night fishing for salmon?

I've noticed that salmon don't like light, later in the day they're caught mostly by deep trolling.  Has anyone tried for them at night?  We have alot of moonlight at night for the next couple weeks which might have the fish on the chomp at night in shallow depths.  Especially next weekend there is a full moon from late evening on...

In general, a full moon at night usually means crappy fishing/hunting, not sure if that applies to salmon, but in many cases the animals are out/about at night instead when they've got a fair amount of moonlight.  Best time to fish during the day is when there's a new moon or moonrise is at dawn and moonset is at dusk.

I am pretty sure Joel caught his hawg will it was still dark.

Moss at night could be a fun adventure assuming the wind/swell is nice

Prometh,
Never tried it or heard of anyone else successfully salmon fishing in the dark.

We've had lines in at 0 dark thirty, but never really hooked up until about a half hr before sunrise.  It's still dark and you need running lights, but we never seemed to get hit early than that.

Bill,
We started paddling at 4:35am, which after the fact, still seemed too late.  I wanted to be fishing just as it was starting to get light (approx 5:30).  Unfortunately at that time, we were still paddling.

Since its not uncommon for the wind to pick up at 10am, so I typically do the early on, early off.  In my case, being home early also helps with WAF.

Stuart

At Linda Mar Last year, I was usually one the first guys out in the water and I've done pretty good (trooching) before light.

I've also fished at sun set with Mike/Sturgy (at LM) and got some hot action - trooching as well.

A night paddle for salmon - I'd do it...but not alone  

I don't see why you couldn't catch them at night. I think the main reason most people don't do it is generally the wind comes up in the afternoon and they head in.

As for the daylight theory, I caught a 25 lber last year around noon and another 25 lber the year before around 6pm.

A friend fishes the american river at night with a clear flatfish into which he drills a hole an inserts a glowstick.  he says it kills!

night fishing on the american for salmon is illegal!

-Brian

If it's illegal somewhere, it must be good!  

night fishing on the american for salmon is illegal!

-Brian

....only if you're "american"  

Somebody once told me that salmon don't feed at night, that's why the best fishing is at first light. After that they can get full, and the fishing slows down during the day. Someone needs to email Brandon in Santa Cruz, he's a marine biologist who works for Fish and Game. On a different note, anyone going salmon fishing Sunday?

Just my two cents but I don't think salmon are a hot bite at night.  I gage this theory based on one set of circumstances so I could be wrong.  

For many summers I fished for salmon off the Pacifica Pier. Too many to recall.  During that time an early morning or even pre dawn bite was pretty good when the salmon were in.  

However, sporadically fish would be caught during the day, when dusk approached the bite would usually start up again for a  half hour or so then completely stop.  We would pack up an nail them the next day.  Generally there could be many reasons for the bite to suddenly stop but this happened over a a good many years so it is my belief that salmon don't usually bite during the dark hours of the night.  

Stripers however do there very best to feed at night. Catching a 20 pounder from the beach at night in the pitch of blackness might be one of my favorite fishing experiences ever.

Jason

I will cast a vote in favor of salmon being caught at night in the rivers, not necessarily feeding.  This is based on the article below by Alan Fong. Since night fishing is illegal in the American and the Bay, but legal east of the Carquinez, I think that the Benicia Southhampton shoals area in September-October ought to be a great night kayak-fishing spot for both salmon and stripers.  Every single salmon and striper migrating to spawn in the Sacramento-San Joaquin river system has to swim right past this spot.  Anyone interested?
Ed

"NIGHT FISHING FOR SALMON"


"Night fishing for Salmon in the American River during the fall runs can be the most exciting way to catch these fish headed for their spawning grounds. As the Salmon make their way up the American River they hold up in the lower dredger holes from the mouth up to the Cal Expo I-80 Bridge. Normally after 9pm when it starts to get dark and things start to quite down the Salmon will start to roll on the surface and continue all night long. When midnight comes along there are only a few boats left fishing and the Salmon start to bite like crazy. It seems like when the boat traffic calms down, the Salmon start to bite real good. Look for the deeper holes in about ten to twenty-five feet of water. Start at the upper end of the holes and drift through them with an electric motor. There is a five mile-an-hour speed limit above the Discovery Park Bridge. Make sure you have all the lights on your boat, because there is sheriff's out there patrolling. One of the best baits seems to be the Glow-in-the-dark-Gitzit. Uses a 1oz spearhead jig and put it inside the Gitzit. Put a small filet of sardine on the hook. Take a flash box or a silver coffee can and place the Gitzit inside and flash it. The Gitzit will glow for about ten minutes. Let the Gitzit down straight under the boat and let it hit the bottom. Lift it up about twelve inches off the bottom, lifting it up and down slowly. When the Salmon hit it you will feel a slight tick, lift up on the rod slowly and when you feel the weight set the hook! I like to use a G-Loomis (MBR843c IMX) seven-foot medium heavy rod, rated for 10-20# line. The reel I use is a Shimano Calcutta 250 spooled with 18-20# maxima line.
Good Luck,     Alan Fong"