# Bass fishing at night



## metzbgsu (Jun 28, 2008)

All the time on here I read about people walleye fishing at night, but do any of you bass fish at night? I never have but wondering if it's even worth trying? I know the best times are usually sunrise and sunset in ponds, at certain times with the tide in rivers, etc., but I was just curious what experiences anyone else has ever had.


----------



## freyedknot (Apr 10, 2004)

that is the best time to work some topwater baits nice and slow.stop n go . love to fish jitterbugs at night. caught some of my biggest fish at night . plus the darkness gives you more excitement when you can't see a thing. but the skitos can be killer.


----------



## I Fish (Sep 24, 2008)

Especially in July and August, but I like buzz baits. In ponds, they are usually small enough that you can stand at 1 corner and cast 2 banks. I can do that for hours. You catch the most in the first 1/2 hr, but have caught the biggest ones after a couple hours casting the same places, over and over. I think it just makes them mad, until they can't take it anymore.


----------



## Bassnpro1 (Apr 6, 2004)

I fish at night all the time for bass. I like to throw either a dark spinnerbait, or flip a jig or 10" worm. For flipping, you need a black light and the clear florescent line. That line glows in the black light and you can see almost every strike before you feel it.

Like others have said, night is the best time to fish in July and August. It is more comfortable, your usually the only boat out, and the bigger fish are biting.


----------



## fishingredhawk (Apr 14, 2004)

Night fishing for bass is awesome.

I second Kevin's advice regarding a spinnerbait with a huge, deep cup Colorado blade. Some of the biggest fish you can ever catch come at night.


----------



## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

I don't do it as much any more as I used to for some reason but I can recall many nights spent in the dark with a Jitterbug or Hula Popper. Catching them on topwater at night is awesome. Many times you are simply listening for the strike. Other times when you have enough moonlight you can watch the surface. If you find them in the right mood it can be an unbelievable fishing experience.


----------



## Cabin Fever Lures (Jan 14, 2009)

I do on occasion, but not often. I've done better during the day, and I've done worse during the day.

Get some lures that make some noise.

Topwater:
hula popper
Jitterbug (my personal nighttime topwater favorite)

subsurface:
A fat crankbait with a wide wobble, I prefer a black one.
Black spinnerbait with one or two colorado blades.
A black and blue jigs w/ rattles.

-CFL


----------



## OhioHuntr02 (Jan 2, 2006)

I agree with both Kevin and Mike about lure selection, but for some reason I usually hit a 30 - 45 minute lull in my night fishing which starts about 30 minutes after dark. I'm not sure exactly why, maybe it's because the fish are getting acclimated to the low light conditions also, but that's just one thought. After that lull though the fishing is usually great!


----------



## metzbgsu (Jun 28, 2008)

Thanks for all the great replies!! You guys pretty much rock.


----------



## norseangler (Jan 8, 2009)

metzbgsu said:


> Thanks for all the great replies!! You guys pretty much rock.


What the others have said is all quite true, but it should be added that your best bet is a lake with fairly clear water. Also, I don't know how many times I've fished tournaments at night, throwing buzzbaits, Jitterbugs, wide-wobbling cranks, etc., and the guy who wins was throwing a Shad Rap. Go figure.


----------



## ajangsta04 (Aug 7, 2007)

Absolutely. Bass fishing at night in the summer time can get amazing. Not to mention the hits feel so much bigger cuz you cant see the fish.

Jitterbugs for top water and White/blue crankbaits have always done wonders for me.

With the crankbaits, retrieve slower than you would in the day time. Make sure whatever you use either has potent scent, loud noise, or LOTS of vibration.


----------



## chopper (May 15, 2004)

This will be about my third year for night fishing bass. I always like dark to just after dark. I joined a bass club that hosts night tourniments. I mean 10 at night until 6 the next morning. What a great time. First of all, its not hot. There very few on the water. You can hear every sound in the woods. And above all of that, fishing is great. I find top water to end just past dark. Then I go to a single colorado big spinner. They tear it up. After that, its jigs. Only on the darkest nights do I use rattles. They seem to see it just fine without one. A black light and floresant mono is a must. But I do use fireline sometimes and just go with feel. One night, after a slow start, I had two hours to go. I decided to go big and try to wake the bass up. I tied on a big spinner and a big loud jig. But before I threw it, I got to thinking about how they always say to go small and slow down if the bite is off. I went to a 4" shakey jig. I won the tourniment and bagged my biggest bag of the year. You have to go out at night.


----------



## BASmead (Jan 11, 2008)

Great advise all around. I've caught some huge bass at night on the big thumper colorado blades too. Particularly if there is a any kinda breeze. On glass calm nights i've had ridiculous luck on a black 6" or bigger lizard, rigged weightless, slowly dragged on top, just fast enough to make a v across the surface. Makes for some outrageous explosions, enough to nearly soil the drawers on occasion. Strange thing is, i've never seen this technique recommended on fishing shows or in the magazines, they always talk about different ways to fish weighted lizards, which works i'm sure, but it is a serious topwater bait. It should be noted that moon rise and set can be key feeding times as well. Watch out for bats, they're definitely attracted to spinnerbaits hurling through the air. Fishing at night is not without it's frustrations, but it can be a magical experience and it ranks high among my favorite things to do, give it a try. It's really cool to hear the strike first.


----------



## tcba1987 (Jun 22, 2004)

Night Bassin is AWESOME !!! i like to use black buzzbaits...........jitterbugs.........and crawdad colored crankbaits...........i also throw big spinnerbaits (black) with a large colorade style blade. ive also had good luck on soft plastic crawdads (3-5 inchers) texas rigged with a 1/8 oz bullet weight in black or natural colors around the rip rap !!


----------



## Pigsticker (Oct 18, 2006)

Strike King Midnight Special spinner is designed for night fishing. Its glittery black with huge Colorado blade. Love the Jitterbug. 2nd biggest bass ever came in a pond with a weightless 3" glittery black tube. I agree with earlier post that noice making isn't needed but on the darkest of nights.


----------



## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

Black Jitterbugs and Black buzzbaits have worked wonders for me, as has been mentioned July-August are the best, I usually do the best between about 9.30 and midnight..I have been on the water as late as 2.30 or 3 on good nights though, I can hardly wait until summer.


----------



## junkyardbass (Mar 19, 2006)

I did most of my fishing at night last year. It's almost to the point that I don't like fishing during the day. We would start fishing around 9:00 and end around 10:00 the next day. Best fishing by far. You have the whole lake to yourself most nights. I was amazed at some of the baits that would work at night. I mostly like to use black spinner baits as others have said but don't rule out other things. You wouldn't think so but black dingers work at night also. I caught my two biggest bass of the year on dingers at night.


----------



## CARP 104 (Apr 19, 2004)

A lot of bass feed heavily at night. Due to the low light they are able to ambush easier without being seen.


----------



## bellyboater (Jun 26, 2004)

I have caught alot of bass at night using black rubber worms and senko type baits. All ways seem to do better with a little ripple on the water. In the heat of the summer you can't beat bass fishing at night.


----------



## ohiou_98 (Mar 19, 2007)

figured i'd jump in here too and give praise to bass'n at night. It's truly a treat, you have to try it this summer! Seems strange, but black is the best color to use at night. Like everyone else says, try the buzzbaits, jitterbugs, prop baits, black plastic worms, and as for the spinnerbaits, go with the "MIDNIGHT SPECIAL"----can't go wrong w/ that!

Oh, and unless youre SUPER efficient w/ a baitcaster, leave it at home. Just one "small" backlash on a baitcaster can ruin an evening out.

This whole thread has got me jones'n to pitch a lure in the moonlight.


----------



## flippin fool (Apr 3, 2006)

BASmead said:


> Great advise all around. I've caught some huge bass at night on the big thumper colorado blades too. Particularly if there is a any kinda breeze. On glass calm nights i've had ridiculous luck on a black 6" or bigger lizard, rigged weightless, slowly dragged on top, just fast enough to make a v across the surface. Makes for some outrageous explosions, enough to nearly soil the drawers on occasion. Strange thing is, i've never seen this technique recommended on fishing shows or in the magazines, they always talk about different ways to fish weighted lizards, which works i'm sure, but it is a serious topwater bait. It should be noted that moon rise and set can be key feeding times as well. Watch out for bats, they're definitely attracted to spinnerbaits hurling through the air. Fishing at night is not without it's frustrations, but it can be a magical experience and it ranks high among my favorite things to do, give it a try. It's really cool to hear the strike first.



nothing like the violent explosion 2 feet in front of you on a calm quiet night. soiling your britches is an understatement.


----------



## legendaryyaj (Nov 1, 2005)

Do bass not see the florescent line with black light or something?

Id figure they would and not hit the bait since so many pro's and bass fishermen talk about using fluorocarbon leaders and the such so bass cant see the line. Florescent lighting makes it even more visible.

Ive gotten my PB this year throwing frogs at night. Topwater at night takes topwater to a whole new level.


----------



## RON MCFADDEN (May 2, 2008)

After Many Trips To Ky Lake Fun Fishing Over The Years Catching Bass Some Days Better Than Others ! After Only Finding Small Fish And No Bait Swimming Anywhere We Decided To Night Fish Barkley Lake Devils Elbow Acess Area 40 Degree Night Partner Dropped Boat In Water Before He Got Tow Rig Parked I Had Caught 3 Nice Bass !once Both In Boat Pulled Out Spotlight Shinned In Water Bait Fish Running The Banks Everywhere Using Only Large Dark Spinnerbaits We Caught No Less Than 25 Nice Fish Biggest Around 6# ! From That We Were Able Not Only To Catch A Lot Of Fish At Night But To Find The Secondary Ledge That They Moved To In Daytime ! Long Story Short Not Only Is This A Fun Way To Fish But Efective To Find Fish For Day Fishing ! Anybody Going Down To Turnney Fish Or For Fun Need Some Extra Company Or Need Info Give Me A Shout Be More Than Happy To Share What I Have Learned Over The Years !


----------



## seapro (Sep 25, 2007)

Black 6" Senko worms thrown to shallow cover, will usually produce 40-50 bass a night, in the middle of the heat of summer. 

The guy I bought my bass boat from in NC, taught me this little trick. He had the boat outfitted with Sloan black lights on all corners and told me that down there, he preferred fishing at night, due to the heat during the day. 

I hadn't done much of it before I talked to him and bought the boat. Now I night fish all the time!!!


----------



## NLC25 (Jan 21, 2008)

I'll echo the black spinner bait suggestion but add a bit to it. 

I like to include a red and black trailer. If the water is deep, go with a 1/2 ounce and (if you can find it) a spinnerbait with a short arm. Slow roll it in.

On my best outing last year (other than lake erie) we caught 5 solid keepers including a 4lb smallie on one 100 yard stretch of bank with black spinner baits.


----------



## 1roofmusky (May 20, 2008)

I have caught many big bass at night on musky-size lures. Creepers and walk-the-dogs have brought upthe big ones. Oddly enough, I was night trolling at Leesville last August and caught a 23inch largemouth on a 10" Perch Grandma!


----------

