Night Time Bass Fishing Florida Winter

[AVIDBF2015]

Hey everyone, I have been really getting into nighttime bass fishing in southwest Florida. Ive been doing well on smaller lures especially twin tailed grubs. But now that the weather has dipped to the 50s at night and mid 70s in the day. If anyone here has been fishing for bass after 9pm, what has been the key to your success? Lure colors? Types of lures etc. However, I have used the midnight bass spinner bait with no luck. Im starting to feel that bass are not that active at night from what most people think they do. Ill wake up and look at the water, then again around 3 or 4 pm and bass will be swimming on the shore on the bank on an 85 degree morning. Id be interested to see what has worked for you all at night in Florida. 

[Frise]

KVD Squarebill crankbaits in a shad color have been working the best for me. Another good bait has been Bubble Gum colored senko fished with a dropshot. 

[geo g]

Big black ribbon tail worms, a black swimbait like an Gambler EZ swimmer.   Warmer weather,  a black frog, black buzzbait or a big jointed black Arbogast jitterbug.  Black puts out the best contrast against the sky from below the water.  I have not done it for years, I like my sleep.  Lol

[davecon]

Long story short - black musky jitterbug, black 12 inch plastic worm fished so slow a retrieve should take at least a full 2 minutes.

If you try the above with confidence you will understand. If you don't you might as well sleep in and fish during the day. Works all year round.

[tiredbobmarley]

I've been catching both bass and crappie after dark on a chrome lipless crank. 

[tennsopher]

Several years ago I used to frequent Forest City and Millers Bait &Tackle.They always posted pictures of big bass on the walls.One guy that always was posted was a man named Theron Houston I was curious about how he was catching so many large bass.Glenn McNeely whom I knew well at the time,was their bass expert.He told me that Theron always fished at night and would load up black plastic worms  12" or larger  and fill them up with several rattles.It works!

[N Florida Mike]

I don't fish at night much,but when I do I use black frogs in the summer and big black worms the rest of the year.

[SFL BassHunter]

All my success at fishing at night has come from BIG worms. Long 10"-12" worms with a big 5/0 or 6/0 hook. I like the tails that have a lot of action. I drag the worm along the bottom slowly so if the worm has great action in the tail even moving slowly, it will attract the fish.

Color: Solid Black or Black w/Blue Glitter.

 

[hawgenvy]

Have you read this article about the guy in Valdosta, Ga? He fishes all night long with a buzz bait. The bass turn on at certain hours of the night. If you want to do it right, fish all night long! Maybe you too can catch a thousand 10-pounders. (Me, I'd just get bitten by mosquitoes all night, and catch a thousand colds.)

http://www.gon.com/fishing/1113-giant-bass-and-counting

[davecon]

Hawgenvy,

It has bee my experience that for the most part, once you get the boat a casts length off the bank the mosquitos are not a problem, except right before sunrise. I used  to fish at least 2 nights a week. We would take cigars with us, even the guys that didn't smoke, and light them just before daylight. Was the only thing that kept them from bleeding us dry !

This was way back when I was in college during summer break and working part time on the midnight shift. Worked 3 or 4 nights per week. The other nights we went fishing. One summer we caught at least one 5 pounder or better every trip except for one. Used that black Musky Jitterbug almost exclusively. On three occasions my buddies had the hooks pulled out of the plug. I was lucky as I had an older wooden one. Still have it to this day, some 45 years later.

I now fish for snook at night from time to time. Unbelievable how many of them you can catch after dark !

 

 

[The Guy]

I've done pretty good with a whopper plopper 130 in loon, this is in the warmer months though.  Also a dark color baby torpedo.

[hawgenvy]

On 1/28/2016 at 0:52 AM, davecon said:

Hawgenvy,

It has bee my experience that for the most part, once you get the boat a casts length off the bank the mosquitos are not a problem, except right before sunrise. I used  to fish at least 2 nights a week. We would take cigars with us, even the guys that didn't smoke, and light them just before daylight. Was the only thing that kept them from bleeding us dry !

This was way back when I was in college during summer break and working part time on the midnight shift. Worked 3 or 4 nights per week. The other nights we went fishing. One summer we caught at least one 5 pounder or better every trip except for one. Used that black Musky Jitterbug almost exclusively. On three occasions my buddies had the hooks pulled out of the plug. I was lucky as I had an older wooden one. Still have it to this day, some 45 years later.

I now fish for snook at night from time to time. Unbelievable how many of them you can catch after dark !

 

 

Sounds like you have some great memories from those nights long ago. I've had some successful snook nights too, over by the St Lucie river. Also night fishing for huge tarpon in a flats boat just off the beach in a calm summer ocean. Spooky stuff, especially when a big tarpon jumps, and you can just barely see it, like a ghostly hallucination. I'm amazed how well fish can hone in on artificial baits floating in the blackness. Some day maybe I'll go bass fishing all night. If I can find a buddy crazy enough to join me.

[AVIDBF2015]

Thanks for the posts guys!! I do have some big old black worms. I'll try it soon. Also, what weights would yall recommend for up to 5 feet. Reel shallow. Here are some latest pics of mine. 

[N Florida Mike]

Nice ! I live on a lake that averages 5 feet deep.I don't use any weight.The fish can spot the bait better if it sinks slower and the action is more natural.Its also easier to get the bait on top while reeling in,which often produces a big hit.