If I use a lantern when catfishng at night, will I catch less fish? If I don’t use a lantern will I catch more fish? Thanks for the help

Just because you use a lantern at night for catfish fishing does not mean that you will not catch the fish. You do have to be careful where you place the lantern and how bright it is on the water. Some anglers will keep a flashlight rather than a lantern. They use the flashlight only when they need it and sit in the dark the rest of the time. This works, but if you would have a disturbance in the water or you are drifting, you need some light to see where you are drifting to at night. I believe that you should always have a good waterproof flashlight with a strap that is attached to your belt and a lantern for a slow drift. As long as you keep the light low and do not shine it directly into the water, you are going to catch the catfish. It is still going to be dark in the water and you will just be presenting a dim light that will not affect the catfish. Then again, some catfish come out during the day. There is no reason to fish the dark without any light as long as you keep it low and dim. The fish are going to come because the water is dark and the sun is not shining brightly down on it. Use a flashlight or a lantern and do not shine it into the water. That would scare the catfish away or spook them. If you fish the dark, use extreme caution.