Night Fishing Strategy with Dan Wells: Big Flies, Estuaries, and the Power of Observation
In this episode of the Saltwater Edge Podcast, we welcome angler and analytical thinker Dan Wells for a deep dive into nighttime strategy for Northeast striped bass. Dan blends practical experience, military-honed discipline, and a biologist’s curiosity to create a repeatable system for finding big fish in local estuaries.
Understanding the “Why” Behind Striper Behavior
Dan's fishing philosophy starts with understanding bait cycles, terrain, and tide behavior before choosing tactics. Instead of chasing reports or driving hours in search of a bite, he builds a focused fishing radius close to home and scouts it relentlessly at different tide stages.
Key Forage Cycles: Silver Sides, Herring, Smelt, Eels & Squid
Throughout the conversation, Dan breaks down how various bait species move through estuaries and how bass respond to them. From silver sides spreading out and rising at night, to river herring stacking in predictable windows, to eels and squid feeding on smaller prey, Dan shows how understanding the full food chain reveals the best nighttime opportunities.
Fly Strategy: Waking Flies, Suspended Patterns & Two-Hand Casting
Dan discusses building flies designed to wake, suspend, and imitate struggling prey—techniques that consistently target larger bass. He also shares how switching to two-hand overhead casting unlocked the ability to throw large herring and eel patterns with less fatigue and more efficiency.
Building a Nighttime Game Plan
From scouting grass flooding levels to identifying drop-offs, channels, and shadow lines, Dan outlines a complete blueprint for fishing estuaries effectively at night. Whether it’s swinging flat wings on outgoing tides or waking big flies over early flood tides, he provides practical, repeatable methods anglers can apply immediately.
Listen to the Full Conversation
Dan’s insight is some of the most actionable and detailed nighttime strategy you'll hear in the striper world. Be sure to catch the full episode on our podcast page.
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