Don’t forget the PFD, cell phone and bug spray

Safety First:

If you forget everything else you read here, remember this: Navigating a boat at night can get dicey without warning, even when crawling along on low speed with the trolling motor.

You could clip a rock, bump a stump or hit any number of other objects that could cause you to lose your balance and fall overboard into a dark, watery environment in a split second. For that reason, you should always wear a life jacket when fishing the graveyard shift.

Any Coast Guard approved personal flotation device (PFD) will suffice, but inflatable models are highly preferred by most anglers for summertime night fishing because they are way less restrictive and much cooler to wear than traditional jackets or vests.

Another item you should never leave shore without is a cell phone. It could come in handy if you have a mechanical problem or run into other kinds of trouble where assistance might be necessary. Don’t forget the bug spray, either. --- Matt Williams