Headed in a few days, and really want to go after the eyes, and looking at the many posts about best fishing at night, when sundown is so late what do folks consider night? May 21ish sundown is about 850pm so an hour before?

Civil twilight will put it more at 9:20-ish PM. Up to civil twilight there is enough natural sunlight that artificial light likely will not be required to carry out outdoor activities. By 10:10PM it will be nautical twilight and pretty darn dark.

Not an expert, but if the wind dies down in the evening, that's a great time to fish.

Daniel

It's not so much of the sunlight but the time. We usually start fishing after dinner dishes are cleaned and camp is put away for the day. Thats about 7:30 to about 11:30 or so. Just depends on the bugs or how good they are biting.

We take our trips in the first couple weeks of June and I run into the same dilemma. The days are so long and the nights so short. I usually start around 7 and am ready for some sleep around 11 or so. I'd like to say I get up in the morning and head out again but I usually end up just tossing a bobber and leech out while I make coffee and breakfast for my wife and boys which is fine by me.

3-
In clear water, walleyes can go all night. Sometimes folks say night when they mean sundown. Try lighted bobbers until 3 AM...although the sun comes up in just a couple hours...

I usually always fish until just after dark and am amply rewarded via tying my boat up under a cloud of skeets and then manically laughing as I hightail it to my tent (fortunately having had the foresight to have everything ready) only to spend the next 15 minutes killing the heinous intruders.

I usually catch fish right up until complete darkness and then they shut off........for me at least. I have heard it oft repeated that fish usually need an hour to adjust and get rolling again. Not sure how true that is but thats what I have heard.

I keep picturing trolling at night but if truth be told I keep wimping out. I must be a fraidy cat.........something about easing around at night in my winky little solo which causes a pause in me. Not sure why as I have a depth finder and I know I would have an established run which would be thoroughly scouted out. One day I will do it.........get up at about 3 a.m. and run Shadzillas until 9 a.m.. Something around 12 or 13lbs would make it worth it.

I have been out canoeing at night throwing topwater. You can't see the hits, but sure can hear them. One time we had the northern lights flickering around us while fishing out in the middle of the lake, pretty cool. We caught walleye on topwater at night. Most fish were smallmouth. I also like shore fishing topwater at night. It's fun, but you have to be careful with those treble hooks at night.

Thanks all, it is as I expected, post dinner I'll be out looking for them and fish as long as possible. After all, I dont go to the BW to sleep!

Like MT, I'm a fraidy cat. Night is the time to be snug as a bug in your bag. Like MT, I'll also fished up until the last light and I've found they stop hitting when the light's gone. Of course, I'm fishing bass on the surface. I'm guessing it's a four kegger rager for the walleye.

On a couple of lakes that I know of " Night Fishing" is the preffered method. Both of these lakes are clear and during the day you would swear that you were on the dead sea. However, when the lights turn off at night these lakes fire up like no other.

Floating jig heads with leeches.

I've done a fair bit of night fishing over the last couple of years mostly because I haven't had the chance to get out until after the kids are in bed so that had me leaving the cabin at 8:30ish and then I fish until 11 or midnight, latest I've been out is probably 1am. I've done a mix of bobber fishing and trolling at those hours. Personally I love trolling late at night, its incredibly peaceful, it keeps you moving to avoid the worst of the bugs, and you can feel when the fish bites versus having to see the bobber.

The success of night fishing is like anything, dependent on weather, wind, time of year, and the mood of the fish. You are however increasing your odds with walleye as they do tend to be more active in the low light hours.

One tip though is to leave some sort of light at camp so that you have a point of reference when headed back. If the skies are clear and there is a decent amount of moonlight its surprising how well you'll be able to see once your eyes are adjusted but if its cloudy or no moon then it will be pretty dang dark.

Night fishing on super clear lakes can be great for walleye and its when you will catch the biggest smallies in the lake.

quote Basspro69: "Night fishing on super clear lakes can be great for walleye and its when you will catch the biggest smallies in the lake."

C'mon, Basspro, we need more info. How do you target those big smallies at night... Shoreline or mid-lake structure? Topwater or mid-column? Early dark or after midnight? Does your approach change if its full moon vs a dark night? Inquiring minds want to know!

I usually do lighted bobber around camp at night if canoe camping.
BUT the first image that still flashes in my mind when I hear "night fishing" is
A big black jointed Jitterbug under a big moon. Explosive! I think if I ever get the elusive 7lb. Smallie; that will be when.

I've caught my biggest walleyes (8-10) lbs fishing in complete darkness jigging from shore while wearing a headlamp so I can watch my line and tie knots.

quote Spookmeister: "

quote Basspro69: "Night fishing on super clear lakes can be great for walleye and its when you will catch the biggest smallies in the lake."

C'mon, Basspro, we need more info. How do you target those big smallies at night... Shoreline or mid-lake structure? Topwater or mid-column? Early dark or after midnight? Does your approach change if its full moon vs a dark night? Inquiring minds want to know!"

My best advice is scout out your spot well before dark find a spot you can get out of the canoe and fish from shore. I choose my campsite alot on this premise. Shallow is the name of the game and time of year will determine whether your fishing a shoreline in a bay or near a mid lake reef. If there is any kind of wind or weather stay put and fish from your campsite, no fish is worth your life and you just cant anticipate waves at night like you can during the day. I mostly use floating rapalas, swimbaits, and for the most fun the classic jitterbug reeled slowly across the top. The smallies hit this lure like it owes them money. I will use a lighted bobber from time to time but im still fishing it fairly shallow because these fish are coming up shallow to feed. I remember fishing Tin Can Mike from shore and the smallies would blow up on my topwater sometimes inches away from shore. Ive done very well in full moon or no moon so i dont believe thats a factor. I have noticed if its rained during the day the topwater bite at night seems to be non existent alot of times.

quote lundojam: "3-
In clear water, walleyes can go all night. Sometimes folks say night when they mean sundown. Try lighted bobbers until 3 AM...although the sun comes up in just a couple hours..."

One of the boat lakes I fish on the Gunflint, I don't start fishing it till after 11 oclock.

I love fishing at sunset and until I'm too tired to fish any longer, usually 11, midnight or so. The only thing that bothers me is the bugs. I just make sure I have a head net, head lamp, flashlight and not fish too far from camp.
One thing I have been amazed by is how shallow you can catch fish after dark. I usually try casting a floating rapala or something that doesn't sink right up to the shoreline. If that doesn't work I jig something in about 15 foot of water. If you can fish something that has a little current you can catch walleye or smallmouth pretty regularly.
I find it very peaceful, and if you can watch a nice sunset when you start fishing it makes it that much better.
I will have to try a top water bait. Never thought of that. Thanks for the idea/info.

what do i consider night time - when it's dark , time table is a man made thing, if you want to target walleyes night time is the best and you can get bit anytime between 9pm to 4am. i find many people want to fish after sundown but if your up at sunrise , night time is bedtime . i'll bring a lantern by shore and fish alittle after sundown. but paddling-sun-wind during the day can wear a person down. but lighted bobbers from shore is the safest. been on many trips when the wind doesn't slow down after sunset.

My Uncle was my fishing hero growing up. He lived in Kentucky and was an awesome bass fisherman. He would target summer smallies at night fishing the tops of rock piles in 25ft of water using a large single colorado single bladed spinnerbait in black or purple (including the blade). He would get some monsters and always got excited when talking about how they hit that spinnerbait at night.