Summer Nights

Finally the winds of May have subsided and the summer night jetty fishing has become accessible. The winds were light out of the north west and the waters were calming. Time for a much anticipated trip to my favorite jetties to see if the trout were cooperating.

This is one of my favorite ways to fish for trout in the summer. Why you ask? I avoid the summer crowds, the weather is cooler at night and the bait comes to your lights which in turn attracts the predator fish aka trout and reds. My set up is simple, but I think is critical for success. I have experimented with several light sets and found that the par 64 (1000 watt) theater lights with a very narrow beam works best. I like to set them up where the beams concentrate to a single spot closer to the rocks than most people do. My generator of choice is the Honda EU2000i. The fuel capacity is approximately 1 gallon which lasts me about three to four hours pulling 2000 watts with two lights. The main reason I like this generator is its portability and how quiet it is.

I primarily fish all artificial baits. My go to set up mimics the glass minnows which are attracted to the lights. Many nights I have caught more fish than someone using live shrimp. This is especially true when there are abundant glass minnows in the light. I think the Down South Lure in white ice for clear water or glow chartreuse for off color water are the best for local conditions. The tail action is amazingly similar to the glass minnows in the light. Presentation is the key to success. Keeping the bait on top or slightly subsurface with a slow retrieve mimics the glass minnow and will usually draw more strikes. Sometimes they like it simply floating or slow sinking as a lot of strikes occur when I stop reeling or I am picking out a back lash (lol). I prefer not to use jig heads as they take the lure deeper into the water column. Instead I use a #6 or eight treble depending on the fall rate desired. This keeps the bait on top just like a glass minnow. I put one of the treble hooks up through the underside of the head of the lure and leave the other two exposed on bottom for balance and a better hook up ratio. The trout usually attack the lure head first and that usually means a good connection.

A long net to reach the better fish is a must especially if the tide is out. One with a rubber net will save you the trouble of picking the treble hook out of it. The rod needs to have a fast tip to throw the light lure set up. Sometimes if the wind is in my face, I will throw the larger Super Model version of the DSL which has a little more weight. Spinning gear will also allow you to cast the lighter setup. Last summer I caught a 24 and a 25 inch trout on back to back casts using the DSL White Ice Super Model.

Take your mosquito spray in case the wind dies, and plenty of water, and have fun exploring this different style of fishing.

The first video was shot last Sunday night at the Surfside Jetty. The tide was coming in very slowly, and I had a ten fish limit by two am. The second video is from last Wednesday night at the Texas City Dike. That night the trout did not show up until the tide started coming in at ten pm.  I had a limit of ten trout by midnight using only one gallon of gas. It seems the fish usually feed better with tidal movement but that is not always the case. I have had good luck with both high tides and low tides as long as there is bait in the lights.

I hope you enjoyed this post. It takes a little effort to get set up for this type of fishing but the rewards are ten fold (no pun intended). I am very blessed to be able to fish this way and really enjoy this time of year. I hope God has blessed you with a passion that allows you to honor him. Fishing, kayaking, surfing and even playing golf provides me with great pleasure and makes me appreciate the beauty and wonder of God’s creations. Be sure and take the time to thank him for everything he has placed in your life. Especially for sending his son to die on the cross for our sins so that we may have eternal life with him in Heaven. Philippians 3:20

God Bless You!

Sincerely,

Tim Lumpkin