Bass Night Fishing?

[scaleface]

I like to night fish. It usually takes a couple of hours after complete darkness for the bite to get hot. Black buzzbaits are my favorite lure and I prefer moonlit nights .

[wytstang]

Also if you are bank fishing I would bring a pistol if you can carry one. I wouldn't be without one because I want a fighting chance against any large animal that feels your its next meal. I have a battery powered lamp that I can leave on the hood of my truck to give me some visability around me, I would suggest the same for any one doing bank fishing.

[Dogmatic]

I see a lot of people on here recommending taking lights. My advice carry a light, a head lamp and a flashlight, but try to use them very little. Better to allow your eyes to adjust. Once you turn on a light, your night vision is shot, and it will take many minutes for your eyes to readjust.  Stealth is very important, so lights and noise are a "no-no". Rig everything prior to fishing, keep it simple and be familiar with equipment and surroundings. Saw the MS Slammer mentioned, yeah,I forgot to mention it, the mini slammer, in black, probably one of the best low light baits ever created. Good Luck, Be Safe. By the way, if I was in FL, I wouldn't fish from the bank at night, gators just scare the hell out of me, but that's just me. ; ) 

[Mainebass1984]

Just be safe and aware of your surroundings. I heard a bear one night hoot. I had one near my car. There was one spotted at a nearby school.

I had a bobcat 15' away from me.

The bass fishing is awesome. I go anyway. I heard a bass do a body slam.wow.

 

Bears DO NOT hoot. You heard an owl.

[Joedodge]

That's my only thing lol. There out enough in the day time but at nite man the snakes and gators come ALIVE!

[K_Mac]

This topic comes up a least once a year, for good reason: Fishing at night is great! My personal best and over half of my "big" bass have come night fishing. The quiet and solitude that can't happen on most public lakes during the day makes night fishing a fantastic choice even if the chance of more and better fish wasn't so good. Catching good fish on a cool, bright moon lit night during the heat of the summer is as good as it gets IMO.

My favorite quote regarding bait choices for night fishing comes from Road Warrior: "Night fishing is just like fishing during the day, only darker!" Getting stuck on one or two baits or techniques will limit your success. My favorite way of catching bass at night is on a big worm or jig. It takes real concentration to feel a subtle bite at night, but it will get the adrenaline pumping. The times when they try to take your combo away from you are good too!

[wytstang]

Any chance you can have your truck (if you have one) close enought to the edge to make cast? I have a few spot I can get my truck close enough I can lower the tail gate and fish off of that. Naturally would put my lamp at the edge of the bank (safe distance not were I'm going to fall in if I don't stop on a dime) before reversing. That way you have no worrys while you work an area. To be clear areas were the water and land are the same level not a massive drop, I wouldn't recommend any one that lol that would suck in a major way

[beenreelsince94]

For color focus on blue and black. The moon has a lot to do with what kind of success you will have. Most people think black/blue is too dark for night fishing but that is in fact incorrect. The black/blue lures contrast well with the white moon making it extremely visible to the bass and attracting because of the shadows. Top water at  night is always my go to. Frogs and buzz baits. Hope that helps!

[Mainebass1984]

 I have had success fishing black buzzbaits, chatterbaits, and spinnerbaits. Against everything that most people mention I do well with white. My biggest bass caught at night, a 7 lb 0 oz largemouth, was caught on a white spinnerbait. I do a lot of night fishing from late june until mid august. During the heat of the summer I have my best luck. I like to target the thickest weeds beds in a lake. Everyone insists on fishing black. Try fishing a white spinnerbait. Just give it a try. You will be surprised.

[A-Jay]

 I have had success fishing black buzzbaits, chatterbaits, and spinnerbaits. Against everything that most people mention I do well with white. My biggest bass caught at night, a 7 lb 0 oz largemouth, was caught on a white spinnerbait. I do a lot of night fishing from late june until mid august. During the heat of the summer I have my best luck. I like to target the thickest weeds beds in a lake. Everyone insists on fishing black. Try fishing a white spinnerbait. Just give it a try. You will be surprised.

 

OK - I haven't yet but I'm going to try it.

 

I'll let you know - thanks

 

A-Jay

[F14A-B]

I fish pre dawn everyday (at the ocean), fish don't swim out of the water but gators and mocs do. I never bass fish at night in Florida from shore, not worth the risk for me.

I couldn't agree more, it is very hazardous, I've done it on Lochloosa before, and it's not just the snakes, and alligators, but poachers.. Real dangerous in the whole of the 80's era...

[bigbill]

Bears DO NOT hoot. You heard an owl.

They do a distinctive hoot. It's Three short hoots, a long hoot. They hoot mountain to mountain because they can't call 1-800-collect. There looking for a mate. I mimic the hoot and can call them right into my camp.

[bigbill]

I see the freshwater otters splashing the fawns trying to get a drink of water at the waters edge while the doe watches while I'm fishing. At first light still at dusk. I see otters all over the place and beavers too no one is trapping here. One beaver is 48" long with his tail.

[A KGB Operative]

Interesting thread. I'm going to definately partake come the summer. Just those d**n mosquitos :!

[Mainebass1984]

They do a distinctive hoot. It's Three short hoots, a long hoot. They hoot mountain to mountain because they can't call 1-800-collect. There looking for a mate. I mimic the hoot and can call them right into my camp.

 

You are hilarious. I am still laughing. Watch out for those bears and there bear hoots.

[WRB]

Thanks so much everyone, I wouldn't dare fiah new territory alone at night in FL. We have enough deadly critters in the day time. I'll try the few lil ponds first and see how a night trip gos and fish some simple lures, like spinners, or roostertails and jigs. Maybe a frog

If I had to choose 1 lure at night it would be Berkley 7 1/2" ribbon tail black with blue flake Power worm Texas rigged with 3/0 hook and 3/16 oz sliding bullet weight sinker. #2 would be a 10" with 4/0 hook.

You will learn a lot about night fishing and worm fishing, plus spend more time fishing then snagging and re tying.

Tom

[RSM789]

Bears DO NOT hoot. You heard an owl.

 

Maybe it was a bear eating an owl...

[Bluebasser86]

 I have had success fishing black buzzbaits, chatterbaits, and spinnerbaits. Against everything that most people mention I do well with white. My biggest bass caught at night, a 7 lb 0 oz largemouth, was caught on a white spinnerbait. I do a lot of night fishing from late june until mid august. During the heat of the summer I have my best luck. I like to target the thickest weeds beds in a lake. Everyone insists on fishing black. Try fishing a white spinnerbait. Just give it a try. You will be surprised.

I find that to be especially true on bright nights. 

[primetime]

Just got in from some night fishing, full moon April 3rd, and did well, I fish similar to how I always fish but I try to find open water and weed edges where fish roam or replenish so picking the right area based on structure, depth etc. is important, but my favorite search bait is probably a chatterbait with a swimbait as a trailer, I like a black blade and black and blue skirt trimmed, and 3.5" speed shad in smoke blue flake.

 

I always have a popper tied on, usually the Rebel pop'r and/or Chug bug or the Heddon Pop n image Is good for walking and spitting plus casts well.

 

My go to technique however, for ponds especially or land fishing, is a wake bait or floating minnow bait fished steady and slow to keep a v wake, and my favorite is a Rapala Jointed Gold and black j-9 or J-11 for spinning tackle, the Rebel Tiny Wake'r is great for this time of year with small bait in water, same with a yo-zuri pins minnow as they cast well for their size.

 

A gold 4" redfin is awesome and catches good quality fish but is tough to cast due to it's light weight but you can add some weight to it and it wakes fine, the Rapala DT Fat is good as are any wakes, or floating minnows steadily retrieved so you miss less strikes. A horny toad wakes well if weeds are an issue, and a slug-o is a good alternative to a walking lure like  a spook etc....Really same as flats fishing only with weeds in the local ponds, the Spro Popping frog is a great lure for open water or weeds, it is not cheap but is quality, the booyah is solid as well....I know spinnerbaitss and worms work well, jigs, same as during the day, I just like topwater and subsurface, I will let a worm sink if nothing is working on top....I like two tone colors, red shad, any black with contrast in plastics is my preference, or a bead in front of a trick worm for sound and I like the bream color they make.

[primetime]

I worry about snakes more than Gators since I never fish new areas at night here in florida without knowing if a Large Gator is in the area, usually if you walk up to a spot and here a huge Splash, it is not usually a person swimming or diving into the water, it is usually a good sized gator and they like to sit up on lighted docks at night, but they take off if fishing public lakes and areas 99% of the time since they are usually removed if they bother people in public areas, or communities with ponds since people freak out if they see a big gator (over 4-6 feet) since it threatens their pets and kids and usually they have them removed.

 

 I guess my point is to be smart, I never fish new lakes or ponds unless I am with another person who knows the area and I rarely go alone, in fact I only go alone if fishing a pond that is walking distance and has safe shoreline. Pay attention when fishing frogs and topwaters over weeds,especially lily pads, for some reason gators love to chase them and Moccasins will follow them in as well, and if you hook a baby gator that is not a safe area to be in the first place and that was not a good job of scoping the area and fishing it during the day. The babies will make that chirping sound and if you have ever seen the full grown Pre-Historic Sized gators, a gun will not help if the mother comes for you, your only hope is to have a friend with a lot of courage and truly values your friendship, odds are most friends are running for help, but in all seriousness, we were talking about this tonight, it is key to listen, and also to know the lake and area, and make sure you are not walking in weeds and have a clear cut shore to fish from or dock.

 

Make sure to purchase a pair of Steel Tipped boots, then purchase the Hunting socks that have the protective covering in them, not sure what they are called, I have had them forever, and I roll them over my Jeans, do not wear shorts for a few reasons...bugs are awful at night plus shorts leave you vulnerable to a moccasin and they are common, but if paying attention you or your buddy can avoid them. Also never reach in to lip a fish until you know for sure it is a bass, I actually have a cheap pair of orange fishing gloves that were 1.99 that I use to grab fish at night since I never know what I am grabbing since I am famous for losing lights and not having back up batteries, or having my clip on fall off my hat etc.. rattlesnakes are very common in the sandy areas both fresh and salt & if you veer off into vegetation that is when they are trouble, and after it rains they are usually most active if the next day is warm.

 

Put it this way, I met a guy who has been diving for golf balls in Florida for 14 years and he goes at night, in scuba gear, golf courses are notorious for having many large gators, especially one that has fish in them, and he has only been bitten 2x I believe he told me, and he dives all the courses all night long 3-4 days a week, and he will tell you that they are scared of you and the only time they are an issue is if you startle one and step on it etc....

 

If ever night fishing and you see anyone scuba diving, make sure to talk to him, he was one of the most interesting people I have ever met and he should have a reality TV show, plus he knows which ponds have the biggest fish....

 

Be safe, smart, and it is more fun with friends anyhow, plus you usually catch more fish since you can all try different things, but don't let gators scare you just use common sense and dress the part, and know your surroundings. Good luck, Night fishing in Florida Summers are necessary, especially in ponds which get super hot.

[RSM789]

...The babies will make that chirping sound ...

 

Any chance that they hoot as well?

[scaleface]

I have been catfishing late at night with the transom light on.  Baitfish are attracted to it and every once in a while something will hit them .

[mprestonSEK]

My go to lure for night fishing is a Siebert brush jig in black with a pit chunk in perfection as the trailer. A bladed jig or swim jig in chartreuse/white are solid choices as well.

[F14A-B]

I worry about snakes more than Gators since I never fish new areas at night here in florida without knowing if a Large Gator is in the area, usually if you walk up to a spot and here a huge Splash, it is not usually a person swimming or diving into the water, it is usually a good sized gator and they like to sit up on lighted docks at night, but they take off if fishing public lakes and areas 99% of the time since they are usually removed if they bother people in public areas, or communities with ponds since people freak out if they see a big gator (over 4-6 feet) since it threatens their pets and kids and usually they have them removed.

I guess my point is to be smart, I never fish new lakes or ponds unless I am with another person who knows the area and I rarely go alone, in fact I only go alone if fishing a pond that is walking distance and has safe shoreline. Pay attention when fishing frogs and topwaters over weeds,especially lily pads, for some reason gators love to chase them and Moccasins will follow them in as well, and if you hook a baby gator that is not a safe area to be in the first place and that was not a good job of scoping the area and fishing it during the day. The babies will make that chirping sound and if you have ever seen the full grown Pre-Historic Sized gators, a gun will not help if the mother comes for you, your only hope is to have a friend with a lot of courage and truly values your friendship, odds are most friends are running for help, but in all seriousness, we were talking about this tonight, it is key to listen, and also to know the lake and area, and make sure you are not walking in weeds and have a clear cut shore to fish from or dock.

Make sure to purchase a pair of Steel Tipped boots, then purchase the Hunting socks that have the protective covering in them, not sure what they are called, I have had them forever, and I roll them over my Jeans, do not wear shorts for a few reasons...bugs are awful at night plus shorts leave you vulnerable to a moccasin and they are common, but if paying attention you or your buddy can avoid them. Also never reach in to lip a fish until you know for sure it is a bass, I actually have a cheap pair of orange fishing gloves that were 1.99 that I use to grab fish at night since I never know what I am grabbing since I am famous for losing lights and not having back up batteries, or having my clip on fall off my hat etc.. rattlesnakes are very common in the sandy areas both fresh and salt & if you veer off into vegetation that is when they are trouble, and after it rains they are usually most active if the next day is warm.

Put it this way, I met a guy who has been diving for golf balls in Florida for 14 years and he goes at night, in scuba gear, golf courses are notorious for having many large gators, especially one that has fish in them, and he has only been bitten 2x I believe he told me, and he dives all the courses all night long 3-4 days a week, and he will tell you that they are scared of you and the only time they are an issue is if you startle one and step on it etc....

If ever night fishing and you see anyone scuba diving, make sure to talk to him, he was one of the most interesting people I have ever met and he should have a reality TV show, plus he knows which ponds have the biggest fish....

Be safe, smart, and it is more fun with friends anyhow, plus you usually catch more fish since you can all try different things, but don't let gators scare you just use common sense and dress the part, and know your surroundings. Good luck, Night fishing in Florida Summers are necessary, especially in ponds which get super hot.

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/05/09/helmet-cam-catches-alligator-leaping-out-water-attacking-kayaker/

And this...notice the 21 century increase in attacks.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_alligator_attacks_in_the_United_States_by_decade

[bigbill]

Also if you are bank fishing I would bring a pistol if you can carry one. I wouldn't be without one because I want a fighting chance against any large animal that feels your its next meal. I have a battery powered lamp that I can leave on the hood of my truck to give me some visability around me, I would suggest the same for any one doing bank fishing.

If a bear comes near me ill find his zipper and take his fur coat.