Night Fishing Investigation

[BuffaloBass716]

Last night, I decided to walk down to a small local pond at night to see how to activity on the water changed. I brought a high powered spotlight and stared walking around the shoreline looking for possible spots to night fish. Its incredible how much activity there was in the water at night, I even seem some thing that I couldnt explain. I must have seen over 100 small frogs, heard like 5 bullfrogs, seen tons of small baitfish near the surface, a few muskrats that were chewing on cattails. Then I heard 2 huge spashes, I dont know if it was a fish or a big frog, and finally I seen what looked like red colored fish? Im not sure if it was the water clarity playing tricks on me? Anyway, I was wondering how I would approach a pond for night fishing, like what to use and how if differs than the day time.  Ive only just recently started fishing this pond and ive only caught one bass during the day, so I figured maybe Ill have better luck at night. This pond also holds rock bass, perch, bluegill, and pumpkinseed that Ive caught on nightcrawlers. With all this food in the pond, im hoping there are more bass to catch! Thanks for the help!

 

Here is a picture of the only bass I caught from there.

[AK-Jax86]

I fish at night from the bank and you pretty much use what works for you dying the day. My go to ESPECIALLY if there are frogs is to throw on a hollow body frog I use white at night black during the day and my buddy has a lot of luck with the baby bass color (has silver belly) during day and night.

If you see them chasing bait fish throw on a fluke, swim bait, something to that effect that mimics a bait fish. But at night like I said I am addicted to top water lures.

[BuffaloBass716]

I have a spro bronze eye frog jr. I have tried it there a few times during the day, I got a few hits on it, but couldnt hook any. As you can see the bass that I did catch was only 14", but I like catching anysize I can haha

[tholmes]

Yeah, there's a lot going on around the water at night. 

 

The "red fish" was probably a goldfish that someone released into the pond. They'll get quite large in a big body of water. I've seen 'em around here as big as 15-18".

My go-to nighttime baits are a big black jitterbug, dark-colored 10" plastic worms, and black spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. I've had pretty good luck recently with 3" to 5" soft swimbaits, specifically Lake Fork Live Magic Shad in white.

 

Good Luck!

 

Tom

[J Francho]

Could be a koi or fancy goldfish.

[PABASS]

Bass cant see very well in night conditions, A Bass's eye are built similar to ours in that they contain lots of cones.  They stay tight to cover and familiar surroundings.  Recently read an article by a Blind Pro Angler and from this article you want to key in other senses that Bass have and the one he targets is sound and vibration.  Bass can key in on sound and vibration before sight, my advice would be black and noisy.  Buzzbaits, Chatterbaits, Jig with rattles and a frog.

[Montanaro]

carp will give off a bronze/red color

[Dcheek]

Some good advice already.  It seems odd to use dark colored baits at night (at least it was to me) but dark colors create a much more noticeable silhouette at night.....especially black.  You can use top water as already mentioned, but I also have a lot of success in ponds with black trick worms with 1/4 oz weight.....it's great weightless but tricky to work at night.  Just start experimenting.....you will be surprised how well those fish can track food at night

[Bluebasser86]

Dark jigs or chatterbaits are my go to baits at night. I'd guess the red colored fish you saw were carp. They can look all kinds of colors under a spotlight at night. 

[deadadrift89]

jitterbug

chatterbait