Become a Bass Fishing Pro-Tips for Fishing Bass at Night-Bass after Bedtime

Want to know how to lick a hot weather slump in bass fishing? Go after 'em at night. Daylight fishing often goes badly simply because the bass have knocked off to cool their fins in some deep hole where you can't reach them. But at night it's a different story. With darkness and cooling water they move back in to shore where they cruise about looking for such tempting tidbits as minnows,frogs,bass bugs,and Hula Poppers.

Blackout casting poses problems,but you'll leave fewer lures hanging in trees if you use your flashlight sparingly so your eyes adjust themselves to the gloom. You can cut down still on overshooting and backlashes by making shorter casts. From a fish-taking point of view,a short line works as well at night as a long one does,probably because bass grow bolder under cover of darkness and let you get closer to them.

Being bolder at night,bass come into open water they normally avoid in daylight. So don't be surprised if you get no action in your favorite daytime hotspots and raise bass where you normally never find them after breakfast. Take your water as it comes instead of concentrating on just the coves,pockets and weed beds-although you'll find them there too.

The blacker the night,the better your chances. A full moon and sky full of stars may make a romantic setting,but bass like total darkness better. They move about more,feed more. So fish when it's dark-and fish when it's late. Each hour of darkness means still cooler water and more active fish. The best fishing usually starts after midnight.

Most fishing writers advise using an all black lure at night,on the theory that the fish can see it better against the silver surface of the water. That may be so. But a white or yellow plug is easier for you to see,and you should think of your convenience too. In my experience,color isn't that important; it's the noise and action that attract the fish to the lure,and to many baits as well. Just be sure to make them kick up as much fuss and sputter as you can,for at night bass are likely to slam at the cause of the disturbance without studying the situation first. Set the hook when you hear the slosh,and don't be surprised if it feels like a big one.