By Joe Cermele

That's me in the photo below fighting a seatrout with a five-weight fly rod on the dock of Getaway Adventure Lodge here in Port Mansfield, Texas. It happens to be my home away from home this week. Photographer Bill Honza snapped the (awesome) shot last night in the eerie green glow cast by the bait-attracting dock lights.

Though there are all kinds of species to chase here in all kinds of situations, I'd be lying if I didn't say spending  a few hours on this dock every night isn't just as exciting to me as getting out into the bay or Gulf. Fishing under lights, be it for crappies or tuna, is one of my favorite things in the world, because you never know what you'll see come into the glow. Like the other night, we watched the usual little trout feeding and rolling, then out of nowhere, a tarpon shoots through and scatters the bait.

Growing up, I fished a lighted Texaco fuel dock almost every night of every weekend, and on every one of those nights, security guards would come kick me off like clockwork. They eventually got so sick of kicking me and a few others off, they just ripped the lights out, thus ending five years of weakfish action I've yet to match anywhere. 

Have you ever had the pleasure of fishing under lights at night? If not, I'd highly recommend it.

JC

Comments (12)

from NYhunter wrote 2 years 43 weeks ago

It' a very cool pic!

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from Koldkut wrote 2 years 43 weeks ago

Fishing under the lights or around submerged fishing lights rocks!

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from Sick STi wrote 2 years 43 weeks ago

Never tried that, but it looks like fun.

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from Linesider21 wrote 2 years 43 weeks ago

When i was younger i would fish the lights on the pier with my uncle. Gotta love the sea trout.

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from dwaynez wrote 2 years 43 weeks ago

I have fished under the lights at several piers and lakes over the years, both fresh water and salt water, it is a great experience.

The light brings out all types of night life, first a few bugs, then the bait fish, then the big boys come out to play.

Lots of state parks light up their fish piers at night and it produces some of the best fishing experiences around.

Great Post.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from tourneyking734 wrote 2 years 43 weeks ago

eels under the lights are a blast

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from FloridaHunter1226 wrote 2 years 43 weeks ago

One of my friends has a dock with green lights underneath and man is it interesting to see the fish and bait just hovering all over that light. Fishing is great too but sometimes I just like staring off into the green water, looking at the fish, trying to identify each one.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from ggmack wrote 2 years 43 weeks ago

just got spreader lights and through hull LED lights installed on the boat. can't wait to test them out. Also got one of th

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from ggmack wrote 2 years 43 weeks ago

just got spreader lights and through hull LED lights installed on the boat. can't wait to test them out. Also got one of th

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Daddio wrote 2 years 42 weeks ago

Great comments! Is there any "magic" to the green light or would white or blue be just as effective?

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from 2Poppa wrote 2 years 42 weeks ago

I used to have a dock that had blue lights, along with a bug zapper that hung over the lake. Every time a bug got zapped, a fish heard the dinner bell and got fed.

That green light sure looks good!It makes the face of your watch glow too.

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from chadian wrote 2 years 41 weeks ago

capture your moment in history with the enduring leagacy of art. chad lavin studio. www.lavinstudio.com

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from Fischerman69 wrote 2 years 27 weeks ago

a camp ground not to far from my house has lights by the boat launch and i fish there at night with my buddies and we catch catfish to bas and once i hooked a walleye but it broke off in the water

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from dwaynez wrote 2 years 43 weeks ago

I have fished under the lights at several piers and lakes over the years, both fresh water and salt water, it is a great experience.

The light brings out all types of night life, first a few bugs, then the bait fish, then the big boys come out to play.

Lots of state parks light up their fish piers at night and it produces some of the best fishing experiences around.

Great Post.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from FloridaHunter1226 wrote 2 years 43 weeks ago

One of my friends has a dock with green lights underneath and man is it interesting to see the fish and bait just hovering all over that light. Fishing is great too but sometimes I just like staring off into the green water, looking at the fish, trying to identify each one.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from NYhunter wrote 2 years 43 weeks ago

It' a very cool pic!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Koldkut wrote 2 years 43 weeks ago

Fishing under the lights or around submerged fishing lights rocks!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Sick STi wrote 2 years 43 weeks ago

Never tried that, but it looks like fun.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Linesider21 wrote 2 years 43 weeks ago

When i was younger i would fish the lights on the pier with my uncle. Gotta love the sea trout.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from tourneyking734 wrote 2 years 43 weeks ago

eels under the lights are a blast

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from ggmack wrote 2 years 43 weeks ago

just got spreader lights and through hull LED lights installed on the boat. can't wait to test them out. Also got one of th

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from ggmack wrote 2 years 43 weeks ago

just got spreader lights and through hull LED lights installed on the boat. can't wait to test them out. Also got one of th

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Daddio wrote 2 years 42 weeks ago

Great comments! Is there any "magic" to the green light or would white or blue be just as effective?

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from 2Poppa wrote 2 years 42 weeks ago

I used to have a dock that had blue lights, along with a bug zapper that hung over the lake. Every time a bug got zapped, a fish heard the dinner bell and got fed.

That green light sure looks good!It makes the face of your watch glow too.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from chadian wrote 2 years 41 weeks ago

capture your moment in history with the enduring leagacy of art. chad lavin studio. www.lavinstudio.com

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Fischerman69 wrote 2 years 27 weeks ago

a camp ground not to far from my house has lights by the boat launch and i fish there at night with my buddies and we catch catfish to bas and once i hooked a walleye but it broke off in the water

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

Post a Comment

 

All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.