"Many anglers rely on rattles at night," he says. The popularity of this fish has brought together millions of anglers. By: Curt Snow of Night Owl Charters - RI, USA . A yellow-green to white belly above a bass likely blends against the lighter sky, yielding a poor silhouette. Knowing this, night fishing is all about fishing the shallow areas, but not until a little later at night. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) As one of America’s favorite sportfish, the largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides, is sought after by almost everyone in the fishing world at some point or another. If you want to catch big largemouth bass during the summer, there is no better strategy than fishing at night. Fall is heavy feeding time for largemouth bass. A laternal line running parallel to its spine helps the bass feel vibration and motion in the water, assisting it find victim that is having a hard time or relocating its target zone. You can stay in one spot for a good while without any action, but then a giant comes along and the game is on. If water has only fair clarity, faint nighttime light tends to be blue-green to yellow-green, depending on plankton in the water. Every body of water is slightly different, and you’ll probably find that certain techniques work better or worse for you as you experiment. Baits must seem both natural and catchable to attract bass. So, the night before you want to fish, the weather forecast is 20 knots, the surf’s all roiled up, and your favorite back bay is going to look like chocolate milk. But if it's reasonably clear, get on the lake at midnight and fish 'til dawn. Many anglers view night bass fishing solely as a summertime option, but it can start during the Prespawn Period, when bass first move toward shallow water. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. At times, irregular action is best, as it imitates an injured fish. Fishing at night can be challenging but very rewarding. The largemouth bass fishing that afternoon had been very good. Some of the BEST bass fisheries to explore are the ones that are tucked away and hidden from all the rest. The In-Fisherman staff reveals some of the hottest action of the winter season, as they show how to ice 20-pound channel catfish. Next your fingers begin to turn the reel crank and you feel the bait moving, pulsing through the water. This lets you see exactly where you’ve casted and where your line currently is located. Aron Kastern on Lake Superior near Ashland, Wisconsin where they go after whitefish on ice. They come through cover cleanly. Understanding Largemouth Bass Night Fishing Basses are equipped with numerous tools to assist them feed in the dark. Finding Bass. Understanding Largemouth Bass Night Fishing. When water is murky or stained, it is usually a bad time to night fish. After dark, the big ones are moving and searching. Fishing Vault High Output Ultra Violet UV Black Light LED Light Strip for Bass Boats & Night Fishing 4.3 out of 5 stars 69. "When light is relatively bright after dark, such as around full moons, bass can see about half as well as they can during twilight. I troll forward about 20 feet beyond where I want the bow to set and drop the bow anchor. At other times, though, bass may be holding on a spot when you arrive, and they're spooked by the noises of the boat. The main factors that will draw strikes include vibration, noise and metallic shine in the low light. New regulations effective July 1, 2020 The 2020-2021 summary of Florida's freshwater fishing rules and regulations is available: One of the key challenges of hooking a bass is the bass’s strong preference for being under cover. Fishing for bass at night can be both exciting and frustrating. A healthy 5-pound bass that smashed a topwater frog during the spring. This new industry is now driving the development of new types of fishing gear specifically designed for catching largemouth bass, electronic depth finder and fish finding instruments, drift boats, float tubes and specialized bass boats. You can find blacklights that will illuminate the entire surrounding area in a way that doesn’t disturb the fish but gives you visibility in casting and retrieving as though it were daytime. Bright colors, shiny metals and lifelike plastics and stick baits are all popular choices. But the above tips and tricks should give you a solid foundation for going after big largemouth bass at night. Fishery scientist and longtime In-Fisherman contributor, Ralph Manns, notes that moon phase can affect lure choice. Bass have a tendency to feed more during bright moonlit nights. Bright colors, shiny metals and lifelike plastics and stick baits are all popular choices. Early morning and late evening are the best time to catch bass as they tend to take shelter from the sun during the day. Details of lures are hidden at night, so bass focus their visual efforts on detecting contrasting colors and movements rather than on color details or specific shapes.". Topwaters: Black topwater lures including Arbogast's Jitterbug and Musky Jitterbug have accounted for more than their share of big largemouths. The Jitterbug is one of the all time favorites for night bass fishing because it causes such a ruckus and can be stopped periodically, a modern-day floating frog can give that same noise and action by simply adding a few glass rattles inside the lure. If the day has been cloudy or rainy, the best night fishing occurs during the late evening or the first couple of hours after sunset. Plan your next fishing and boating adventure here. $63.99. There is no turning your head to watch how your back cast is doing. Recreational sport fishing for largemouth bass has become extremely popular in the United States. When I night-fished in Georgia, lighted boat docks were high-­percentage areas. The difference between a pumpkin colored plastic vs. a green one can be the difference between getting shut out completely and boating a dozen largemouth. It should be noted, however, that many blacklight aficionados typically work deeper structure in the hill-land and highland reservoirs of the Midsouth, where the subtle illumination of a blacklight has little effect on bass holding on deeper structure. First there's the static "zing" of the line as you cast, followed by the silence that leaves you tensed, listening for the "kerplunk." If you have a few weeks of real hot weather when it’s been nothing but sunshine and bluebird skies, bass will bite all night … Topwater won’t work every night – Sometimes the bass just won’t come up to take a lure off the surface. Largemouth Bass Night Fishing. Just keep in mind that bass may need feed in spurts at night just like they do during the day. Keep them in mind, and you’ll have a new way of hooking up with largemouth when many people are fast asleep. - In-Fisherman It is recommended to use a red colored headlamp when fishing at night. Try some of the same tactics you would use in the day. I anchor on top of the high spot of the point, in 10 to 15 feet of water. Across the Midsouth, night-­fishing is popular on clearer reservoirs and night tournaments are common. https://www.in-fisherman.com/editorial/night-fishing-largemouth-bass/156376 "In early summer, bass seem to feed more on crawfish after dark, and craw worms work better than anything," White says. If you hesitate to take out a boat at night, you can always fish from the banks. However, if the water is too murky, the combination of the lack of light and the low visibility water conditions will make it almost impossible for bass to see anything. Thus, most bass fishing takes place early in the morning or later at night. Largemouth bass fishing is exciting during the day, it’s even more exciting at night. Posted by Randy January 3, 2015. Nights with a full moon are considered prime bass fishing times. This large bass jumped a few times and headed back into the lakeside reeds but was too big to squeeze between the reed clumps otherwise I probably would have lost it. In the past, I’ve also purchased citronella bracelets, and they also have pins that you can wear on your hat to keep bugs … Yet Duckworth says the best lakes for catching big smallmouth bass at night are ones with threadfin shad. "Tracking studies have shown what experience has suggested: At night, bass move into more open areas where they can flush and corner prey against edges. Night Fishing Largemouth Bass The biggest hurdles to overcome with any night fishing are the casting and line management. The sound of a surface explosion is magnified after dark, making this the most exciting form of bass fishing bar none. During the daytime, lure coloration can be absolutely critical. The best practice is to stand out in an open yard blindfolded and flail about. The best time to fish for bass is May through July, using minnows, crayfish, night crawlers, jigs, crank baits and spinner baits. It's not something that we hear a lot about when it comes to fishing for largemouth or smallmouth bass. Largemouth Bass Nation Store: Fishing Gear & Apparel! Night. But during the night, hunting bass focus far more on finding prey by sound. In the fall, the flow of … "Threadfin are basically a shallow water baitfish, which means smallmouth will be shallow to feed. Well-fed bass will strike attack targets of opportunity if they present themselves. As a result, baits and lures that incorporate a strong element of noise during retrieval are better choices for night fishing. Larger bass move into shallower water at night when the water cools and calms. Their movements are more synchronized than at any other time of year. Make sure you always bring plenty of bug spray. "He set the hook and missed and I could hear the bait flying toward us but couldn't see it. It means the best locations for fall bass fishing will depend on temperature trends, time of day and types of available cover. Catfish are fair on punch bait and cut bait. But when it’s working, running topwater along the shoreline can produce some of the most spectacular strikes and most consistent results. When it comes to night fishing, though, less is usually more. Night Time Bass Fishing . When you have a hot, sunny day in the summer, fishing will most likely be good at night. But the records show that a few of the biggest largemouths were taken during summer at other moon phases, but not one during a full moon.". The most auspicious time to fish for largemouth bass is … When you're after big bass, you need to minimize the number of small ones you catch, since that commotion spooks big fish in the vicinity. "Big bass prowl edges looking for easy prey, so your baits should be there when they come to eat. As the eastern sky begins to get light, the largemouth bass fishing remains good. They're also good hookers. "One reason, of course, is that bass weigh less in summer than in fall, winter, and early spring," he notes. In the prime fishing summer months, a popular lake can be nearly choked by other anglers, boaters, swimmers and other people out having fun on the water. Anglers match a 3/16- to 1/2-ounce jig with a pork or plastic chunk, working it along the bottom back to the boat. To fish outside lily-pad beds, or along shallow flats and bars, 1/4-ounce models work well. 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