Families come out of the woodwork for barbecue, boating, and summer fun when the summer heat begins. All of this sounds fantastic, but I get what you’re thinking-bad fishing-as a bass angler. This is the time of year when nighttime fishing starts. A true bass angler enters the scene once all the boaters and picnickers have returned home. However, having the appropriate strategy is essential if you want to succeed, and night fishing is challenging and calls for a somewhat different approach. The good news is that catching bigger bass at night may be highly profitable by taking a few easy steps.
Gadgets used for Catching Bigger Bass at Night
During day fishing, we are used to a particular gear, but the game changes when the sun goes down. Let’s talk about some equipment variations. Here are some things you need to do when bass fishing at night. Being a bass lover, we provide you the best braid lines for bass fishing.
Dark/ Black Light
Purchase the blue fluorescent monofilament and combine it with the black light of the boat. This blend is great because it makes the lines stand out like an underwater laser. The better you can see the line, the more likely you will catch the base.
Many of these dark lights are directly fixed on the boat, making them difficult to spot during the day. You can lower them when there is a lot of moonlight or raise the brightness when the moon is not bright much for you because they highlight all slow angles and even darken some.
Head torch
When I go night fishing, I always bring some headlight, usually a flashlight combo and a headlamp. These are fantastic since I can take the light off and hold it in my hand or place it on my head for situations where I need both hands to be free.
This equipment is crucial since you’ll need it to draw the hook out, net a bass stuck to the side of the boat, or take a fast nighttime photo of your catch. You’ll need both hands free to work well, so carrying a flashlight won’t do.
Bug Spray
A new source of calamity arises when bass fishing at night: mosquitoes. If you forget to bring bug spray, you won’t need to worry about the other pieces of equipment because you won’t get bitten. You’ll be too busy hitting and swatting yourself the entire night!
Don’t forget to bring bug spray. My previous experience with bug spray was not good because I unconsciously bought a common one, but you can search for high-quality alternatives. You must have a look at famous types of rigs for bass fishing.
Auxiliary Battery
Night-time bass fishing always adds a small risk factor, so I recommend getting ready for all possible circumstances. You must have planned everything so you will not be caught in the worst condition. By packing some backup batteries, you may avoid becoming stuck in the dark when you need to find anything in the boat.
Scissors
Two gear parts are used while fishing during the day or at night. However, I believe it is crucial to highlight them here. After you hook a bass, the pliers will help you form the hook appropriately and remove it from the mouth. If you are intended to use braided lines, they are used to cut them.
Night Fishing
Since I can remember, nighttime bass fishing during the summer has been popular especially. I’ve heard many tales from old-school fishermen that predate my lifetime about how men like my dad would work all day, launch their boat at dusk, fish until dawn, take out, and go right back to work.
Families emerge from hiding as the summer heat rises for picnics, boating, and other summertime activities. Even though it all may seem fantastic, as a bass angler, I get what you’re thinking: lousy fishing. The season when nighttime bass fishing starts to pick up is now. The true bass fisherman comes out to play after all the boaters and picnickers have gone home. However, having the appropriate technique is essential if you want to succeed. Fishing at night is challenging and calls for a slightly different approach. The good news is that bass fishing at night may be profitable if you take a few easy steps.
Night Bass Fishing Tips
It’s time to discuss some of the top nighttime bass fishing techniques. These pointers and tactics will enable you to be in the ideal location at the ideal time and be fully prepared to catch the upcoming bass that strikes your hook.
Keep it simple
Do you want to be fiddling with a deck full of rods or challenging presentations when it’s dark out? Keep your boat deck free, only bring out one combo at a time, and only use straightforward presentations with your gear.
Transitions in fish
Bass will leave their deep water habitats at night to hunt in the shallows. Transitions with deep water close to shore are the finest places to go night fishing. Bass moves up to feed as a result of those shifts. Ditches, points, bends in channels, and drop-offs provide great night fishing targets.
Make it thump
Bass rely only on the information their lateral lines provide them with to survive in the absence of light. What matters is vibration. For the best chance of success, use large Colorado-bladed spinnerbaits, large jigs, vibrating jigs, and large worms. Remember that you shouldn’t finesse fish at night.
Be patient
Don’t count on the night to draw large crowds. Instead, exercise patience and recognize that you’ll usually have to compromise quantity for quality. There will be a feeding window where the fish will bite if you maintain a low profile and keep your bait moist. Even if it’s only for an hour, magic can happen within that time. Grab the knowledge about do bass eat bluegill.
Avoid overusing baits
In addition to employing vibration-producing baits, attempt to work them as little as possible. Keeping the other jerks or pops to a minimum will typically result in more bites because bass tends to ignore baits at night as it is. Slow and steady usually prevail in a race at night.
Weather
Any nocturnal mission should consider the weather. It is good to go fishing in the spring when the new and full moon occurs. Ideally, three days should pass before and after. You want stability with the springtime climate and the bass at night. The night bite starts to improve where I’m from in the Midwest around the end of March. Then, I’ll start keeping a fairly regular eye on the day and nightly temperatures. I’m hoping for a few weeks of warm days and pleasant nights.
Better still, if I can coordinate all of those ingredients with a favorable moon phase. I would advise leaving during a brief storm if you can. I’ve experienced some of my best moments on windy and stormy evenings. It is never worthwhile if lightning is present.
Tackle: If you go bass fishing at night, you don’t need to bring your complete arsenal. In actuality, only a small number of baits will work after dark.
Jigs
I like to throw a black and blue, 3/8-ounce Strike King Pro Model flipping jig. The Yamamoto Double Tail Grub or Rage Tail Craw are the baits I prefer to use with the jig. Those two trailers are both excellent choices. They both produce a great deal of vibration. I favor dark colors, such as those with blue-black flecks. A larger silhouette is produced by the full skirt, which is simpler for bass to spot.
Frogs
My choice for the best bait to throw while bass fishing at night is topwater frogs. The coolest sound is probably the sound of a topwater frog being swallowed. They won’t come up for one on some nights. Some nights it’s impossible to keep them off. I’ve discovered that color doesn’t matter all that much when I’m throwing a frog at night. For bass fishing, you should know what type of bass hook sizes are better to effect bass.
My initial preference will be a black frog, but I’ve also had good luck with green ones. A popping-style frog works best when I want to catch large bass at night. I’m using a strong rod, a fast reel, and a 65-pound braid to throw a frog.
Get prepared before the sun set
Even though you might be tempted, resist planning a last-minute fishing expedition to an uncharted location. That kind of thinking is risky. You must be familiar with the area well enough to avoid stumbling upon difficulties or getting lost. Knowing the area could save lives in an emergency. Although it may be tempting, doing so could put you, your equipment, and even other people in danger.
Open your topographic maps first, then use Google Earth to look up all the regions you want to investigate. Just go ahead even though it will be heated. Make a list of potential roadblocks and perhaps even a rough map to show where they may be. Fishing is much simpler in an area you are familiar with than in a new one.
Special tip
Make sure to note if there is a transition region (to deeper water) close to the locations you wish to fish if you truly want to boost your chances of hooking into a huge bass!
Safe yourself first. No excuse
While the importance of safety during the day cannot be overstated, it cannot be compromised at night. Have your PFDs with you, be prepared and aware at all times, be aware of the weather, and use the proper navigation lights. Wear a PFD at all times during night fishing. No matter how proficient you believe, yourself to be in the water. Your swimming abilities won’t help if you slip and get hit in the head. Have a deep understanding of what beginners should do during bass spawning season to catch it.
You may frequently prepare for a collision with things in broad daylight. You often have less visibility throughout the night, which increases your risk of being knocked off balance and into the water. Unhooking fish hooked up by many hooks on lures during the night is also more challenging. Ultimately, it’s always best to sit down whenever you can.
Stay calm and organized and set the boat and everything
The organization is a crucial safety measure. This will improve your fishing experience and keep you and the boat safe. The happiest night of your life may be ruined if you step on a loose hook. First, keep your deck clear. You shouldn’t have to navigate through a net, your tackle box, or the PFD you should be wearing. Make sure everything has a home before you leave the dock, and plan how you’ll use your equipment to avoid any problems out on the lake. Next, consider lighting. Keep a powerful flashlight close by to alert oncoming motorboats of your location.
If you’re moving, turn on both your stern and bow lights. Make sure all of these parts are in good operating order and have fresh batteries on hand before you leave the dock. Finally, respect the water and the natural forces.
Learn love how to low light
Anglers are used to seeing what they’re doing and keeping an eye on the fishing line or even the bait when fishing during the day, but this is rarely achievable at night. The majority of the time, at night vs. during the day, intuition and a feel for your tackle become more crucial. Utilize sensitive rod and line and add the heavier tackle to understand better what’s going on.
It is easier to see on evenings with a full moon than on nights with a heavy overcast. The benefit of light nights over nights for fishing is still up for dispute. As fishermen, we know that sites with more light (such as docks, piers, and bridges) frequently have more bait fish, resulting in a greater number of huge predators.
For some forms of fishing, it’s a good idea to use as few external-source lights as possible, but it’s not necessary for others. Using a headlamp is the greatest choice when you need a little light. It’s simple and hands-free, making it an excellent tool for releasing fish and tying fresh lures. Additionally, most headlamps have subdued red or green lighting settings, which are less obnoxious to fish and simpler for your eyes to adjust to.
Rig Several Rods
Setting up a few of the same rod-and-reel configurations that can be rigged with the same (or different) baits can make rapid changes simple for those times when the bass can’t get enough of you. This may seem stupid, but it will lessen your need to become used to how different rod and reel combinations “feel” and how they cast and perform. Additionally, if you ever need to re-tie, you won’t have to employ your light. For instance, if you’re casting with a bait-casting rig and get a severe backlash, you can utilize a spare rod already set up. For those who are trout lovers, we provide you with the best rods for trout fishing.
Special tip
You can use a spinning reel setup if the fishing area you’re at doesn’t call for accurate casting!
Use of Baz baits
Buzz baits are the best producers when the wind is present at night. At night, I attach a soft plastic piece and a trailer hook to the back of my buzz baits. The addition of the trailer hook will aid in brief strikes and provide the bait weight for longer casts. Watching a large bass pound your buzz bait as it gently gurgles down a windy bank is just way too much pleasure. The buzz bait blade’s rivet may be clamped down to increase squeak and squeal. You may also slightly bend and adjust the buzz bait’s blades to cause the bait to move more slowly through the water.
Is it Necessary to alter Your Lure Color according to the Moon Phase?
Oh, yes. Your choice of fishing lure color should be influenced by the amount of moonlight, just like cloud cover during the day. It would help if you choose solid black, brown, or blue on evenings with little or no moonlight.
The fish can notice the silhouette of your bait more easily because of the dramatic contrast between the lure and the surroundings. Change to something more daring on nights with plenty of light. The colors green and orange or red and chartreuse work well to draw the fish’s attention. If you are beginner and don’t know much about bass fishing lures we provide you with the best bass fishing lures for bass.
Best time of year to go Night Fishing for Bass
Most of the country’s midsummer seas are brutally warm, which is bad for fish and fishermen. Weather the weather is one of the most crucial aspects to consider. Consistency is essential in bass fishing in the spring and at night. For the majority of fishermen, spring will begin in late March. Start keeping an eye on the daytime and nightly temperatures around this time, mainly searching for a few weeks with warm days and nights. It is advised to leave during a small storm if you can. Stormy and windy nights have been some of the best for fishing.
SAFETY FIRST, YET AGAIN. NOTE THIS…
Do not venture outside or into the water if you see any lightning! … No justifications, ever. A lightning strike can result in severe harm, long-term disability, or even death.
The best locations for Bass Night Fishing
Here is a collection of comparisons created just for you. It contrasts typical daytime places where bass might be found with nighttime sites where the same bass might be found. It clearly illustrates how your positioning techniques must change once the sun sets.
Day Time
Night Time
Lily pads
Immediately underneath lily pads
3- to 5-foot-long feet projecting from the lily pads
Minimal Vegetation
Not typically present
Will be observed cruising by or near these regions
Stumps
Are seen nearby or concealed under its shadow.
Will be observed traveling through or around the borders of a stump field.
Weedbed submerged.
Concealed in pockets or on edges
3- to 5-foot-long feet projecting from the underwater weeded.
Lights, docks, and marinas
Located closest to the shore at the back of the dock. Usually found halfway out from the dock
Will set up shop on the opposite corner of the dock light if there is one.
Points
Seen condensed in a compact space
Will be observed to be farther apart.
Son, keep it down! Noise
I mean, consider that the daytime noise is one of the reasons you are out at night. Be sure to keep to yourself, especially on a motorboat, and be stealthy. All the noise you make while positioning a trolling motor, continuously running engines, moving objects around in the boat, or dropping an anchor will work against you. You should turn off the engine when you approach your location and make as few moves as possible. Use a paddle without splashing for going up close to regions or extending your drift away from impediments.
Configuration – Spot-Lock
Find you’re fishing spot first. After dark, you can be sure that the bass will eat at a good structure like a good offshore hump or underwater bar. Then use one of two techniques to lock in your position.
Method 1: You may save your position on the sonar map if you have a smart trolling motor, which will automatically adjust to keep you there.
Method 2: Use an anchor and a Drift Sock
Drop a simple anchor off the bow and a drift sock off the back as you troll past the desired location. Because you won’t be “drifting,” any surrounding currents will cause the drift sock to inflate and “pin” your boat to the exact location, providing you with the best throwing angles.
A helpful hint is to wait at least 20 minutes after you’ve anchored to move your boat while still fishing. Try to spend some time wandering about and looking for new places each night. But when we’re anchored, things usually go best.
Ringing The Dinner Bell
Bass begins to move away from ledges, high points, and submerged islands towards the deeper, cooler waters when the afternoon temperature rises. They gradually ascend back into the shallows as the day grows cooler. Send out incredibly loud, brash lures to meet them as they travel. When the conditions are right, baits that create the greatest noise, have the loudest sound, or vibrate the most will result in those jaw-dropping strikes! All the work and planning you put into making the night successful will be rewarded when a massive lunker bass smashes your jig or spinnerbait. If you are interested in saltwater fishing, you must go through the best saltwater fishing reels to make your fishing trip best ever.
Final Thought
The fishing doesn’t have to end there, though. Some of the largest basses I’ve ever caught have come just as the sun is setting. Everyone should occasionally attempt fishing at night because it is a unique experience. Pay attention to the weather, travel light, and use the appropriate lures for the situation while keeping all the safety advice in this article.
I hope it’s okay that I went above and above. I merely wanted to provide you with the best guide possible on catching bass at night and how doing so can be exciting and pleasant. Keep in mind to plan, be cautious, pick your sites carefully, and select the best lures for night fishing.
Oh, and there’s still something. Before leaving, call the employer and tell them you won’t be in tomorrow. Happy reading, and stay safe!
Frequently Asked Questions about Catching Bigger Bass at Night
Glow-in-the-dark lures—do fish like them?
To mention a few, trout, pike, and crappie all favor glow-in-the-dark lures. Not so much for bass. Glow-in-the-dark lures also attract saltwater creatures.
Is a net necessary for night fishing?
Absolutely, yes. You need a large, enormous net to rapidly and safely pull in the fish without running the risk of slipping and falling into the murky water.
Can you go fishing at night?
Unless otherwise indicated, night fishing is legal in the majority of states. Consult your local game and fish department. Always get consent before fishing on private land.
