There is a frantic and fun aspect of late spring and summer fly fishing that only lasts about 45 minutes. Although fish often rise all evening and all night, the moments around twilight often see the water boiling with copious feeding activity. It can be amazing. But it can also be intimidating.

Fishing in the dark isn’t for everyone. Between the whole wading when you can’t see aspect of the endeavor and the upped difficulty of tying by headlamp, a lot of people choose to wrap things up as the sun fades behind the trees. While you’ll never eliminate some of those complicating factors, there are ways to limit their effect and put yourself in a position to take advantage of the trout’s reckless rising.

Here are five simple things to think about when you push past those first moments of dark, pursuing the fish that are capitalizing on the cover of night and the preponderance of bugs. There are moments of great frustration, but there are also moments of real excitement. You know, like fly fishing in general.

Pick a fish (or a few fish that are close together).

One of the hardest things about fishing post-dusk rises is how the action can be overwhelming. Instead of casting to all the fish, pick spots where there is one fish or a few fish in close proximity to one another. Work them until they slow, stop, you catch one, or you make the calculated decision to move to the next cluster.

Dial in your distance.

I have proven that tangling is possible with any length of line. Still, reducing the slack line between reel and stripping guide is a good way to limit fouling around your legs and casts that fall apart. This is accomplished by fishing with a “fixed line.” If possible, get 20 feet or so from your target and then get 25 feet of line and leader ready to cast. If a lot of fish are rising, you can move from spot to spot with the added benefit of knowing how far away from you your fly will be. Essentially, you’re limiting variables.

Aim for advantageous angles.

I also prefer to position myself at a 45  degree angle, downstream from the targeted fish. This slightly increases a solid hookup, reduces drag at the point of presentation, and mitigates the chances of spooking fish with errant sets. Your position is the first step in not spooking fish needlessly when you think one has sipped your fly. The second step is to…

Set smoothly and set often.

With any splash (seen or heard) in the immediate vicinity, give a solid hook set. As is the case with any dry fly take, your set shouldn’t be too strong or wild. A deliberate sweep of the rod up and back will sink the fly into the fish’s mouth. Or, and this will happen a lot if the lighting is poor, it will set you up into a backcast that can be returned forward into another quick presentation. Assuming you’re setting the hook while at the same time assuming you’re going to have to cast again right away prepares you for whatever is happening (or not happening) at the end of your line.

Light up: check your leader and your fly.

More often than you’d like, you should take a look at your fly and your tippet. This is best done with the aid of a headlamp. If the tippet is tangled or if there is a wind knot, bail and retie, If things are a mess, you’ll use up much more time and energy untangling than just starting from scratch. Also,  check to see how high your fly is riding. If you’ve been into a bunch of fish and your best desiccant/floatant  routine isn’t cutting it, tie on another fly. Again, the time it takes to tie on a new fly by the light of your headlamp will pay off greatly in that you won’t be unknowingly drifting a sinking bug over and over.