either under a cork or weighted to the bottom. Very effective.

I think you have to be where fish are. Most piers and canals where I've used green lights or the big white lights, have yielded few large fish. Those few were, like stated before, not in the brightly lit water, but on the edge of the light.

We used to take a green lgiht to the Galv jetties (in a PB), anchor up and catch both trout and reds, in good sizes and numbers.

Under lights in the bay, fishing with lures, my most success has come on Glow BAs, in the bright water for small trout, or Morning Glory (Black) BAs, fished along the edge of the lit water - cast to the dark and pull into the light.

Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 5:22 pm
by Lance 'Red Raider'
I consider fishing the green lights a meat haul. My parents live down in Galveston and generally I wait until everyone goes to bed then I launch. My go to bait under the lights is a small salt and pepper assasin sea shad with a limetreuse tail.

It is true that the smaller fish work the lights but I generally fish the outer parts of the lights and there I usually find the larger fish. If the wind is calm I pull out the fly rod and tie on one of Flatfish Charlies' spoons. I generally wear my arm out doing that.

I'm always curteous of the owners of the lights. If anyone is out I move on to the next light. I know I have every right to fish them but I don't want to have an altercation with someone that has been drinking since noon that day. If you stay out long enough everyone generally goes to bed.

Green Lights?

Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 5:25 pm
by kingfish
Academy has some really nice portable green lights that could be used for a long time on a 12v deer feeder battery. I am thinking about trying one of them. I wonder how one of them would work btb on a calm night in 8 to 10 feet of water. I think my imagination would get the best of me as I think about some monster shark lurking in the fringe of light. I would probably only last a few minutes out there and then would head back, but I bet it could be some good fishing.

Kingfish

Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 9:04 pm
by Nueces Bay
:shock:

Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 9:12 pm
by double dip
Nueces Bay wrote:On the subject of green lights..
Does anyone know of a company that makes a permanent or semi permanent underwater greenlight that is solor powered and has a photocell(auto on at night and off during day) for use off a dock in a channel? I have been looking for one for my father-in-law have drawn a blank. Thanks in advance.


Could you use a deer feeder solar cell and battery for the lights??. I know with the new LED lights you can run pretty bright lights with little power.

LED green -- http://www.optronicsinc.com/fishing.htm#fishnlites

Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 9:14 pm
by june bug
On the braided line subject I might have ur solution. When fish get spooky, especially in clear water, I'll tie a 12lb flourocarbon bite tipit about 2 foot or so. This helps on line visibility, and is still pretty durable and pretty abrasion resistant kinda like the braid. Hope I was of help.
Good luck

Jared 8)

Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2006 11:02 pm
by EZ-E
texas tackle factory spec rig & tip with pearl gulp swimmin minnow curltail 3 or 4 in. i always work mine pretty fast with short twitchs every few turns of the spool.

i have also heard of guys using the small jerk shad gulp on a 2/0 worm hook & tx. rig it with no weight.

i think any small curly tail or paddle tail will work as long as it is white or glow when fishing the canals lights.

& i agree with the darker colors if you are fishing the shadows 8)

Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2006 7:00 am
by Mrz_Tarpon_Tamer
You can also catch nice redfish too. Just depends on where you are I guess.

Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2006 7:58 am
by Nueces Bay
:shock:

Greenlights

Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2006 1:03 pm
by ffgig
:D

Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2006 1:11 pm
by Jerry-rigged
The schooling fish swimming circles are (I think) shad/manheden. The "glass minnows" (clear minow with the silver stripe) usally swim alone or with only a few buddies, and they kinda dart around. Mullett will school up, but they swim kinda lazy, until a preditor shows up. Then they are in 2's and 3's, darting every which way.

Jerry

Re: Fishing the Green Lights

Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2018 1:41 am
by tydietz
I’ve had luck with just a worm hook with no jig head. Maybe a 1/16 oz. splitshot about 12 inches or so up the line from the lure if you need to sink a little. This rig stays in the strike zone longer and has more action. Definitely cast on the outer edges of the lights. Plum-Rita or limetreuse Gamblers have always done me good under the green lights. Good Luck!!!

Re: Fishing the Green Lights

Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2018 8:15 am
by kickingback
Yaklash said it best above! The water will be more clear this time of year and fish are spooked easily. 9 months out of the year a simple 3' or 4' paddle tail soft plastic will work fine. I throw two 3" Berkley Swim Shad in Firetiger color. I get bites all the time. I don't fish the lights in the 3 cold months as the water is too clear and the fish spook easily.

Re: Fishing the Green Lights

Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2018 8:58 am
by Neumie
12 year old thread?

Image

Re: Fishing the Green Lights

Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2018 4:51 pm
by Dandydon
Thanks for pointing out the ancient 12-year age of this thread, Neumi! I was getting excited & ready to invite all those posters to our upcoming NIGHTTIME TOURNEY ️!! Even so, the fishing tips were great. I would add that trolling lures between nighttime light locations sometimes results in "dark-water" hook-ups. I've caught reds & sand-trout that way. I also prefer casting a small spinning rig (not baitcaster) to avoid irritating nighttime backlashes (shudder!).
Finally, is TKF so desperate for posts now that it's dredging up old fishing threads?
Holy crap & Batman too!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Re: Fishing the Green Lights

Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2018 7:11 pm
by tydietz
Haha! I didn’t realize this thread was that old. I got caught in a google rabbit hole and signed in to comment when I saw this. I still stand by my advice though! It worked 12 years ago and still works today! Happy catching everyone!

Re: Fishing the Green Lights

Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2018 7:41 pm
by Ron Mc
I can tell you without doubt the best color for fishing in the dark is blue

Re: Fishing the Green Lights

Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2018 8:12 pm
by Neumie
tydietz wrote:Haha! I didn’t realize this thread was that old. I got caught in a google rabbit hole and signed in to comment when I saw this. I still stand by my advice though! It worked 12 years ago and still works today! Happy catching everyone!
It's cool, there's a lot of good info in these older threads.

I'll add the Yo-Zuri 3DS Minnow in Holographic Ghost shad is killer under the lights.