By Paul Lebowitz

Kayak fishing the second shift is first-rate. Most nights the wind dies away and the water surface stills to a mirror-like calm that reflects the sparkle and shine of the moon, the stars and the city lights. Boat traffic fades away too, leaving a relaxing serenity.

Nighttime kayak anglers take advantage of the calm air and glassy water to fish for saltwater bass in Southern California bays, or to simply soak up the sights on the way back to shore after squeezing the most out of every bit of daylight. Some first-timers find the night hours unnerving, but those who don’t get out in the dark once in a while are forfeiting fishing hours and missing something special.   

John Pawlak of Team Okuma is a master of making the most of his fishing opportunities. The convenience of the kayak makes it easy for him to get on the water after work.

Pawlak haunts the San Diego bays for evening bass year-round, but especially when the sweltering summer temperatures of his inland home make the cool waterfront evenings irresistible.

Pawlak uses the nighttime bay to his advantage. He knows bait fish are drawn to the circles of light cast from piers, shoreline light posts, and bait barges. Where there is prey, the predators are nearby. “The bass lay in wait in the dark,” explains Pawlak, “then rush out in ambush.” Pawlak plots his own ambush, fishing from the dark along the edges of the light. His kayak is ideal for this mission. He’ll sit quietly next to a dock, or even lurk directly under piers. “Sometimes I’ll spend the whole time under one pier,” says Pawlak.

His rig is simple and effective. “I use dark plastics. My favorite is dark brown and dark butterscotch,” says Pawlak. He uses 5-inch swimbaits to tempt the bigger fish. It works. Pawlak confides, “I caught my biggest sandbass fishing at night in San Diego bay, a chunky four pounder.” Pawlak advises going slowly, fishing right on the bottom. Casting and retrieving is effective, but Pawlak likes to quietly drop his bait straight to the bottom, then he slowly back paddles until he is ready to work the bait. Sometimes it doesn’t take that long. “I keep the rod in front of me so I can watch the line,” he explains. 

The realities of the post 9/11 world have taken a lot of Pawlak’s favorite nighttime bay bassing spots out of play, but there are still plenty of others. Night is no time to flit around security zones, so know where they are and keep a respectable distance. Also keep the tide in mind. Some current is necessary for the best fishing, but remember, paddling back to the landing against the current can be a long, tough slog. Check a tide table before setting out for the night, and try to time your return to coincide with a slack or favorable tide.

Night bassers shouldn’t overlook the breakwalls and jetties at the mouths of Southern California harbors and bays. Jetty jockeys find calico and sand bass on the walls at places such as San Diego Bay, Mission Bay, Dana Point Harbor, Newport Bay, the Port of Los Angeles, and King Harbor. The same dark plastics used by Pawlak are effective, even more so when the offering is sweetened with a strip of cut squid, but so too are the tools of the freshwater bassing set: weedless worms and grubs, and crankbaits as long as there is at least a hint of light in the sky.

Use whichever bait is most comfortable, or experiment with something new. Work from the structure out to find the fish. Fish the plastics slowly, bumping along the rocks, grass and kelp, and be ready to set the hook at the slightest tap. Bring a selection of crankbaits to cover various depths. Medium divers (8 – 12 feet) are probably the most useful. Work them along the slope of the wall. Deep divers (12 – 20 feet) come into play on the flats adjacent to the breakwaters. It is often most productive to work parallel to the structure. There is at least one exception that sometimes leads to spectacular action. When the tops of the walls are submerged by high tide, crank shallow runners from one side of the wall to the next.

Don’t be afraid to get up close to the structure. Kayakers don’t have to worry about running aground on the breakwaters, but please exercise caution. Stay inside the bay if there is too much swell or surge for comfort. Kayaking at night is normally a safe proposition. Although visibility is reduced, so is boating traffic. Get out there and enjoy a new nighttime adventure.

NIGHT TIME IS THE RIGHT TIME - As the sun sets over Southern California’s bays, the water glasses over, making for great kayak fishing conditions.

LIGHT IT UP - No one light does it all. Nighttime kayak anglers should carry marker lights and a headlamp for task illumination and signaling, and keep a back-up in reserve. Clockwise, from left to right: Scotty SEA-Light, Rayovac Sportsman 3 in 1 Headlamp, Rayovac Marine Flashlight.