PUEBLO, COLO. ? It was a dark and not too stormy night. Somewhere, under the cover of darkness, a monster prowled.

Suddenly, there came a scream.

“Got one!”

The monster had been engaged. Somewhere out in the night it made a tremendous splash. An epic struggle was under way.

Just what kind of monster had been confronted remained uncertain. Most likely it was a wiper, a fish of Frankenstein if ever there was, but maybe not.

In the Pueblo Reservoir night, it could as well have been a walleye or a giant channel catfish. In a different setting it might be a brown or rainbow trout or, in season, even a cruising kokanee salmon, not quite sure of where to spawn.

No matter. It may not even have been a true monster in terms of size and weight, but darkness had given it a mystique quite different from a daylight fish, no matter how large, no matter how strong.

Night fishing carries a mystery, a fascination all its own. It begins with anticipation. It carries the attraction of the unknown, of doing something just a little out of the ordinary, but it also has a practical side.

Many fish are nocturnal to a significant degree. The odds for catching them simply are better after sundown. Fishing for catfish at night is the rule, not the exception.

Walleyes are notorious for their aversion to direct sunlight. Though they can be taken at any time of day, the best activity often begins after the sun has dipped below the horizon. It may continue through the night until the sun reappears on the water but even in the dark, walleyes sometimes show distinct cycles of feeding and relative abstinence.

On Pueblo Reservoir, among other waters, ordinary walleyes may be taken at any time. But fishermen who are seriously after larger fish may not even arrive on the water until their more-casual fellows are back at the ramp, loading up their boats.

Conversely, they may arrive in the middle of the night, fish hard until sunrise or a little beyond, and depart about the time daytime fishermen begin arriving.

Warm water or cold, the night might be the likeliest time to catch big fish. Cooler temperatures may bring both forage fish and forage-seeking gamefish closer to the surface.

Many fishermen believe the largest fish grow to size because they somehow are more wary than smaller fish. Under cover of darkness, they may lose some of their caution.

Night fishing becomes even more practical in the current drought year. Water levels in most reservoirs are receding. Water temperatures tend to be a little warmer. With fewer surface acres to disperse, boat traffic seems all the more intense.

But while night fishing has many practical advantages, it also has many other charms.

It can have a social side old or new friends discussing issues of the day by firelight, waiting for a rod-tip bell to sound, indicating a catfish is nibbling at the bait.

But it’s not required. The same evening calm that may cause fish to lose their caution creates a certain sense of serenity among fishermen. The night brings a stillness. It relaxes.

One by one, the lights on a distant shore disappear. A breeze carries in the chirping of crickets. Somewhere in the distance, coyotes begin a midnight serenade.

Waves gently rock the boat. The sound of waves lapping onto shore is soothing. Restful. But then …

“Got one!”