Well, engraulids are attracted by light, which means they swim towards the source of the light, so night fishing with an integrated LED lamp is supposed to increase the effectivity of the fishing gear.
When snorkelling near lighted harbour jetties in the tropics at night, you may see big schools of engraulids and clupeids near the jetty, trying to reach the source of the light.
The reason may be related to lunar cycles; spawning activity is usually coordinated with the full moon. Probably these fish take the light for the full moon, and this is why they are attracted to it.