What are your go to lures for fishing green lights?

[wittich]

I have found that many of the same lures that I throw during the day are not effective in the green lights at night.
I have had most of my success with flies, and also Vudu shrimp and smaller soft plastics like Chickenboy Bubba clucker. Often I will tie on a clouser minnow fly and toss this with my spincasting rod.
What are some lures that you use for fish in the green lights?

[OldTownYakBoi]

Top 3 night lures
- 3in Doa Cal shad on 1/8 ounce jig (Rootbeer/chrt),
mirrolure liljohn (glow),
DOA shrimp (glow/fire tail)
**Honorable Mention**
4in Zman Diezel minnow (Purple demon)

Below is a guide to how I usually select what lure I’ll use in what area.

Category 1 is “Interior canals” or “side canals” which are the canals that are tucked in and away from the main canal and bay. They’re more protected with little water movement and the fish seem more spooky and picky. For interior canals I prefer a subtle presentation like a small paddle tail on a LIGHT jig or a DOA shrimp slow reeled which I can drift and hang in the light. The fish in these lights generally will be the hardest to catch.

Category 2 is “Exterior canal” or “Bay lights” which are the houses that border the bay. On exterior canals I like something with more action. My favorite lure for these are these lights are mirrolure lil John and a small mirrodine. In these lights you can typically impart more action on your lures without spooking fish.

Category 3 is the “Main canal” which is the main channel off the bay leading into the neighborhood and usually has a number of fingers (side canals) adjacent to it. The main canal seems to be a hybrid canal and could go either way in my experience. I would try both sets of lures from category 1 & 2 depending on fish behavior and amount of wind/water movement.

The biggest key to night fishing though is taking your time and putting yourself in the best position to present the lure naturally.
A well placed cast that lands softly can be all the difference. Other than the “Exterior lights” I usually don’t impart much action and do a lot more straight retrieve and it works wonders.

[Ron Mc]

Since Tsunami SS2 is no longer made, tandem tied with 2" WildEye Shad, glow in front, blue in back.
70% of catches on the blue, doubles frequent, including mixed species.
If you've never fished blue at night, I suggest you try it - goes back to little blue whistlers catching non-stop consecutive white bass in the dark.



Only fishes on BFS, the reliable Duo Ryuki-S with microscopic trout trebles replaced with larger plug singles.
These hooks foul on spinning line 4/5 casts, but never foul on BFS because of tight-line casts.



A stinger that's proved effective on any UL-ML tackle, Fish Arrow Flash J (color Neon Green or Wasabi)
The plastic body has mylar foil inside that reflects green and transmits pink, which the natural baitfish do the same.


same lure body back-lit with a bike light and milk bottle




here's that Ryuki again

[Kayak Kid]

I have much better luck with flies as opposed to lures. My go to is a small (#6) bonefish fly. Classic snapping shrimp in all white.

[Dandydon]

My night fishing favorites are a small white Vudu Shad, a 3-inch white Down South paddletail, & the 3-inch Gulp Curly Tail in white.

Yes, white is my go-to nighttime color. If the waves are up, I have some success on small hardbody lures, like the Léle, especially under white surface lights.

And Ron, nice photo you included of that Snook. It's still on my bucket list.

Sent from my SM-G973U1 using Tapatalk

[Ron Mc]

I have much better luck with flies as opposed to lures. My go to is a small (#6) bonefish fly. Classic snapping shrimp in all white.

@ KK - this #6 whistler is my nite-lite spec fly.



and yes, that's a '50s Harnell glass para pocket rocket

...
And Ron, nice photo you included of that Snook. It's still on my bucket list.

Thanks friend - 18", that was as still as it ever stayed, and it's hopping off the table in the photo - it was going straight back into the channel, anyway.
We see them stacked along our dock piles at Arroyo, i've landed one slot fish, many 14" to 18", and broken off (or gill-cut) three over slot, fishing finesse tackle.

Our coolest surprise was finding Snook stacked at Aransas Bay side of Little Cut on a September crack-of-dawn and opportune tide fall.
Tony caught one on fly rod.

[mwatson71]

Specific to the question and green lights, my go to is a 3” glow/chartreuse Vudu shad for a number of reasons. One lure lasts forever as long as you don’t mix it with other plastics. It is 1/4 oz so even in a stiff current it’ll get deep enough to find the 26” redfish laying 10 feet deep on the bottom next to the light. Another way I love to fish it is to troll it with my rod in my hand about 12’ behind me through the green light so as to avoid any startling splash. Obviously this only works with one of the pedal yaks, but it has proven effective.

It is also incredibly versatile as I have multiple Texas slams on the same lure. I have two favorite green lights in particular where I regularly haul out redfish and specks on simultaneous casts and then have to move off of the light for 20 minutes until I can hit it again. The one down side to this particular lure is the tail sometimes gets wrapped around the hook and you have to fix it. I consider that a small price for not having to replace swim bodies constantly.

If you asked my go to lure for fishing overhead white lights, I might give a different answer.

[Ron Mc]

Good answer Michael.

I first discovered blue WildEye shad sight-fishing big specs loitering over green lights in a summer canal house.
The summer mullet were so tiny, nothing would get the attention of the big fish.
A trip to TackleTown brought home my first package of this lure. Used them that night to sight-fish 22" and 23" specs.
(First big fish on XUL rockfish tackle)
Casting far away from the light and fishing into their faces with a slow jig.
Will always remember the sight of that big head flaring on my lure. They were actually flaring on the bait ball, and all that remained was your lure.

Similar tale with the Flash J, but the fall specs were nursery trout hanging on the lights. Both lures have gone on to haul up schoolie stringers under the sodium lamp at Arroyo.

[wittich]

Thanks for all the replies. Looks like I need to order to some more fishing tackle.

[2manytoys]

When we lived on the island with a green lights, we would call it commercial fishing. Watching the news when the commercial came on, go throw for a few minutes then back to the news, rinse and repeat because the trout spook real easy but they come back. They would hang just on the edge of the light watching. Throwing a plan DOA shrimp retrieving real slow, or a small Rapala fresh water trout lure did well too. something real small and light to avoid splash should work