Trawlers are boats that fish for a living. They do this by using large nets in order to pull up as many different types of sea creatures into their holds for later sale ashore. They originally used steam-powered engines to pull their nets. Since the start of World War I, most have been converted to oil-burning power plants in order to make them quieter and thus better able to remain undetected by fish or ships.
Fishermen often go out at night because the water near the surface of the ocean is cooler then, and new species of fish approach the surface because they prefer the cooler temperatures. Many of these fish are worth more than their daytime counterparts, and fishermen prefer catching these instead.
Commercial fishermen who catch lots of fish use different types of trawlers. Beam trawlers and hoister-netters are large boats pulling up nets full of mostly dead fish.
Gill netters tend to be smaller with a narrow space between the ends where they can select the larger specimens that they want to catch.
Trawlers can work 24 hours a day all year round if the crew is allowed to sleep and then have it off for 48 hours at a time, which is called a “watch”.
Trawlers can catch fish, crustaceans, and other creatures such as dolphins. During the day they are all taken on board to be sorted into categories for later sale ashore.
Why Do Fishing Boats Go Out at Night?
For years, it’s been common knowledge that fishing boats go out at night.
Why? Is there something special about the night that helps them catch more fish?
Or is it just a matter of convenience — they can travel farther and faster at night without being seen by any fishing regulators or environmental groups who might try to shut them down?
One reason is that the fish come closer to shore at night, and so fishing boats can travel farther out then.
They are more likely to find an area where the fish have concentrated, where they can catch a lot of them in a short time.
It’s easier to see the prey fish because sunlight reflects off their backs, making them easier to see.
There’s also less competition from other boats, because they’re all out at different times of the day or night, each one looking for a place where there are lots of fish.
The crew needs some sleep too, and it’s not convenient to have everyone up on deck at first light — they would be blinded and maimed by the light, and that would be bad news for the fish.
It’s not like there are many environmental groups keeping an eye out for fishing boats at night — who is going to stop them? It’s usually very dark on the water, with no lights to show that a fishing boat is out there.
Is Fishing Good at Night?
Sport Fisherman magazine’s executive editor Douglas Hamilton is not a believer in the notion that fishing at night is good. Under normal circumstances, he believes fishing during the day is best because it makes for better viewing of fish, and seeing bait fish swimming around can alert one to feeding triggerfish or other predators.
In areas without much boat traffic at night, he says there are plenty of good reasons to go out at night, but where there’s too much traffic at night or with little moonlight, the danger may be greater than the pleasure.
“I don’t think you can legally fish in waterfront areas at night,” Hamilton adds. “Even if it is legal I wouldn’t recommend it because of the traffic problems.”
But is it really that bad?
According to the National Marine Fisheries Service, it’s not illegal to fish at night in many coastal and ocean areas. The only stipulation is that you must be within the three-mile limit consistent with state law.
And even when fishing becomes more perilous because of poor visibility conditions, there are advantages for anglers. In his book, “The Fisherman’s Bible,” author John Page Williams says the nighttime is the best time to fish for triggerfish, as they are nocturnal and therefore most active at this time.
Another advantage of fishing at night is that one has a better chance of finding baitfish. If you were to go out during the day, the baitfish would have a better chance of finding you.
The last reason to fish at night is that fish are known to feed most heavily during this time. While it’s true that anglers can catch more fish by fishing all day long, night angling has its advantages.
What Is the Best Lure for Night Fishing?
The best lure for night fishing depends on where you’re fishing, what you hope to catch, and more importantly on what fish you want to catch. Night fishing is a specialized field of fishing, and it’s not the same as daytime fishing.
You may find yourself in a situation where daytime lures are your best choice, or where nighttime lures will give you the most success.
There are a variety of lures that can be used for night fishing but the most popular seem to be:
- Jerkbaits – Have great action in the water with the ability to get down deep. Will attract all predatory fish including bass, catfish, walleye, and even pike.
- Spoons – Have a very attractive action in the water, are easy to use, and do well for vertical jigging. Can also be used with echo sounders to attract fish from the depths of the lake you’re fishing in. Catfish will love them too!
- Soft Plastics – Great for targeting all predatory fish and will be more effective when fished at night since they are able to be seen in the dark depths of the water.
- Fluorescent Jigs – Used for many different species of fish but can prove to be very productive for night fishing and will be visible in the dark depths of the water.
- Spinnerbaits – If fished correctly, can be used to target a variety of fish in both freshwater and saltwater, especially at night when you can use the flash to attract fish.
- Poppers – Similar to spinnerbaits, can be used for fishing at night but also will attract fish during the day. They have a very distinct popping sound and are great to use for attracting bass, walleye, catfish, etc.
Fishing at night can be a lot of fun for anglers but they do need to be aware that this is not an easy task and it takes experience, patience, and skill if they are going to catch any fish during the night hours.
Why Do Fishermen Go Out So Early?
It is a common saying among fishermen that one should go out fishing early in the morning and not afternoon.
We will be answering some questions in this section to better understand why fishermen go out so early.
Why?
Because the weather changes faster in the afternoon.
That is why fishermen tend to finish their fishing early in the morning, as soon as they catch enough fish and load them on their boats, then return home.
Why is it that the weather changes in the afternoon?
It is because of two reasons: water temperature and wind direction.
What is the water temperature?
Water has different temperatures. It is affected by the environment. Colder water takes longer to warm up and colder air takes longer to heat up, and warm water tends to cool down faster than cold air does.
So why would fishermen want colder weather?
Because their working tools are controlled by machines that use electricity, and so the engine’s efficiency is better in colder weather.
What about a boat with an outboard motor?
It’s not the same because in that case what you can do is to start it up before you head out on your fishing trip early in the morning.
So fishermen would rather go out at night to avoid the water becoming too warm during the day and for other reasons, too.
But what about a sudden wind shift?
Although the sea is calm at night, it does not mean there will be no winds. The winds may change direction suddenly even though it is the dead of night.
So why would they go out then?
Because they know the direction of the current and so can easily adjust to other factors.
And because night offers more protection from the wind. At this time, there are fewer boats going out to fish than during the day.
The method used by fishermen at night is different from that of the daytime: when fishing in shallow water they use afloat; they fish for squid at night by using radion lamps.
What if the sea is too rough?
They will stay in the harbor until conditions are right to go out again, after waiting for the waves to calm down. Then they will go out in the same direction as before, and if conditions are still not right after a few hours, then they will repeat the cycle.
What is their method of fishing by night?
They use floats to catch squid and get them with hooks; they also fish for squid at night using a radion lamp in deep waters.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the main reasons that trawlers fish at night are to avoid detection, to catch species that mainly feed at night, and also to confuse the seabirds who prey on them. However, many other factors can affect whether or not a vessel chooses to fish at night including weather conditions and tidal streams.
We hope that this article has been informative and interesting. If you think we have missed anything or want to add your own comments, please feel free to do so in the comments section.
