Fishing in the ICW is still on the slow side during the day but I have gotten some good reports of trout being taken around dock lights at night. One fisherman I spoke with told me his most productive hours have been from midnight to around 3AM, not the hours most of us tend to keep. Fish such as trout have eyes that are sensitive to sunlight so it would stand to reason that they do a great deal of feeding at night. If you head out at night look for docks where their lights are close to the water. These docks will attract the most bait and in turn will bring in the fish that prey upon them. Live shrimp and artificial baits that resemble shrimp or mullet all work.
To increase your chances of catching fish under the lights try a couple of different techniques with your baits. Don’t always throw directly at the light. Most of the fish will be holding in the shadows at the edge of the light. When you do throw into the light reposition your boat after several casts. This will allow you to cover different spots on the perimeter of the light. Try throwing your bait across the light into the shadows, swimming it through the lights and back into the shadows. Another technique is to throw the bait up current into the shadows and let it roll along on the bottom through the light and back into the shadows. If you know how to flip or skip cast a bait, place into the darkness under the dock.
Casting at night throws off your depth perception. You’ll find yourself putting your baits on the docks and sometimes hitting boats that are in their slings. Try to avoid these situations. People can get awfully angry if they see you climbing around their dock trying to remove your bait that is stuck on it. Also try to keep the noise down and your lighting low or off. I’ve had dock lights shut off on me by dock owners on more than one occasion.
Roy’s Bait House reports that Jeff Mullaney fished the surf for 12 whiting and 4 pompano. Matt Snyder had 2 black drum, 4 pompano and 1 keeper redfish. Ray Johnson fished the ICW for 2 mango snapper, 2 lane snapper,5 trout to 19” and a 25” snook (released). Bill Woodfin – 5keeper trout to 18”. Mike Pusateri had a 26 ½”- 6.03 lb trout that he caught on a live pigfish. Troy Berthon- 21”trout, 18” redfish. Offshore Ronald Gorney had dolphin a couple of dolphin – 11.08 Lbs and 10.05 lbs.
Photo: Bryce Simons proudly shows off his first redfish. The fish was caught on a live shrimp.
To increase your chances of catching fish under the lights try a couple of different techniques with your baits. Don’t always throw directly at the light. Most of the fish will be holding in the shadows at the edge of the light. When you do throw into the light reposition your boat after several casts. This will allow you to cover different spots on the perimeter of the light. Try throwing your bait across the light into the shadows, swimming it through the lights and back into the shadows. Another technique is to throw the bait up current into the shadows and let it roll along on the bottom through the light and back into the shadows. If you know how to flip or skip cast a bait, place into the darkness under the dock.
Casting at night throws off your depth perception. You’ll find yourself putting your baits on the docks and sometimes hitting boats that are in their slings. Try to avoid these situations. People can get awfully angry if they see you climbing around their dock trying to remove your bait that is stuck on it. Also try to keep the noise down and your lighting low or off. I’ve had dock lights shut off on me by dock owners on more than one occasion.
Roy’s Bait House reports that Jeff Mullaney fished the surf for 12 whiting and 4 pompano. Matt Snyder had 2 black drum, 4 pompano and 1 keeper redfish. Ray Johnson fished the ICW for 2 mango snapper, 2 lane snapper,5 trout to 19” and a 25” snook (released). Bill Woodfin – 5keeper trout to 18”. Mike Pusateri had a 26 ½”- 6.03 lb trout that he caught on a live pigfish. Troy Berthon- 21”trout, 18” redfish. Offshore Ronald Gorney had dolphin a couple of dolphin – 11.08 Lbs and 10.05 lbs.
Photo: Bryce Simons proudly shows off his first redfish. The fish was caught on a live shrimp.