JACK WOLLITZ Night fishing offers some fine moments of family enjoyment

Stealth anglers' favorite season is here.
We're talking night fishing. Out there in the blackness, a number of people who know how to take advantage of the warm nights of July are enjoying heart-stopping action.
Once the dog days of summer settle over northeastern Ohio, it makes good sense to fish when the fish are more active.
Ron Gray of Warren did and he caught a hog largemouth bass last Saturday night at busy Conneaut Lake near Meadville, Pa. The 6.3-pounder gobbled a black plastic worm.
Dan Pecchia of Canfield and sons Ben and Nate did, too, and they caught some oversized white bass last weekend at Pymatuning Reservoir while drifting minnows under bobbers.
The time between sunset and the next morning's dawn is one of angling's last frontiers. The fishing can be fantastic, but it certainly isn't just a matter of tossing a bait into the abyss and counting the seconds until you get a bite.
So here are a few tips for those who want to test their fishing skills under cover of darkness:
Get set up before twilight turns to pitch dark. That means staking out a good spot on your selected stretch of shore or launching the boat and motoring to a good spot.
Being ready before losing the ability to see clearly enables anglers to gain familiarity with the water and the lake bottom. It also provides a buffer period during which your eyes can adjust to the dim conditions.
Stick it out
Getting out early so you are ready when the night bite starts doesn't necessarily mean the fish will be on the same schedule. Many night fishermen notice a lull in the action once the sun dips out of sight and believe the fish need an hour or two to get adjusted to the darkness before they start prowling for food.
That means you should be prepared to stick it out until the wee hours of the morning. I've noticed the best action tends to occur between 11 p.m. and dawn.
Understand that most fish species tend to feed more actively at night during midsummer. That means they will move toward places where current is evident (such as a bridge) and often can be found in water much shallower than where they live during daylight hours.
Night fishing is a common sport for catfish anglers, but other species also can be caught. Largemouth and smallmouth bass, walleyes, crappies and whitebass all are willing to cooperate.
Use lures that can attract attention even if they can't be seen clearly.
For bass, I like a big black spinner-bait with a single Colorado blade in the largest size I can crank. My best success has occurred on spinner-baits sporting blades as big as a silver dollar. Big, ribbon-tail black plastic worms also are good because the fish can & quot;feel & quot; their presence as they are pulled through the water.
Best bait
For walleyes, crappies and white bass, use the liveliest minnows you can buy. Big chubs are great at night for walleyes. Hook them so they can swim and wiggle, thus sending out vibrations that can be detected by the predator fish you wish to catch.
By all means, do take warm clothing. It may be 85 degrees when you leave the house, but by 2 a.m., the temperature usually is in the low 60s and the dew will have settled on every inch of your boat, gear and skin.
And most important of all is being extra careful. Watch your step so you don't tumble into the lake, and wear your personal flotation vest -- or at the very least have it within easy reach should you need to grab it while treading water next to your boat.
All of the local lakes are logical picks for a night fishing excursion. I've enjoyed after-hours action at Berlin, Shenango, Milton and Conneaut -- and can personally vouch for their ability to provide great fun on lots of big fish.
jwwollitz@aol.com