Legally, you have to keep your stern light ON when fishing or anchored. My backseater will usually put a paper or styro cup over it while fishing, to improve their night vision. I like the fluorescent lights, but don't use the 'black' light bulb, because it doesn't do anything unless you're using fluorescent line, and mine isn't. I use the regular bulb option so I can see docks, cables, floats, etc. The lights I have are BPS cheapos. I plug 'em into the boat. They don't use much power, unlike incandescent bulbs, but if you want, they run on flashlight batteries. I'd use NiMH rechargeables.
Keep your life jacket on...avoid going alone. Full moon = night fishing delight. New moon...nah. Too dark, not a lot of fun. I have stayed out all night, until 7am, on two occasions. The bite really shut down after 11pm/midnight, and didn't start up again until the sun started coming up again. Plus, I just about froze to death in July, fairly decently dressed for it, on Lk. Sawyer...jeans, sweatshirt, windbreaker, cap, joggers...not enough.
Homeowners get paranoid when you don't have your lights on, so keep them on. Talk low, but talk, or have a radio on low. It freaks folks out when you sneak up on them in the dark. I've been similarly freaked when swimmers were talking in the middle of Lk. Sawyer at 11pm. I was in a canoe that night. It'd be easy (and unpleasent) to run over some swimmers in the middle of the night. I don't think they're very smart to be swimming across the lake in the dark, but they do.
I use spinning tackle a lot in daylight, but after dark, it's time for baitcasters. I mostly just throw a white spinnerbait at night, but I'd consider a Senko with a rattle or tube bait with a rattle, if you haven't got dialed into baitcasters. The white spinner works fine for the fish, and I can see it a lot better. I've thrown dark ones, while my backseater was throwing white ones, and not much difference in bites. I like a Tandem with a Willow and small Colorado, and just do the Jimmy Houston Retreive...chunk and wind. Smallies are a gas at night, highly recommended. Keep your spare rods in the rod locker, so you don't step on them or knock them overboard. Be sure to have a lock on your hitch stinger, so it doesn't walk away while you're out fishing. C&R, Steve
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