Topwater at Night

[BrackishBassin]

Went out to a local pond last night for some topwater practice. Surprisingly, the fish were cooperating. I managed 7 fish before it got so dark I couldn't see them blowing up on the lure. The first 7 fish came between 7 and 9pm and then the action got crazy. I had 5 more blow ups between 9 and 9:30, but didn't hook a single one. They'd hit it, have it for a second or two, and then (I assume) spit it because they recognized it wasn't food. 

 

So, what do you guys who fish at night do about fishing topwater when it's too dark to see them blow up on your lure?

[Bluebasser86]

1 minute ago, BrackishBassin said:

Went out to a local pond last night for some topwater practice. Surprisingly, the fish were cooperating. I managed 7 fish before it got so dark I couldn't see them blowing up on the lure. The first 7 fish came between 7 and 9pm and then the action got crazy. I had 5 more blow ups between 9 and 9:30, but didn't hook a single one. They'd hit it, have it for a second or two, and then (I assume) spit it because they recognized it wasn't food. 

 

So, what do you guys who fish at night do about fishing topwater when it's too dark to see them blow up on your lure?

I don't fish topwater at night except on rare occasions. If I do, it's a frog, buzzbait, or Slammer so I can feel the fish before I swing on them. 

[scaleface]

I use buzzbaits and dont set the hook on sound , I wait  untilI can feel them .  Sometimes  carp get spooked by the buzzbait and they make a big commotion .

[BrackishBassin]

33 minutes ago, scaleface said:

I use buzzbaits and dont set the hook on sound , I wait  untilI can feel them .  Sometimes  carp get spooked by the buzzbait and they make a big commotion .

 

No carp in this pond. It's privately owned. Just bass and sunfish. 

I've got two buzzbaits, but they're both in a white or white/chartreuse. Would black be better?

[scaleface]

I also use a trailer hook almost 100 per cent of the time . Cant remember the last time I havent used one .

[the reel ess]

13 minutes ago, BrackishBassin said:

 

No carp in this pond. It's privately owned. Just bass and sunfish. 

I've got two buzzbaits, but they're both in a white or white/chartreuse. Would black be better?

Yes, black or black/blue will make a better silhouette in low light conditions. It will do the same in the morning and evening. For the longest time I caught more bass on one black/blue buzzbait than I did all others combined. I would start out a morning with the black one and when they quit biting it, I'd switch to a light colored spinnerbait. I have since noticed that pond bass will bite a white buzzbait when the sun is higher or on overcast days.

[Choporoz]

1 hour ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I don't fish topwater at night except on rare occasions. If I do, it's a frog, buzzbait, or Slammer so I can feel the fish before I swing on them. 

I don't fish topwater at night except for frog or buzzbait, either.  But mostly because I stow all the treble hooks when I turn my yak light on.  

[scaleface]

2 hours ago, BrackishBassin said:

 

No carp in this pond. It's privately owned. Just bass and sunfish. 

I've got two buzzbaits, but they're both in a white or white/chartreuse. Would black be better?

 I use black but dont know if its best or not .I use it because I have always heard black is good . I also read to try white on a full moon . Thats when I fish so I might try it the next full moon .

[the reel ess]

1 hour ago, the reel ess said:

Yes, black or black/blue will make a better silhouette in low light conditions. It will do the same in the morning and evening. For the longest time I caught more bass on one black/blue buzzbait than I did all others combined. I would start out a morning with the black one and when they quit biting it, I'd switch to a light colored spinnerbait. I have since noticed that pond bass will bite a white buzzbait when the sun is higher or on overcast days.

I also have a black/blue Strike King (I think) Midnight spinnerbait with matching color huge Colorado blade. But I've never used it at night. It works well in late winter when the water is usually off color. It's a really slow moving spinnerbait that's easy to see and feel upon retrieve.

[scaleface]

4 minutes ago, the reel ess said:

black/blue Strike King (I think) Midnight spinnerbait

 

They work well at night and they have that rattle . 

[Bluebasser86]

1 hour ago, Choporoz said:

I don't fish topwater at night except for frog or buzzbait, either.  But mostly because I stow all the treble hooks when I turn my yak light on.  

Same deal in my boat. Hard enough not getting hooked by a treble when I can see them during the day. 

[tcbass]

Super sharp hooks so that those hits end up being caught fish.

 

 

The Whopper Plopper has some of the sharpest hooks out of the box that I've ever used and if a fish hits it on the retrieve I have about a 98% catch ratio. I think I've only lost like 1 or 2 that bit on the retrieve. 

 

So, at night, even if you can't see or hear the hit you should probably hook that fish.

 

 

We did buzzbaits at night and added stingers which helped. Now I would just use a WP.

 

 

 

3 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Same deal in my boat. Hard enough not getting hooked by a treble when I can see them during the day. 

 

 

You could use a headlamp when it comes to unhooking.

[bassin is addicting]

jointed jitterbug...... no need to "set the hook"....you'll feel the pressure

[Bluebasser86]

2 hours ago, tcbass said:

 

You could use a headlamp when it comes to unhooking.

I do, but even the nice one I have is a far cry from the light provided by the sun. I used to, and plan on continuing once myboys are both sleeping through the night, night fish a lot. I'm sure I don't like trebles at night and also sure that I don't need them because my standard night fishing rotation does just fine

 

[A-Jay]

9 hours ago, BrackishBassin said:

So, what do you guys who fish at night do about fishing topwater when it's too dark to see them blow up on your lure?

 

Disregard the sound, continue to reel the bait and wait to feel the weight of the fish as the rod loads.

Then set the hook.

btw- that works pretty good during the day as well. 

A-Jay

[BrackishBassin]

21 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

 

Disregard the sound, continue to reel the bait and wait to feel the weight of the fish as the rod loads.

Then set the hook.

btw- that works pretty good during the day as well. 

A-Jay

 

Alright, thanks! Guess I was just meant to miss those fish because that's exactly what I was doing. Going to give the grassburner a shot next time I go out after all the buzzbait suggestions. Unfortunately, it's white/chartreuse, but it's got trebles so maybe it'll have a better hook up ratio. 

[scaleface]

This sunday or monday night I'm planning a night fishing trip.I will give white buzzbaits a try . Monday is full moon  , Sunday 99 percent illumination but the moon is already high when dark hits .

[TheRodFather88]

I know this post is somewhat old but I can't help but throw this out there, go to Bass Pro or wherever you can and grab a couple packs of spare skirts in

White, white/chartreuse

Black, Black/blue

And keep them handy for your buzzbaits and spinnerbaits. Then you can quickly change em out depending on conditions. 

What I like to do is find a one or two of each bait that you like and then just change skirts instead of buying one in each color. I use the Booyah brand spinner and buzz. I also really like the Lucky Craft SKT spinnerbaits.

[eyedabassman]

The BIG black Jitterbug game over!

Just change the hooks out on the Jitterbug!

[scaleface]

2 hours ago, eyedabassman said:

The BIG black Jitterbug game over!

I have a black musky Jitterbags because back in the 80's Bassmaster had an article about catching big fish with them at night . I never caught a bass on it .

[flyfisher]

It is one of the best ways to be patient on topwater hooksets.  Wait til loo feel the fish and not hear or see it...my topwater hookup percentage is higher at night than during the day and i have zero hesitation of throwing treble hooked baits from my kayak any night i am out.  I was actually just talking with a buddy of mine about night fishing yesterday and how i am looking forward to doing it even more this year than last.

[Catt]

The eyes of a bass go through a night adaptation cycle beginning at twilight and are usually adapted for black, white, and all shades of gray within an hour after darkness. Bass can see color but not at night, color it's self is meaningless at night. Contrast is more important by far than color at night.

 

If you fish water where shad or minnows are the predominate prey species, then try white spinnerbait/buzzbait with a white grub. 

[FCPhil]

If it is a steadily retrieved bait (whopper plopper!) and you have sharp hooks the fish will set the hook on itself like a crankbait, all you got to do is sweep back on them like a crankbait. Try owner st-41 hooks, they are crazy sharp. 

[eyedabassman]

13 hours ago, scaleface said:

I have a black musky Jitterbags because back in the 80's Bassmaster had an article about catching big fish with them at night . I never caught a bass on it .

Yep, that is the one that I fish! Ii have caught a ton of bass on the Big Jitterbug . I am from Wisconsin where I did guide and many Musky guys throw Musky baits and catch alot of bass also!  I have done better on Table Rock at night than up in Wi. ! I will also spray the chrome lips black because I want no flash!