Night fishing, Temps & topwater 2024
Joshua Vandamm reply :
Ive been loving the topwater night bite all summer and fall.
But I live in MD, and it's about to drop below 40F at night. ????
Realizing you can catch bass almost any temp...
My question is, 1) around what water temp does the night action die down?
And, 2) when/what temp does topwater specifically, become a Less productive choice?
Many thanks!
Catt reply :
I can't answer for MD but down south, year round ????
tander reply :
On 10/11/2018 at 6:18 PM, Catt said:I can't answer for MD but down south, year round ????
Agree but I think when the water get around 55 degree it never quits but really slows down. That's is the temp I look for in the spring to start throwing topwater more.
Catt reply :
During cold water seasons I look for stability, as in stable weather.
Give 3 or 4 days of unchanging weather & it's on!
Harold Scoggins reply :
Love fishing at night, but I'm just about finished for the year. That cool night air is hard on my old bones.
WRB reply :
Check out my Casitas fish report 14.2 lb frog bass at night. Castias stay open 1night a month for shore fishing on Saturday closest to the full moon during the summer to Oct 1st.
Tom
keagbassr reply :
An old guy once told me an old guy once told him "so long as the water is warmer than the air they'll hit on top"
Joshua Vandamm reply :
On 10/12/2018 at 7:30 PM, keagbassr said:An old guy once told me an old guy once told him "so long as the water is warmer than the air they'll hit on top"
That makes a lot of sense.
On 10/12/2018 at 12:11 PM, WRB said:Check out my Casitas fish report 14.2 lb frog bass at night. Castias stay open 1night a month for shore fishing on Saturday closest to the full moon during the summer to Oct 1st.
Tom
That’s in Cali right? How’s this relate to temp? I can’t find your report.
On 10/12/2018 at 11:32 AM, Harold Scoggins said:Love fishing at night, but I'm just about finished for the year. That cool night air is hard on my old bones.
Supposing you night fished in years past... what was your experience on the bite during fall-winter at night?
I ask topwater specifically because it just works way better than anything else at night, in summer....
WRB reply :
Night air temps in the 60's water temps in the mid 60's
Tom
Joshua Vandamm reply :
But here’s the thing...
studies have shown many trophy size bass feed ONLY at night. So they must be active At least some nights even in the cold..
flyfisher reply :
On 10/16/2018 at 9:41 AM, Joshua Vandamm said:But here’s the thing...
studies have shown many trophy size bass feed ONLY at night. So they must be active At least some nights even in the cold..
I haven't read any of those studies, care to share a source? I think it would be interesting to read.
WRB reply :
I don't know what studies you are reading? I haven't ever caught a giant bass over 15 lbs at night....zero!
Tom
Choporoz reply :
Me, either.....????
Catt reply :
On 10/16/2018 at 9:41 AM, Joshua Vandamm said:But here’s the thing...
studies have shown many trophy size bass feed ONLY at night. So they must be active At least some nights even in the cold..
First off that's impossible to prove!
Bass are predators, they feed when the opportunity arises!
Here's a little bit of anecdotal evidence from two ole anglers.
I've caught over 75% of my double digit bass at night. @WRB has caught more of his double digits during the daytime.
The difference is I night fish from April through October, WRB fishes more during the daytime.
100% of my double digit bass caught in Lacassine Pool were caught during daylight hours...why?
Lacassine Pool closes at sunset ????
Mr. Aquarium reply :
my buddy in maine catches good bass 5s and 6s into november at night on topwaters. im from Massachusetts and will get bass into november at night on topwaters. i bet i could into december
TnRiver46 reply :
On 10/16/2018 at 10:53 AM, Choporoz said:Me, either.....????
Now that’s funny
WRB reply :
Agree that you can't catch bass at night if you can't fish at night. The public lakes I fish Castaic and Casitas that had big bass populations close 1 hour before sunset and open 1 hour after sunrise give or take 30 minutes. More recently both Casitas and Castaic have midnight madness shore fishing 1 weekend (Saturady) from June to September and about 4 night tournaments from 7P to 1A, 6 hour events, usually on Friday from May to August.
Odds are good to catch 10 lb to 12 lb bass at night, bass over 15 lbs are rare at night, I can only recall 1 the past 30 years. Tournaments can't use live bait and midnight madness is open only for shore fishing, the spawn is over reducing the odds.
I caught a 58 lb 5 bass limit at night, so big bass are very active and provide some of the most exciting fishing you can do! Just don't get enough time on the water at night in SoCal.
Tom
PS, 14.2 lb bass was caught at Casitas on Oct 1st at night from shore a few weeks ago on a surface frog.
Joshua Vandamm reply :
On 10/16/2018 at 9:52 PM, Catt said:
First off that's impossible to prove!
Bass are predators, they feed when the opportunity arises!
Here's a little bit of anecdotal evidence from two ole anglers.
I've caught over 75% of my double digit bass at night. @WRB has caught more of his double digits during the daytime.
The difference is I night fish from April through October, WRB fishes more during the daytime.
100% of my double digit bass caught in Lacassine Pool were caught during daylight hours...why?
Lacassine Pool closes at sunset ????
On 10/16/2018 at 10:43 AM, WRB said:I don't know what studies you are reading? I haven't ever caught a giant bass over 15 lbs at night....zero!
Tom
https://www.google.com/amp/www.insideline.net/features/2016/10/31/tracking-trophy-bass-with-john-hope%3fformat=amp
“
Day vs. Night – Which Time is Best?
I kept pressing John with more questions. I was curious as to why I always seemed to catch bigger fish when I fished at night. John had confirmed early in our conversation that most of the very early fish that he caught to track were caught night fishing. He strongly believes that there are two types of fish; those that feed only at night, and fish that feed only during the day. In general, as fish grow past that magical 7 pound mark, they all become nocturnal feeders.
However, there are several caveats here. First he shared that in his tracking experience, all fish eat 12 hours a day and rest 12 hours a day. His observations are that this is done in about two-hour increments, so they feed two hours and then rest two hours netting about six hours of feeding activity in any 24 hour period. In general he observed that day feeders will feed well into the night on full moons (remember at any given time he was tracking as many as 20 fish at once) but that nocturnal fish fed the same no matter the moon phase.
In the past I had heard John make the statement that if you wanted to catch a trophy fish you should find a choke point and sit on it an hour before and an hour after sunrise and sunset. If you did that for three days in a row you were likely to get the biggest fish that travels that route to bite in one of those six fishing sessions. I asked him to clarify. “Since you have the ability to catch both day and night feeders,” John explained, “the best time to fish is an hour before to an hour after sunup and sundown. There are simply more fish feeding during those times than in the other 20 hours of the day.”
I pressed further, specifically asking him if I were to catch a fish at 2am, would there be no chance I would ever catch that fish at some point in the future during the day? John replied, “It was my observation that at any time, 25% of the fish we monitored apparently did not get enough to eat during their respective feeding hours so they would feed into or during the normal resting period. This means that generally you are not going to catch a nocturnal feeder during the day, but it can and absolutely does happen.”
The one big outlier to the day vs. night feeder rule he noted was a smallmouth he tracked on Whitney that was caught by Elite Series Angler Alton Jones. “Every other fish we tracked was a day or nocturnal feeder until it reached 7 pounds when it became a nocturnal feeder. Alton caught the fish pre-spawn down near the state park on a pea gravel point. That fish fed during the day fall, winter and spring, but when the weather got really hot the fish became a nocturnal feeder. Everybody thought those smallmouth disappeared. They didn’t, they just all became nocturnal feeders in the summer which is why the smallmouth guides all switched to night fishing in the summer.”
“
Joshua Vandamm reply :
On 10/18/2018 at 12:30 AM, WRB said:Agree that you can't catch bass at night if you can't fish at night. The public lakes I fish Castaic and Casitas that had big bass populations close 1 hour before sunset and open 1 hour after sunrise give or take 30 minutes. More recently both Casitas and Castaic have midnight madness shore fishing 1 weekend (Saturady) from June to September and about 4 night tournaments from 7P to 1A, 6 hour events, usually on Friday from May to August.
Odds are good to catch 10 lb to 12 lb bass at night, bass over 15 lbs are rare at night, I can only recall 1 the past 30 years. Tournaments can't use live bait and midnight madness is open only for shore fishing, the spawn is over reducing the odds.
I caught a 58 lb 5 bass limit at night, so big bass are very active and provide some of the most exciting fishing you can do! Just don't get enough time on the water at night in SoCal.
Tom
PS, 14.2 lb bass was caught at Casitas on Oct 1st at night from shore a few weeks ago on a surface frog.
Yea. If you fished as much at night as you do during the day I bet you’d quickly notice how much more aggressive large bass are at night.
They hit more large swimbaits, 190 ploppers etc. behave more like smallies in terms of physicality. Ever had a 6lb or more jump 5 times, even with your rod tip underwater? LOL
your really lucky to be in Cali. The state record here in MD is only 11.6.
WRB reply :
Size is relative to where you fish. Back in my peak period of catching giant bass was the 80's-90's time frame when anything under 15 lbs didn't raise any eyebrows and set my own bar at 15 lbs or larger being a giant. Looking back Bill Murphy's bench mark was a teener or any bass 13 lbs or larger was more realistic for Florida strain LMB in California.
Josh Alwine's book Lunker Lore, The Quest for the Fish of a Lifetime, 2017, he has a chapter on night fishing. Josh quotes lessons learned from John Hope and details funnel points (page 88) Toledo Bend. Josh also references my sketch of a saddle, home of a world record, on page 63.
Trying to come to any easy conclusion regarding where the biggest bass in a lake is located without spending a lot of time hunting these very rare fish is a study in frustration. Yes, we can learn from tracking studies and apply them to the lakes we fish if the tracking study was performed on the lake types we fish.
I don't believe bass are more aggressive at nigh then day. For me the big difference is I can get bit on much shorter casts at night then day. If I hook and fight a big bass after casting 100' that bass has fought for 90' before it's close to my boat verses a bass hooked 30' away has only fought 20' and much stronger 10' away from my boat. At night it's a shorter harder fought fight to land the same size bass.
Tom
riverat reply :
I''ve had decent luck night fishing until the water temp reaches 55 degrees. After that, not so much.
BrackishBassin reply :
On 10/11/2018 at 9:52 AM, Joshua Vandamm said:Ive been loving the topwater night bite all summer and fall.
But I live in MD, and it's about to drop below 40F at night. ????
Realizing you can catch bass almost any temp...
My question is, 1) around what water temp does the night action die down?
And, 2) when/what temp does topwater specifically, become a Less productive choice?
Many thanks!
My PB (profile picture) was caught (in Maryland) in the middle of February on an Arashi waking crank. I just wanted to see what it looked like in the water and a big girl absolutely smoked it. My new rule of thumb is, they can’t hit it if you aren’t throwing it. So, why not give it a shot?
Joshua Vandamm reply :
On 10/20/2018 at 9:59 AM, BrackishBassin said:My PB (profile picture) was caught (in Maryland) in the middle of February on an Arashi waking crank. I just wanted to see what it looked like in the water and a big girl absolutely smoked it. My new rule of thumb is, they can’t hit it if you aren’t throwing it. So, why not give it a shot?
At 4 mile I’m betting?
On 10/18/2018 at 4:18 AM, WRB said:Size is relative to where you fish. Back in my peak period of catching giant bass was the 80's-90's time frame when anything under 15 lbs didn't raise any eyebrows and set my own bar at 15 lbs or larger being a giant. Looking back Bill Murphy's bench mark was a teener or any bass 13 lbs or larger was more realistic for Florida strain LMB in California.
Josh Alwine's book Lunker Lore, The Quest for the Fish of a Lifetime, 2017, he has a chapter on night fishing. Josh quotes lessons learned from John Hope and details funnel points (page 88) Toledo Bend. Josh also references my sketch of a saddle, home of a world record, on page 63.
Trying to come to any easy conclusion regarding where the biggest bass in a lake is located without spending a lot of time hunting these very rare fish is a study in frustration. Yes, we can learn from tracking studies and apply them to the lakes we fish if the tracking study was performed on the lake types we fish.
I don't believe bass are more aggressive at nigh then day. For me the big difference is I can get bit on much shorter casts at night then day. If I hook and fight a big bass after casting 100' that bass has fought for 90' before it's close to my boat verses a bass hooked 30' away has only fought 20' and much stronger 10' away from my boat. At night it's a shorter harder fought fight to land the same size bass.
Tom
Hope tracked bass of all major strains accross the country. What he found thoughout was large bass tend to be more active (move around more, presumably hunting more) at night from coast to coast and in between.
Night fishing should be defined as an hour after dark to an hour before sunrise. 3am is a good time to get those true nocturnal fish.
BrackishBassin reply :
On 10/20/2018 at 10:13 AM, Joshua Vandamm said:At 4 mile I’m betting?
Hope tracked bass of all major strains accross the country. What he found thoughout was large bass tend to be more active (move around more, presumably hunting more) at night from coast to coast and in between.
Night fishing should be defined as an hour after dark to an hour before sunrise. 3am is a good time to get those true nocturnal fish.
Nope. Not at 4 mile.
Harold Scoggins reply :
On 10/18/2018 at 12:30 AM, WRB said:The public lakes I fish Castaic and Casitas
Have you ever fished the Delta?
Derek1 reply :
On 10/16/2018 at 11:46 PM, Mr. Aquarium said:my buddy in maine catches good bass 5s and 6s into november at night on topwaters. im from Massachusetts and will get bass into november at night on topwaters. i bet i could into december
I live in mass also, I havnt been able to catch anything lately day or night. Not for lack of trying I’ve still been going atleast three times a week. Top water, cranks or plastics and I get a random dink if I’m lucky. I only fish from shore and I really feel like I’m fishing wear they are not right now. But I keep trying.
hawgwash reply :
On 10/20/2018 at 9:09 PM, Derek1 said:I live in mass also, I havnt been able to catch anything lately day or night. Not for lack of trying I’ve still been going atleast three times a week. Top water, cranks or plastics and I get a random dink if I’m lucky. I only fish from shore and I really feel like I’m fishing wear they are not right now. But I keep trying.
Try the ned rig. That's what I'm using right now and I'm catching a lot of fish - big ones, too.
WRB reply :
On 10/20/2018 at 6:38 PM, Harold Scoggins said:Have you ever fished the Delta?
Several times, never at night. Caught my 1st striper on a black jig with 9" black widow pork trailer bass fishing near the Rio Vista bridge the delta back in the 70's, it was 32 lbs! GPS makes fishing the Delta a lot easier, easy to get lost without it. If you ever fish the Delta remember it's a massive maze with about 3' tidal depth change, it's a river moving 2 directions.
Tom
Mr. Aquarium reply :
On 10/20/2018 at 9:09 PM, Derek1 said:I live in mass also, I havnt been able to catch anything lately day or night. Not for lack of trying I’ve still been going atleast three times a week. Top water, cranks or plastics and I get a random dink if I’m lucky. I only fish from shore and I really feel like I’m fishing wear they are not right now. But I keep trying.
coldest night of the year, last thursday, caught a couple MS slammer fish( big topwater) biggest 4lbs. also caught a nice brown trout and had a few other hits. saturday my buddy caught a 3lber on a small swimbait at night, we didnt fish long in the dark, fished ALLLL DAY at that spot, we were beat.
Derek1 reply :
Nice fish
Joshua Vandamm reply :
On 10/20/2018 at 9:54 PM, hawgwash said:
Try the ned rig. That's what I'm using right now and I'm catching a lot of fish - big ones, too.
At night?
On 10/22/2018 at 8:22 PM, Mr. Aquarium said:coldest night of the year, last thursday, caught a couple MS slammer fish( big topwater) biggest 4lbs. also caught a nice brown trout and had a few other hits. saturday my buddy caught a 3lber on a small swimbait at night, we didnt fish long in the dark, fished ALLLL DAY at that spot, we were beat.
Nice. They stopped selling slammers last I checked... but Ive have a Evergreen 180 on back order for a month. LOL
good seeing it work into the late fall. What’s the weather like there right now? Day/night temp?
Mr. Aquarium reply :
On 10/24/2018 at 1:53 AM, Joshua Vandamm said:At night?
Nice. They stopped selling slammers last I checked... but Ive have a Evergreen 180 on back order for a month. LOL
good seeing it work into the late fall. What’s the weather like there right now? Day/night temp?
STOPPED SELLING SLAMMERS??????? WHHHHATTTTTTT. thank God i got alot of them.
its been in the 40s and 50s during the day. that night it was at 30. water temps are in the 50s.
the herring are moving out of the ponds, saw a lot of surface activity on saturday at dusk
Bankbeater reply :
I usually throw a topwater until the end of October.
Primus reply :
Besides lurking on this site I also check out a few swimbait forums and every year there are guys posting up pictures of big fish caught on various wake style swimbaits at night even when the water temps are in the low to mid 40's. That said I haven't tried that yet so I can't speak from personal experience.
Joshua Vandamm reply :
On 10/26/2018 at 1:53 AM, Primus said:Besides lurking on this site I also check out a few swimbait forums and every year there are guys posting up pictures of big fish caught on various wake style swimbaits at night even when the water temps are in the low to mid 40's. That said I haven't tried that yet so I can't speak from personal experience.
That I could see working. Like a big BBZ-1 floater
Mr. Aquarium reply :
check out swimbait underground, lots of good info on there for night fishing, mossypumpkin on there my buddy from maine, still getting fish up there with air temps in the 20s. hes put A TON of good info on there
Primus reply :
That's who I was thinking of. There are few others in the New England area as well, the Slammer seems to be the go to bait. My intuition tells me they are creepin it with a few pauses. Give 'em a big target !
Mr. Aquarium reply :
On 10/26/2018 at 2:28 AM, Primus said:That's who I was thinking of. There are few others in the New England area as well, the Slammer seems to be the go to bait. My intuition tells me they are creepin it with a few pauses. Give 'em a big target !
yea i creep it slllllooowwwww, some pauses, or slow twitch. lot of guys LOOOVVEEEE and swear by the black dog G2 shell cracker. i dont have one yet. ive caught some large crappies on the slammer in mid late fall at night.
Joshua Vandamm reply :
On 10/26/2018 at 2:28 AM, Primus said:That's who I was thinking of. There are few others in the New England area as well, the Slammer seems to be the go to bait. My intuition tells me they are creepin it with a few pauses. Give 'em a big target !
They havent made any new slammers all year. Where you guy getting them?
The evergreen 180 is the same basically just more expensive. LOL I still ordered one
J Francho reply :
I just saw some for sale in the Flea Market. Keep your eyes peeled, or wait until December.
Joshua Vandamm reply :
On 10/27/2018 at 3:43 AM, J Francho said:I just saw some for sale in the Flea Market. Keep your eyes peeled, or wait until December.
I don’t know if they’re actually making more in Dec or not. I heard they may not
Primus reply :
The Evergreen is a little noisier, I haven't caught anything big on it yet but it has stuck me a few fish in the short time I have fished it.
salmotrutta reply :
On 10/27/2018 at 3:12 AM, Joshua Vandamm said:They havent made any new slammers all year. Where you guy getting them?
The evergreen 180 is the same basically just more expensive. LOL I still ordered one
Mike Shaw makes them all year long.Contact him directly.If you do Facebook join Swimbait Universe.People are always selling them daily.I just got a 9" and two 7" x2 in last week.Directly from him.
These are a few of the bigger NH Slammer fish from the last two weeks.One is obviously not a slammer.Waked on top slowly.Water is in the upper forties.
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