Night Fishing?

[bigfish88]

Never really night fished before, but I'm going this weekend and need some solid tips. I'll be fishing for mainly bass, but would like to pull in a few catfish as well. What should I use - colors, rigs, etc.

[tntitans21399]

I know for night fishing darker colors work best (black, blue, purple), but with it in the spring time I would say to start at creeks and work your way out.  Catfish I'm still learning about so I'm not sure where they are right now.

[zdunham]

For bass, big black Colorado blade spinnerbait seems to work wonders at night. I find this works best in water with some weeds but enough room for you to bring it along over the top.

[HAMMER23]

Great to hear you are planning a night trip !! Anyone who has ever read anything I have written will know how I will answer your question, SPINNERBAIT ! SPINNERBAIT ! SPINNERBAIT. I would like to explain why I like it so much. I love to cover a lot of ground fishing, I will wear a trolling motor battery slap out in a night covering sometimes several miles of bank , this bait allows me to put as many cast as possible along the stretch of bank I am fishing. A good bait to start out with is a 3/8 ounce single colorado blade spinnerbait, anything black, black and blue, white or even red '' even though I throw something different from all of these". Whatever you do make sure you bump or tick the bait off of whatever structure you are fishing"GRASS, ROCKS, OR TIMBER" this will help enduce a strike from a bass. Give it a shot and let me know how you do , I would really like to know !

[wisturkeyhunter]

Top water baits are my go to at night I like a bait I can go slow with and still make noise. Wake baits and walking baits are my favorites. If they aren't hitting on top big plastics worked slow.

[Catt]

Fish the same baits, same locations, and same techniques you would during the day. The only thing different I add to my repertoire at night is a Q-Beam!

[WRB]

Are you fishing from a boat or shore? Catfish and bass are two very different fish, requiring different techniques and tackle.

WRB

[bigfish88]

WRB ill be fishing from shore, ill have a bass set up on my baitcaster and a catfish set up on a medium heavy spinning setup.

[WRB]

WRB ill be fishing from shore, ill have a bass set up on my baitcaster and a catfish set up on a medium heavy spinning setup.

I would set up the catfish outfit with fresh fish chunk like mackerel or whatever oily fish you can find, sliding sinker rig.

For bass get yourself Berkley Power works; 7 1/2" or 10", black and Texas rig it. You will be able to add a bell to the rod tip for the catfish rig, while you walk the area worm fishing.

WRB

[umahunter]

it also depend on what type of cats your after small channels will sometimes go after  bass baits on the bottom and they love anything putrid and nasty your are talking to totally different types of fishing for cat fishing here i chase BIG flatheads  i use a good 8ft pole with a good bait caster and at least 80lb braid with custom steel leaders if around the rocks the flat heads here on the border love carp we use live carp  from 3/4 to a pound sometimes if we cant catch any carp we use bluegill or sunfish  a throw net is the fastest way to get bait but you gotta know your water or you'll tear up a net fast  

[JuniorFisherJJ08]

Use your flippin and Pitchin rig for catfish. If you dont know what catfish your going after heres what i would do. Go to walmart, Pick up a dbl Leader(has 2 places for hooks) some treble hooks and circle hooks. Along with no more than 3/8oz sinkers(lakes) smaller for ponds larger for rivers. Also get some chicken liver. Throw chicken liver on the Trebel hook(bottom of the 2 leads) and Shiners or minnies on the top. If your catching flats go to all minnies if your catching channels go to chicken liver.

[husonfirst]

I'd go with black.  Also, something that moves lots of water.  Black jitterbug for topwater or a big black plastic worm.

[-FisherGal-]

Night fishing for Bass is almost as much fun as fishing during the day, esp tournaments.

I dont know where you are fishing at, but around here I like black/red, black/blue, black/purple, or any combination of those, spinner baits with those huge Colorado blades.  Any kind of craw in black/blue does good, if you Texas rig them. And if you want to use a worm try a cherryseed finesse worm or a black trick worm.  But, hey you can still use those cranks at night too, they do work!

[roadwarrior]

Fish the same baits, same locations, and same techniques you would during the day. The only thing different I add to my repertoire at night is a Q-Beam!

Hmm...

Seems like I have heard that before. Might be somthing to it...

8-)

[Siebert Outdoors]

Alot of times I will not use a light.  I will fish in the dark.  This will make you a better fish by feel fisherman.  

I think Chris had a post on this very subject of color not to long ago.  It was a real good read.

[Little Luey]

When fishing at night I always have two things that have nothing to do with what you throw at the fish, insect repelant and a flashlight.

Agree with the chicken liver suggestion, put some garlic salt or vanilla extract in the container, bring a towel to clean your hands and anything the liver touches. I usually do the carolina rig with a 1/0 hook for the livers/nightcrawlers and put a bell on the rod while I cast with my other rod. I f you are far away from the city you can do a bomb fire, it is fun and keeps the mosquitos away.

[benlee1]

I fish alot at night, here in Fl. My favorite rig is a Berkely Powerbait 10' worm in black. with blk. brass bullet weight that rattles, Texas style. If fishing heavy cover I'll pin weight to worm. That brass weight rattling helps alot. Hope this helps.

[BUCKEYEone]

For starters I would go with the black spinnerbait suggestion and add a black (or dark color) buzzbait.  I was out last night and they killed a buzzbait, but wouldn't hit a spinnerbait or topwater frog.  bug spray and flashlight are a must.  Last night I skipped the light and almost stepped on a water snake on the bank!

[backpain...]

I find the toughest thing when the sun goes down is to keep confidence in slower moving baits and I find myself starting to seek out more noisy, attractor type baits. Having said that, when I stuck to the 4" finesse worm on a shakey head I finished in the money for the first time in a tourney (I have only fished two tourneys both at night)with 2 bass in the last 10 minutes bwfore having to boogie back for weigh in. So I have to keep reminding myself that though it is dark the fish CAN and WILL find my bait.

[BassNub]

Bass anything dark colored, catch fish, cut hotdogs will do the job

[Scruffy]

Never had good luck Bass fishin' at night. Catfish mostly, but I'm a Bass man, myself. Good luck to you though! Are you going to be using those glow in the dark bobbers?

[BUCKEYEone]

Had another great night fishing outing tonight.  Only out for about an hour and landed my new PB at just over 6lbs on a black/purple 3/8oz football jig with a paca chunk trailer!  I couldn't wait to tie on a buzzbait, but got called back to the house by the boss

[Z06-VETTE]

For bass, big black Colorado blade spinnerbait seems to work wonders at night. I find this works best in water with some weeds but enough room for you to bring it along over the top.

Yes sir.....A black spinnerbait at night is deadly.

[Z06-VETTE]

As far a catfish,they will come to you.I've used its called Bloodbait.just get a set of good circle hooks.Bait up and sit it on the bottom.Set ya bait alert/line alert and wait.