Night Bass Fishing

[roarlionsxc]

I am going out night fishing on Pickwick Lake. I will be fishing on a rip rap bank that drops off to deeper water fairly quick. What would be your recommendations on bait selection? Color, size, whatever terminal tackle you use, etc for whatever baits you think I should try. Thanks!

[Deleted account]

WP, jitterbug, crazy crawler, or any other similar bait at a 45 or paralleling the bank, resist the urge to set the hook when you hear the splash, speed up a tad, and come back once the rod loads (easier said than done).

[roarlionsxc]

Caught a nice smallie on a big single colorado blade spinnerbait!

[Deleted account]

12 hours ago, roarlionsxc said:

Caught a nice smallie on a big single colorado blade spinnerbait!

I'm not following or liking if you keep covering the sponsor's logo...  

[walleyecrazy]

Generally for night fishing I go with a black single Colorado blade spinner bait, a super spook, any slow moving wake bait, or a big Texas rigged worm. The spinner bait and spook seem to be my most effective two lures though. 

[Cbump]

I’m fishing an 8pm to 8am tournament this coming Saturday on a super clear lake with lm and smallies. And TONS of whites and stripers. 
 

[scaleface]

A lot of people wont fish crankbaits at night . I am not one . Crankbaits , spinnerbait , buzzbait or worm on rip rap for me .   Red craw has been a productive color for the cranks . Black or dark lures are what I like .

[A-Jay]

If'n I had to throw one bait at night for brown bass,

this would be it.

A-Jay

[gim]

3 hours ago, walleyecrazy said:

I go with a black single Colorado blade spinner bait

This is the lure I generally use at night most often too. @T-Billy has done well at night this season with a dark chatterbait. He even stumbled into a couple of big dead saugeyes and took photos of them!!

[T-Billy]

13 minutes ago, gimruis said:

This is the lure I generally use at night most often too. @T-Billy has done well at night this season with a dark chatterbait. He even stumbled into a couple of big dead saugeyes and took photos of them!!

I've been doing well for quite a few seasons with a chatterbait at night. Slow rolling a single Colorado spinnerbait has also produced well at times. This summer I found that on those nights when they're short striking the CB alot, they'll choke a paddletail swimbait. A 3.5" Do-It Ripper on a 3/8 or 1/2 jig head has been seeing lots of action. 

The big floaters disappeared on me when the grass started dying back on that flat. Sure was fun while it lasted.

2 hours ago, A-Jay said:

If'n I had to throw one bait at night for brown bass,

this would be it.

A-Jay

I'm a fan of those blades myself A-Jay. Great baitfish profile and they start easy and thump hard.

[Cbump]

Water clarity matter on the dark spinnerbait/Chatterbait? 

[A-Jay]

12 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

I've been doing well for quite a few seasons with a chatterbait at night. Slow rolling a single Colorado spinnerbait has also produced well at times. This summer I found that on those nights when they're short striking the CB alot, they'll choke a paddletail swimbait. A 3.5" Do-It Ripper on a 3/8 or 1/2 jig head has been seeing lots of action. 

The big floaters disappeared on me when the grass started dying back on that flat. Sure was fun while it lasted.

I'm a fan of those blades myself A-Jay. Great baitfish profile and they start easy and thump hard.

They sure do ~

I had to upgrade the 'blade hardware' on theses (swivel & split rings)

because the bass were hitting the blade & ripping it off !

I was missing strikes and getting back a bladeless bait.

Even I could figure that one out. 

A-Jay

4 minutes ago, Cbump said:

Water clarity matter on the dark spinnerbait/Chatterbait? 

Can't say but I'm usually fishing in super clear water conditions.

Sort of what helps makes night time - the right time . . .

A-Jay

 

[Cbump]

Ok perfect

[T-Billy]

40 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

They sure do ~

I had to upgrade the 'blade hardware' on theses (swivel & split rings)

because the bass were hitting the blade & ripping it off !

I was missing strikes and getting back a bladeless bait.

Even I could figure that one out. 

I had the same happen. Lots of missed and chin hooked fish when slow rolling. Once I started throwing the chatterbait the spinnerbaits fell out of favor, though I'm certain sometimes they're the better choice.  If you haven't already, give some paddletails a try at night. They're fairly subtle but allow you to cover a lot of water and man do they ever smoke 'em. 

[Deleted account]

Also on really calm nights with a moon, a broken back minnow or wake bait fished slowly can be the ticket. 

[gim]

4 hours ago, T-Billy said:

The big floaters disappeared on me when the grass started dying back on that flat. Sure was fun while it lasted.