Plastics at night

[Senko3]

I have such low confidence in fishing senkos and other plastics at night i usually just stick to moving baits but some nights when it’s slow I wonder if they’d be interested in something slower. I’m mostly a line watcher especially when fishing senkos so what’s a good tip on “feeling the bite” when fishing senkos at night?

[Cbump]

Good line, no wind, keep most of the slack out of the line. 

[Jig Man]

Senkos would not be my first choice.  Trigged craws or jigs would go before them.

 

What ever you use a good quality rod kept in the 10-12 O’clock position for maximum feel will help.  If you feel anything, drop the rod tip, reel up some slack and set the hook.  After all most hook sets are free. 
 

You might make some casts, close your eyes and fish.  That can simulate night fishing.

[Jar11591]

I’ve had great luck with wacky rigs at night. I fish them very differently than I do during the day. Normal fishing hours with a senko, I’ll pick a target, cast it, let it sink, jiggle it a couple times, then reel in and pick next target. At night, I cast the senko, let it fall, then slowly drag it on the bottom. With a weightless senko, you have to go VERY slow to maintain bottom contact. It’s been very productive for me. 

[Mobasser]

Larger plastic worms are old favourites for night fishing.

[softwateronly]

I'm a line watcher as well with senkos and don't really fish them often anymore and definitely not at night.  I went the other way, 1/2oz fintech magnum jig and a 8" hags tornado.  The 1/2oz puts me in contact with everything, and the large ribbed floating worm allows for shaking in place as I slowly work through the cover.  Has been good to me the last few nights.

 

scott

 

 

[JediAmoeba]

I have always done well with T-rigs with an added carolina clacker.

[Senko3]

The problem with weighted Texas rigs is I’m limited to shore fishing and this lake is choked out so ba, weightless is really the only way to go or maybe 1/16oz weight unless you’re in a boat and able to pitch and flip/punch

[Jig Man]

1 hour ago, Senko3 said:

The problem with weighted Texas rigs is I’m limited to shore fishing and this lake is choked out so ba, weightless is really the only way to go or maybe 1/16oz weight unless you’re in a boat and able to pitch and flip/punch

That would have been helpful in your original post.

[Cbump]

27 minutes ago, Jig Man said:

That would have been helpful in your original post.

Why? His question was what’s a good tip on feeling the bite with senkos at night. If anyone didn’t any answer that question and added a whole bunch of extra stuff like what they use at night, then that’s on them. 

[Catt]

3 hours ago, Senko3 said:

so what’s a good tip on “feeling the bite” when fishing senkos at night?

 

Night fishing will teach you how to "feel" bites that go unnoticed during the day because you're waiting on line movement. 

 

You will be surprised how much you can see at night including your line. 

 

The more you do it the better you'll get at it.

 

 

[Tennessee Boy]

3 hours ago, Senko3 said:

I’m mostly a line watcher especially when fishing senkos so what’s a good tip on “feeling the bite” when fishing senkos at night?

Using fluorescent line and a black light will  make your line easier to see at night than during the day in many cases.   It's easy on a boat.  I'm not sure how I would rig up a black light on the bank but I'm sure it can be done. 

[galyonj]

You can get blacklight head lamps.

[DitchPanda]

3 hours ago, Mobasser said:

Larger plastic worms are old favourites for night fishing.

This for me to. Texas rigged Berkley power work or Zoom mag 2. 2nd rod I have a black.buzzbait.

[GetFishorDieTryin]

3 hours ago, softwateronly said:

I'm a line watcher as well with senkos and don't really fish them often anymore and definitely not at night.  I went the other way, 1/2oz fintech magnum jig and a 8" hags tornado.  The 1/2oz puts me in contact with everything, and the large ribbed floating worm allows for shaking in place as I slowly work through the cover.  Has been good to me the last few nights.

 

scott

 

 

Thats no Tornado...TH is such a good color.

[softwateronly]

1 hour ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

Thats no Tornado...TH is such a good color.

It is a tornado. In storm chaser. I’m definitely down to learn about something like it because these are killing and it’s hard to find the 8” version. I just cleared out fishin world in Dallas of their California Red and watermelon. The 6.5 tornado is so much smaller, gets more attention from panfish. 
 

scott

 

grande bass?  Trophy hunter??

Edited May 28, 2023 by softwateronly

[GetFishorDieTryin]

6 hours ago, softwateronly said:

It is a tornado. In storm chaser. I’m definitely down to learn about something like it because these are killing and it’s hard to find the 8” version. I just cleared out fishin world in Dallas of their California Red and watermelon. The 6.5 tornado is so much smaller, gets more attention from panfish. 
 

scott

 

grande bass?  Trophy hunter??

Holy crap...I stand corrected, for some reason I thought the Haggs was like the coontail and had the diagonal ribs in it.  Thats why I thought that was a GB.  Not only is the color spot on, but the mold is practically identical.  The only visual difference is that Haggs has 2 small rings at the head vs GBs 1. Not sure who came first, but hard to imagine its a case of parallel thinking.  I really like the GB Rattlesnakes wacky rigged, but not so much on a T rig or SH.  Im gonna have to add a few packs to my next order.

I apologize If I got your hopes up.  It looks like the easiest way to get the 8"s is through Haggs.  Wish they had a better sight, Id like to see al of their colors.

Thanks for the lesson lol.

[softwateronly]

1 hour ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

Holy crap...I stand corrected, for some reason I thought the Haggs was like the coontail and had the diagonal ribs in it.  Thats why I thought that was a GB.  Not only is the color spot on, but the mold is practically identical.  The only visual difference is that Haggs has 2 small rings at the head vs GBs 1. Not sure who came first, but hard to imagine its a case of parallel thinking.  I really like the GB Rattlesnakes wacky rigged, but not so much on a T rig or SH.  Im gonna have to add a few packs to my next order.

I apologize If I got your hopes up.  It looks like the easiest way to get the 8"s is through Haggs.  Wish they had a better sight, Id like to see al of their colors.

Thanks for the lesson lol.

Haha, all good.  I have no idea who's mold it is and who was first.  I do think the oversize worm is a unique look to give them though.  I tried going through them directly, hope they're doing ok, here's the response...

 

Tommy Hagler	Wed, May 24, 4:19 PM (4 days ago)
to me

Im sorry but the website is down. It may not be back up till middle of
June. I realize thats a long time. If you go to Tackle warehouse and
check with both of their stores, or maybe request the baits you want
thru them. Again Ilm sorry.

Thanks Barbie Hagler

 

 

 

 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

1 minute ago, softwateronly said:

Haha, all good.  I have no idea who's mold it is and who was first.  I do think the oversize worm is a unique look to give them though.  I tried going through them directly, hope they're doing ok, here's the response...

 

Tommy Hagler	Wed, May 24, 4:19 PM (4 days ago)
to me

Im sorry but the website is down. It may not be back up till middle of
June. I realize thats a long time. If you go to Tackle warehouse and
check with both of their stores, or maybe request the baits you want
thru them. Again Ilm sorry.

Thanks Barbie Hagler

 

 

 

 

Man, I hope they can keep the doors open.  Past few years have been awful hard for small business owners.  S&S Bucktails just announced theyre closing their doors, which for anyone inshore angler in the NE is hard to believe.  At least the site is supposed to be back online in the near future.

Haggs has a unique product, particularly with that 8".  I could see how the profile may not be ideal for Florida with all the grass, but I would think they would be perfect for Cali and Mexico trophy bass.  

[GRiver]

I use a spinning rig for night fishing, I can stop the line close the pole and hook my finger on the line.  I can feel the bite as well as watching the line. 

[Catt]

I would discourage using any light at night except for illuminating pathways. Let your eyes adjust to the ambient light. 

 

22 hours ago, Senko3 said:

what’s a good tip on “feeling the bite” when fishing senkos at night?

 

If ya gonna keep relying on watching your line, fish during the day.

 

With that said not everyone's night vision allows them to fish at night. Around the bank (on foot or from a boat) your difficulty will be shadows. This causes difficulties with depth perception, depth perception is your ability to see objects in three dimensions, including their size & how far away they are from you.

[T-Billy]

22 hours ago, Senko3 said:

what’s a good tip on “feeling the bite” when fishing senkos at night?

Keep the line laying across your index finger. Easy to do with either spinning or casting.

[ironbjorn]

13 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

 

With that said not everyone's night vision allows them to fish at night. 

Hell I'm in my 30s and I still fight the urge to run to my bed and jump under the covers when I turn the lights off for the night. Not snatching me up!

 

Night fishing is a group event or not at all and I'm not ashamed to admit it lmao

[Captain Phil]

Back in my youth, I did a bunch of night bass fishing.  Most people start out fishing top water at night, as did I.  Night time is when big fish are most vulnerable.  Nothings works better than a big black plastic worm.  A close second is a large spinnerbait.  Night fishing is not the time for finesse tackle.  You don't want to hang the fish of a lifetime and lose it on the side of the boat.  Keeping contact with the bottom is essential.  Slow down, don't make quick movements and take your time.   Night fishing is not for anyone who is physically compromised.  Never fish alone at night.  I did and it's a wonder I'm alive to tell about it.  Issues that are small during the day can quickly escalate at night.  I never used a light when night fishing.  When your eyes adjust, you can see well enough to cast.  I carried a small light if I needed to tie hooks or something similar.  If you do, don't let your light shine on the water.  Their was a local guy who only fished deep phosphate pits at night.  All he used were huge plastic worms that he made himself.  He ended up catching one of the largest bass ever caught in Florida at 17 pounds.  Night fishing can be very rewarding, but it must be done safely.

[softwateronly]

11 hours ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

Man, I hope they can keep the doors open.  Past few years have been awful hard for small business owners.  S&S Bucktails just announced theyre closing their doors, which for anyone inshore angler in the NE is hard to believe.  At least the site is supposed to be back online in the near future.

 

 

I do too, never like seeing any of the little guys go in any business.  

 

11 hours ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

 

Haggs has a unique product, particularly with that 8".  I could see how the profile may not be ideal for Florida with all the grass, but I would think they would be perfect for Cali and Mexico trophy bass.  

 

Don't let me tell you what to do, but 2-3lb bass buried in cover on a bright moon will find and destroy this thing when a jig, t-mac, or bull worm won't get their attention here in michigan.  I'm sure NJ bass can hate it just the same.

 

14 hours ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

  Wish they had a better sight, Id like to see al of their colors.

Thanks 

Best site I found for the color search.

https://www.zeiners.com/hagstornado/hags-tornado-undertaker-color-chart.html

 

scott