# Night Wade Fishing



## TexasGrandSlam

I've been seeing a few posts every now and then on wade fishing at night. I'll be fishing west bay and know the waters very well. I'm not asking for spots but rather for some tips while wading at night. 
From my understanding, I'll need to bring a headlamp for landing fish, a glow stuck hanging on the boat so I know where it is, I need to focus on mainly shallow water, need to throw about the same lures as day along with some loud topwaters, always fish with a buddy, and make sure I know the where any guts or hazards would be. Is that pretty much all I need to start? Or am I missing anything? 

If y'all have any tips or suggestions please let me know. With all the daytime pressure that galveston will be getting this summer, I think this will be a good 
idea. Thanks!
:cop:


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## Mr. Breeze

Get you a copy of Rudy Grigars book, Plugger, he pioneered night wade fishing in Galv. Bay in the 50's.


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## tspitzer

tried it i am not a fan--not saying will not do it again--but a big dolphin came up to me and i about lost it--could have pulled up a skier behind me--i am to old you it you can have my space--


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## zthomas18

Sounds like you've got it down man. Just get out there and try it. This time of year tops are great to throw at night. My favorite is an all chrome super spook. Don't worry about the moon....fish the tides at night. Here is a pic of my buddy from our last trip out in gtown. The best part is you can take pics all night and no one can tell where you're at from the background!


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## redman71

Love night trips in the summer. Had some epic wades. 

I'm pretty sure per Coast Guard regs, you have to leave the white light illuminated on the boat, so I don't understand the glow stick deal. I had a game warden warn me about it while night fishing for crappie.

I like wearing some sort of flotation device. My wade aid will (and has) floated me when you step off that last sand bar. One of those ripcord PFD's would work as well.


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## capt. stealth

It's no different than fishing in the day, you just need a head lamp. you won't jerk on a top water until you feel it and the fish will swallow the darkest lure to its but hole on a new moon when it's pitch black. I love it and try to do it every chance I get when the weather is right.
good luck you will love it.


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## kenny

Yeah, nothing like wading a mid-bay reef at night, with sharks blowing up along the drop-off.


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## Whoady

I hardly fish during the day in the summer all my fishing is at night and I love it. Way less traffic most people that are out at night in my area (POC/seadrift) are floundering not fishing,usually calmer and cooler. I throw top waters and gulps on an outgoing tide over shallow reefs an deep holes,if fishing is no good I'll take my lantern an fire it up walk around an try to gig some flounder. Love night fishing


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## fishanywhere

kenny said:


> Yeah, nothing like wading a mid-bay reef at night, with sharks blowing up along the drop-off.


This. I went a couple of weeks ago and got so scared I went back to the boat for a while, and when I went back out, I stayed real shallow! It's freaking terrifying when a big shark hits something right beside you in the dark and you never saw him coming.


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## troutsupport

zthomas18 said:


> Sounds like you've got it down man. Just get out there and try it. This time of year tops are great to throw at night. My favorite is an all chrome super spook. Don't worry about the moon....fish the tides at night. Here is a pic of my buddy from our last trip out in gtown. The best part is you can take pics all night and no one can tell where you're at from the background!


Hey. I know that spot!!!! ;-) LOL


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## Lone-Star

I like to carry a whistle at night and in heavy fog. Use that with your headlamp to make your location known to anyone running your way.

There's nothing quite like hearing trout blowing up on topwaters in the dark.


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## Spooley

Wade-fishing at night can be too adventurous sometimes. 

I stopped wading the Galveston surf at night after a large drift log rolled me over.


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## FlounderSeeker

Need to watch for chupacabras chasing bait on topwater too. Jk... you got it all down. Be safe


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## duckmania

Wading at night can be outstanding. Obviously a good choice in the summer, but I've done it in the winter many, many times. Just bundle up. The only real kicker is navigating, there are always pipes and stuff that you dont see. Full moon is the obvious choice but I've learned it is not the only time to go. Keep your handlamp use to a minimum, you'll be surprised how well you can see in the dark after awhile. Mark a jump off spot with your gps during the day in case you get turned around in the dark. Also, clouds can move in and make it really dark, wade shorelines on those nights, also, keep a pen light turned on your console so you can keep an eye where the boat is. I've gone many times by myself, probably shouldn't have, but did anyway. Take someone with you.
Always make sure someone knows where your going and what time to expect you back in. I try and catch a setting or rising moon, right on the horizon. Love it.


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## Doubless

I waded fished East Matagorda years ago as a young man. If memory serves, it was just about this time of year, because the nights were only about nine hours long. It was amazing how quiet that normally churned up bay got about ten pm...

We used headlamps and glow in the dark soft stuff. It was a kick... you could hear the schools of fish coming, blowing up on baitfish along the south shoreline. The only indication of what you had was whether or not the fish was shaking its head. Reds typically do that in my experience, and specks typically come to the top and spit, trying to throw the plug.

We caught some nice fish, but those days are well beyond me now. As the saying goes, "the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak".

Have a great time!


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