If the bridge has streetlights you don't need goggles. A buddy and I have done it for reds at 3mile from a canoe/kayaks before. It needs to be a calm night, clear water, and very little motor boat traffic. Otherwise you won't see much. I've also fished this way for snook in S. FL, working big crankbaits and topwaters around shadow lines. Sometimes you can even see the snook hanging out on the edge of the light.



If the reds are up on top you'll see them cruising the lights looking for something to kill. I've lost a few of my favorite topwaters to big reds this way. I've only managed to land a couple fish doing this since the conditions have to be just right for a human-powered boat. If you're doing it from a motor boat with a higher center of gravity, you could probably pull it off in a little choppier/dirtier water and still see them.



Good luck, let us know how you do,

Alex

 

We've sight fished reds around 3-mile in the boat, it works good!

But, I'm wondering if you could sight fish Bob Sykes or maybe the beach pier with Night vision goggles?

 

Would you not get a lot of interference from the lighting on said bridge or pier? That is assuming they are lighted...

I would also think that the it would be tough because nightvision doesnt distinguish colors. I am pretty sure everything is jus shades of gray. Seems like this would make it very tough.

 

Could it work? Sure. It could, but we'd have to define to a couple of things to determine if it could be effective and efficient.

I'm with dantheman on his foreseen speedbumps-- interference and poor contrast. Contrast is what enables us to see fish in the water while we're out of the water. The night vision stuff I've used is good enough to see a helo coming in without lights, but I don't know about a fish swimming a few inches sub-suface. There are different levels of quality, but at what cost are you willing to attempt this? That stuff get ridiculously expensive very fast.

+ Unless it is completely glassy you will only pickup the shadows of the wavelets present created by moon or ambient light.

Additionally, if there is <U>any</U> kind of artificial light present, this will not work as well as it could.

Good luck. Let us know how you do. :toast

 

i only fish around lights at night. unless im sharkin, having lights is what bring's them up from the deeper water. Have you ever caught anything on top water at night , without the moon or an artificial light being present?

I have only once, and it was most likely luck. I imagine if the water was cold and shallow enough and you had a height advantage. It might be possible to see a heat signature from a larger fish.

 

Not sure if the newer ones are any better but the military grade ones we used back in early 2000s had a lot of interference in the picture. Kind of like static on a crappy channel on tv. Don't think you would be able to make out much under the water.

 

Any of you Military Guys have a pair of issued Night Vision Goggles you're interested in bringing out to Bob Sykes one night and experimenting???

 

You don't need them on the bay bridge. I was sight fishing for Reds all last year at night.