How To Bass Fish At Night? 2024

hoosierbass07 reply :

I recently joined the local Izaak Walton League and went fishing at the ponds/lakes the last two evenings. Since it's close by I can stay later in the evening. This evening I stayed (bank fishing) to around 8:30pm. The moon was covered with clouds and it was so dark I could not see my lure I was throwing land in the water. I was worried I would get backlashes in my bait caster since I could not see when the lure would hit the water and I should put my thumb on the reel to stop it from moving.

So when you are bass fishing at night, how do you do it? Wait for a full moon with no clouds?

Thanks

Loop_Dad reply :

I don't know how others do, but when I use baitcaster, I start thumbing while the lure is in the air. I don't think about it, but probably start thumbing as the lure hit the apex and gradually increasing. I think I am adjusting my thumbing based on how I feel on my thumb also.

I went night fishing the other day when the moon was crescent but I had not problem with backlash. However the place had heavy weeds and I used the flashlight just little bit to see the weeds. Hope I wasn't spooking the fish.

Todd2 reply :

I'm usually pitching a black jig with Mccoy blue fluorescent line with a black light. I rarely cast at night.

Bluebasser86 reply :

You should be able to tell when your bait is slowing towards the end of your cast just by feel. I use almost nothing but casting gear at night and have no problem with backlashes. I try not to use any kind of light unless it's absolutely necessary. After about 5-10 minutes in the dark you'll be able to see much better. You still won't be able to see your bait in most cases but you'll at least start to be able to see the shoreline and other obstacles better.

Jig Man reply :

When I first started night fishing I practiced in my yard by making casts with my eyes closed. When I got comfortable with that I could go whether or not there was a moon. It just takes repitition and you will get to where you are very comfortable under any conditions.

papajoe222 reply :

The first thing to consider is visibility above the water, especially when fishing from shore. Aside from the backlashes, getting your lure hung up on bushes etc. can not only be costly, but dangerous if the lure breaks free on tension and comes flying back at you.

There are a couple of things you can try to help eliminate tackle problems.The first is know your combo. As in golf, the more you repeat a cast/swing, the more 'memory' of it you develop. Second, set up your spool tension and brakes by casting on land without thumbing the spool. Find an open area (your front lawn or a parking lot) and fine tune your reel so the spool stops spinning just before your lure hits the grass. You still want to keep your thumb over the spool, but what you're doing is letting the reel 'thumb' it for you. Third, don't try to make extra long casts, they're your ticket to backlashes.

As far as visibility is concerned, give your night vision a chance to kick in. Keep from using a light for anything but changing lures or retying. With time, you'll even be able to do that with very little light. You can cover the lense of a flashlight with waxed paper to cut the glare and intensity of the light and your night vision will return much quicker after using it.

My last suggestion is really a no brainer and it's being familiar with the area or lake you're fishing. If you don't know the water, get out well before night fall and get familiar with the surroundings. Once it gets dark you can mentally visiualize what's out there.

BuckMaxx reply :

I started my girlfriend on a baitcaster and she was using one in about 10 casts. it's really not that hard. the lure should barely fall when you push the thumb button. This adjustment is made on the knob behind the reel cranking handle. Adjust one way or the other until it barely falls or just a shade tighter to learn.

As far as lures some of my favorite ponds lures are jitterbugs hula poppers and black 1/2 oz spinnerbaits with big thumper copper blades.

WRB reply :

Night time isn't a good time to learn how to cast, you have poor depth perception along with untrained hand/ eye coordination. Practice your casting in day light where you plan to fish at night, things change dramatically when it's dark.

Get yourself a cap with a light, built in or a clip on LED with red and white lights, brightness control. The cap light is inexpensive and you have your hands free to fish.

If you have a choice of lakes, pick one with good water clarity as they almost always better night fishing lakes.

One of the easiest and better lures to fish at night is Texas rigged soft plastics; worms or crawls. The T-rig cast easy and doesn't hang up very often. You will learn how to detect strikes at night easier then during the day because you must feel them instead of trying to see the strikes.

Tom

Zach Dunham reply :

I agree with WRB about not learning at night. Once you are proficient with a baitcaster, it shouldn't be too hard to do it by feel in the dark. LED head light is absolutely necessary; not necessarily to leave on all the time, but at least to do certain things like unhooking fish, retying baits, etc.

Fish_Whisperer reply :

I disagree with imanidiot777's name, as his post shows he has intelligence. I do a lot of night fishing, and in some of my gallery pics you'll see me with a wig lamp (headband light). For me, its a must have when navigating trails and woods when i am bank fishing, and for the reasons he brought up.

As far as casting at night goes... I agree with most everybody who has replied; you should be able to hear and feel when your cast is about to hit water and feel the line slowing up and descending using your rod.

A-Jay reply :

Heading out into the night to fish whether on the bank or in a boat, you must KNOW the water / areas you intend to fish. You also really need to be intimately familiar with all your tackle and it's use.

You must be organized and most of all you need to be safe.

Unfamiliarity with the above in complete or even partial darkness truly reduces one's chances of fishing success and safety.

I'd encourage you to fish during the day "like you were fishing there at night" I don't mean close your eyes either. Quite on the contrary. Look at where you want to fish at night closely during the Day and LEARN IT. Remember where everything is because that's all you'll have at night.

Your mission on these trips does not need to be catching fish, but to prepare you to come back at night and catch fish and to be safe while doing it.

When ready, you'll know it. You'll know how, why, where and when to fish certain areas at night.

Knowledge and experience gained during the day can and will help guide your actions to success at night.

Make sure you tell someone where you're going and when you'll be back. And if you don't return who they should call.

The rewards of night ops are many. If a place is good during the day, it's almost Always much better at night. And even places that are very poor producers during the day are often Killer at night. These are my favorites as I often have them all to myself. You might not fish during the day of the warmer months again - I don't.

Good Luck

A-Jay

hoosierbass07 reply :

I don't only have a baitcaster. I have spinning reels to that I use.

Some one mentioned Texas Rigged worms to use at night. What other lures are recommended when fishing at night? When using plastic worms at night, do you want to use green colored worms or bright colors like red or is it better to use darker colored worms like black worms? Also, what about spinner baits and crainkbaits?

Thanks

papajoe222 reply :

Any bait you use during the day will work at night (forage doesn't change color at night). That said, some changes can increase your odds. First, you want a lure that gives off good vibrations. Ribbon tailed worms, Colorado bladed spinnerbaits, fat bodied cranks, etc. Although fish have excellent night vision a dark colored lure is easier for them to distinguish. Lastly, a steady retrieve will make it easier for the fish to home in on. This is likely the only situation where NOT changing speed or direction will be to your advantage.

Catt reply :

Rather it's day or night the education of your thumb is paramount when using a baitcasting reel. My thumb stays about a 1/16 th of a inch above the spool, this allows me feel just one line coil out of place.

The eyes of a bass go through a night adaptation cycle beginnig at twilight and are usually adapted for black, white, and all shades of grey within an hour after darkness. Bass can see color but not at night, color its self is meaningless at night.

Bass can not see details at night, so don't waste time with meticulously painted or patterned lures. Contrast is more important by far that color at night.

Under water vision for bass is reduced at night, so use lures that are a little larger. Slow retrieves work better because it lets the bass locate the lure easier and zero in on it.

Darkness covers up an angler's presence and most of all his mistakes!

What lures? What locations? What techniques?

These are the 3 most asked questions I hear about night fishing and despite what you may have heard bass do not morph into a new creature after the sun sets. I fish the exact same locations with the exact same lures and the exact same techniques as I do during the daylight.

The only thing different I add to my repertoire at night is a Max-A-Million 3 Q-Beam!

Scorcher214 reply :

You only need 3 lures at night.

1. Black Jitterbug

2. Black Jitterbug

3. BLACK JITTERBUG

Zach Dunham reply :

On 9/19/2013 at 10:39 AM, Scorcher214 said:

You only need 3 lures at night.

1. Black Jitterbug

2. Black Jitterbug

3. BLACK JITTERBUG

I would say the same thing about big black spinnerbaits! War Eagle 1/2 oz or 3/4 oz night time spinnerbaits!

JayKumar reply :

On 9/18/2013 at 7:21 PM, Jig Man said:
When I first started night fishing I practiced in my yard by making casts with my eyes closed. When I got comfortable with that I could go whether or not there was a moon. It just takes repitition and you will get to where you are very comfortable under any conditions.

That is awesome.

CapitolP reply :

black frogs, black trick worms, black black black

hoosierbass07 reply :

I know bass eyes are not the same as human eyes. But it's odd to hear you all say throw black lures at night! I believe all of you. But what is the reasoning? Does the black cause a darker shadow when the bass are looking up at it? What happens if the lure was completely white or yellow?

Catt reply :

Contrast!

One of my most deadliest night worm colors is called "Starry Night", it's dark smoke on top light smoke on the bottom with lots if silver glitter. Both smoke colors are translucent & one would think it would be hard for bass to find on the bottom, in 20' of water & in grass.

redboat reply :

On 9/18/2013 at 1:37 PM, hoosierbass07 said:
This evening I stayed (bank fishing) to around 8:30pm.

I have one word for you: SNAKE!!!

Montanaro reply :

local lake...cant get a bite with any spinnerbaits. at night? 1/2 oz black double colorado blade spinnerbait gets smashed to bits. go figure

bigbill reply :

Early in the AM in the dark I'm from shore off my low bridge or my other spot fishing it from the road side. From the roadside spot we do have big water snakes that I look out for. They usually scoot as they see me. In the dark I use the mister twister top prop or my BPS topnocker at both places. Off the low bridge I cast straight out into the channel along side the weedline the same way I do when it's light. I been fishing these places for well over a decade now. I know them really well in the light or darkness. I know where the weeds are weTher there submerged or on the surface.

My snake stories;

Water snakes can be very aggressive too. I was fishing at the other end away from the low bridge from the shoreline sitting on a large rock casting away. I was using live bait so this was many years ago. I painted turtle bit my bait so as I reeled it in a snake came out from under the rock I was sitting on. I walked it with my rod tip then picked it up with a stick and threw it in the water figuring it was dead. As I uncooked the turtle and let it go the snake was back. When it reared up at me with its mouth open ready to strike me I lost it in front of my oldest son who's in his 20's. I grabbed the snake with the stick and threw it up on the shore and smashed it with a rock over and over till it was dead then I threw it in the water for the last time. My son was in shock because he never seen me lose it so bad. I told him I see little kids fishing this spot all the time. What if was one of them. I hate snakes. I don't mind anything else not beavers, bobcat or bears. The mountainlions do worry me but it won't stop me from fishing. I'm sorry but the caveman just came out of me with that snake.

I was sitting on a cement wall fishing in the water below. When I seen something in the corner of my eye move. As I looked a big 6' water snake coiled up and jumped off the wall into the water.

At this same spot when my youngest son broke his leg doing motocross he was bored so we went fishing. He was on crutches. As we were leaving the same big snake was coming down the hill towards him. The kid balanced in the air on one crutch as the snake slithered by him. Again it jumped off the wall. I hate snakes.

My buddy who has a boat told me that snakes come in the boat at night from the motor well. Is that true?

WRB reply :

We don't know what we don't know and we know little about how accuracy see at night. The science is changing, so keep an open mind.

I believe Catt has more night time bass fishing experience than anyone else on this site, quality time on the water is priceless.

If everyone is fishing black at night, then most bass will be caught on black, but that doesn't mean that black is the most effective color.

Tom

Bankbeater reply :

For me the big problem is casting into and over things like tree limbs. If I am fishing at night I will always check out the area during daylight hours and make a note of where the low tree limbs are.

1234567 reply :

I used to night fish all the time. I used to tighten the cast control knob just a bit more than if I were fishing in the day. After the I make a cast I'll slowly lift my rod tip up slowly while thumbing the spool to let a couple more feet of line out before engaging the spool. This will pull out any loops or small overrun that may have happened during the cast as leaving these can cause you problems on the next cast.

As far as baits, as some have suggested, any color works, just work them a bit slower. like the jitterbug, a Deps buzzjet is really hard to beat if the topwater bite is on.. Good luck!

DogBone_384 reply :

I'm still newish to bait casters, so when I know I'm going to be fishing after dark I bring along a spinning outfit as a backup because I also wouldn't see a backlash that well.

I also have a light on my hat & a 90-degree light I can hang on my bag/coat.

Fishing at night is pretty cool, but like Bill Cosby says - "10:00, that's when all the monsters come out!"

TC235 <*))))>< reply :

Go to the pond like you normally would except close your eyes

primetime reply :

GOOD QUESTION....I FISH LOCAL PONDS OUT IN THE OPEN OFTEN AND I RARELY DO AS WELL AS I SHOULD....I USED TO CATCH ALOT MORE FISH AT NIGHT AND I THINK THE KEY IS TO FISH SLOWLY REGARDLESS OF TECHNIQUE.

I USED TO ONLY USE BLACK TOPWATER LURES AT NIGHT GROWING UP AND I REMEMBER LOSING MY LAST BLACK TOPWATER LURE WHICH WAS A HEDDON CRAZY CRAWLER. BASS CRUSH THAT LURE AT NIGHT AND THEY WILL FEED OUT IN OPEN WATER MANY NIGHTS DURING THE SUMMER SO MANY TIMES I WOULD HAVE SUCCESS FISHING OPEN WATER WITH ZARA SPOOKS IN DEEP WATER WITH SUCCESS.

I HAVE LEARNED THAT BASS ACTUALLY HAVE A SIGHT ADVANTAGE OVER SHINERS, SHAD, AND OTHER FORRAGE IN LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS, WHERE THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE DURING THE DAY ACCORDING TO RECENT STUDIES FROM IOWA UNIVERSITY....I FISH WITH SWIMBAITS, JIGS, SPINNERBAITS, RATTLE TRAPS, AND I LOVE TO SWIM A SASSY SHAD SUBSURFACE OR BOUNCE IT ON THE SHORELINE AT NIGHT AND I WILL USE ANY DARKER SHADE THAT ALSO HAS SOME ELEMEMENT OF FLASH, SOUND, OR CHARTRUESE COLOR....

I NEED TO GET OUT MORE AT NIGHT AND SLOW DOWN BECAUSE BASS ALWAYS SOUND AND FEEL SO MUCH BIGGER AT NIGHT. I STILL LOVE THROWING TOPWATERS, BUT MY FAVORITE IS THE RAPALA J-11 IN BLACK AND SILVER FOR SURE WITH A SLOW WAKE. ALWAYS GETS A FEW,

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