# Night Time Bassin'



## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

I have searched the sight some for information but what I have found is too general. I know there are many people here that fish for bass at night. Heck, I do it from time to time. What I was hoping is to as my questions and see if I can get specific suggestions. I do not own a boat and do not have much experience casting from a boat at night! The day time is no problem for me.

I would rather use a baitcaster but can use spinning gear. I normally cast more from the side than over the top.

Questions: 
1) How do you judge your casting distance?
2) How do you ensure some type of accuracy/direction?

Thanks!

Mr. A


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## Marshall (Apr 11, 2004)

Many die hard night bass fisherman use some sort of black light when fishing close to the bank. The light will show the shoreline and make objects show up easier. Fluorescent line will glow like rope too making it easy to see your line. Another option is to use the moonlight to help see or a headlamp. A lot of lakes have areas with lights around marinas, boat ramps and parking lots that can be great places to fish at night. I like to fish points where u can stay off the bank and not worry about landing in the brush on the bank. Ugly banks that many people pass up during the day will hold shallow bass at night. At technique i use a lot is to keep the boat a cast away from the bank and work the bait back to the boat. Although bass may be tight to wood at night, many are scattered away from laydowns so u dont have to get your bait as close as u would during the day. The places i like best are shallow offshore rockpiles and flats. When fishing close to the bank I would rather use a roll cast or pitch your bait underhand. Topwater baits can be good so can be spinnerbaits. My favorite bait to use is a jig hopping along the bottom. Of course the lake dictates what I will use. Every tuesday we fish the evening tournaments at griggs and fish to dark and sometimes way past dark. Every day is different with the baits but some nights u cant beat a topwater while other nights a jig or worm works best. Hope this helps, I'm sure others will offer up some good advice. All yea, always have a flashlight.


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## Marshall (Apr 11, 2004)

Forgot to mention my bluewater LEDs make it easier at night.


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## sbino18 (Oct 19, 2013)

I do not night fish for bass but know some people who do. They generally throw dark baits and I've heard that the bite is best before the moon rises. Use a headlamp if you have one.

I can judge my distance just from time spent on the water. When I cast, I have a feel for long the bait is in the air. Spend a lot time casting tight to shore and can judge when to stop the bait if necessary. Granted, this is typically in daylight.

Casting distance is mostly about rod length and action. Longer the rod, longer the cast but shorter rods help accuracy. 

This link covers some of that:
http://www.flwoutdoors.com/flwondemand.cfm?vid=21967&cs=tipsfromthepros


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## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

Marshall said:


> Forgot to mention my bluewater LEDs make it easier at night.


That is cool looking!

Mr. A


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## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

Thanks for the replays. I guess if I cast over hand I can reliably dictate direction but nit distance. Pitching is another good technique if I can be, or need to be close to the target area. Like I said I am pretty confident even in low light but night time, absent other lights, is where I see myself having the most trouble.

One thing I guess I just didn't think about before it was posted was using a shorter rod. That may help me gain some confidence.

Thanks again!

Mr. A


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## gsuidiot (Nov 8, 2013)

I've been out a couple times at night and your eyes tend to adjust enough to see the shoreline (assuming you have SOME moon light). We fish with no lights on the boat but have a cap light in case we need it for changing lures, removing hooks, etc. it's a fun time. The less you actually use a light the easier it is to keep your eyes adjusted. I've also heard a red light helps without affecting your night vision. Haven't tried it though.


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## Atwood (Sep 6, 2005)

Bass fishing at night is like Fight Club.


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## lang99 (Mar 6, 2009)

I love to bass fish at night and do it lot during the summer. There is nothing better than having the lake mostly to yourself during the dog days of summer when its to hot to fish during the day. Some of my best fishing has been at night. It has made me a better overall fisherman. You become so in tune with what your bait is doing. Its all feel, no line watching. Your eyes adjust to the darkness making it easy to see the bank. I wear a headlamp but only use it if I am changing baits or unhooking a fish. The light from the bow/stern light and fish finder aluminate the water around the boat. To much light messes with my eyes and makes everything blurred and also attracts bugs. As far as flipping/casting it is just a feel type of thing. Most of the time I don't see my bait hit the water. I mostly flip towards shoreline cover and cast in more open water. I always have 4 set-ups rigged for night fishing, all on casting gear. Black jig, Texas rigged beaver or worm, black buzzbait and a black spinnerbait. The only negative is the beavers splashing next to the boat when you least expect it. Hope this helps








This was my best last year night fishing! It crushed my black spinnerbait, fished over a weed flat.


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## lonewolf (Mar 4, 2010)

Atwood said:


> Bass fishing at night is like Fight Club.


Love that!!! 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## chopper (May 15, 2004)

lang has it down. I agree with all that he says. I started night bassin a few years ago and love it in the heat of summer. I like a still night with alot of moon. My #1 baits is jigs with a rattle, dark in color. I also like a big black spinner with an oversized gold colorado blade. When it right, its right. I have caught some hogs at night. Remember alot of moon, quite, and if you are not hearing shad snapping on the surface, go to bed.


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## kickinbass (May 25, 2009)

One thing I like to do when I'm casting a lure at night is just parallel the bank, takes distance completely out of it. You can see the bank well enough on about any night to keep the boat parallel to it. Be sure not to use a bright light because it takes awhile for your eyes to adjust back and forth. If I'm pitching though I can just fish it as I do in the day time. Just make sure you are familiar with the lake and know all the lay downs in the area you are fishing, which is probably a good idea for night fishing in general. Seems like most of the fish I catch at night are bigger and there's more of them. I also think it is great with bottom baits because its all feel and it'll make you better in the daytime. My favorite though is a buzz bait just waiting to hear something roll on it then feeling your rod load up.


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## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

My cabin fever is killing me. I have been happy just to see open water, of which there is very little around me anyway. I don't even care what the water temp is, but I gotta fish soon.

Parallell to the bank is a good idea. I'm used to it from shore, but from a boat is no quite as easy as from shore IMO. 

I would definitely agree that a buzz bait at night, or as the sun is about to come up is a blast. If you find then, and they're hungry, angry, or easily provoked it is an adrenaline rush. So is a jitter bug if they'll hit it.

I'm sure I'll have to figure some stuff out the first few times but I'll get the hang of it quickly!

Mr. A


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## Intimidator (Nov 25, 2008)

Dude...I agree with the other posters!
Your eyes adjust...fish along the banks, the fish are shallow and feeding! Big Fish come in shallow at night. We fished Alum in Punks boat...pretty much hit known Smallie hangouts, then when it got Dark hugged the shoreline! Be prepared, I think we all put a couple casts up in the trees and along the road!LOL
Now, In the Summer, I mainly fish at night for Bass and Walleye and do my Crappie fishing in the early or late day time!


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

I use a lot of plastics at night 7" Berkley power worms and 6" Zoom/Berkley lizards(dark colors black, blue fleck, junebug) I try to cast along the bank, maybe out 8-10 feet depending on the area, my son has good luck with small spinners(3/8oz) and jitterbugs, all from just after dark until as late as 3AM or so.


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## Intimidator (Nov 25, 2008)

Through all my research, one key to remember....between dusk til dark and dawn to light, there is a period of time lasting up to 1 hr, where the fishes eyes will revert from rod to cone or cone to rod sight. If they are Big fish they will suspend and not feed during the adjustment, smaller fish will seek cover.


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## Fishingisfun (Jul 19, 2012)

Mr. A said:


> I have searched the sight some for information but what I have found is too general. I know there are many people here that fish for bass at night. Heck, I do it from time to time. What I was hoping is to as my questions and see if I can get specific suggestions. I do not own a boat and do not have much experience casting from a boat at night! The day time is no problem for me.
> 
> I would rather use a baitcaster but can use spinning gear. I normally cast more from the side than over the top.
> 
> ...


I Have not night fished for awhile now it was the only fishing I did for about three years night bass fishing. I agree with the other posters on technique. We relied on our night vision when some moonlight was available. I Protected my night vision-eyesight by not getting the light directly in my eyes. Learned to tie lures on by feel. I did carry a flashlight for dark overcast nights to judge the distance to the shore or untangles lines. Often casting in all directions from the boat would produce fish because it seemed the bass were in every direction and in more open water in the dark. You will snag up often but each time out we seemed to get the feel for the casting distance better. Fishing by feel is easier when you can see nothing around. With vision limited I was more aware of the bump through the line. We learned to wear hats at night because the bugs liked us and the bats that sometimes came too close for their dinner bumping into fishing lines and poles. Watch for weather fronts approaching and get out on the water before they come in. That seemed to be our best nights. Some nights there were amazing catches and other times few would bite. A great way to fish the drinking water clear waters that give few fish up during daytime.


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