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Summertime Bassin at night

Monday, July 20, 2009

As my boat slides from its trailer into Lake Monroe, and the sun begins to slide behind the western horizon, I can’t get Edgar Winter signing they only come out at night, out of my head. Regarding summertime bass fishing, his lyrics often hold true.
Night time opens up the water. Areas that you might not be able to fish during the day due to boat traffic or swimmers are feasible fishing spots at night. Until I recently fished a night tournament on Lake Monroe, it had been awhile since I’d targeted bass after dark. I had sort of forgot just how much fun fishing at night can be. The relaxing affects of glass smooth water and cool summer air are added bonuses to the often hot, night bite.

Other than the necessity of navigation lights, night fishing isn’t all that much different. Shallow water cools at night, drawing bass up to feed on crawfish and bait fish. A few small adjustments to your normal daytime tournament fishing will be necessary for night time success.

I watch my line much more a night than I do when I’m fishing in the daytime. A tip for night time fishing, is to have a black light onboard your boat. A black light will greatly enhance your ability to monitor your line, which of course, helps with bite detection. Fluorescent line will glow under a black light.  When throwing at the bank, a bright bow light will help light the area. Check the brightness of your boat’s light and determine if you may be able replace your bulb for a brighter one. Black lights and bow lights can be purchased in most tackle departments. It’s a good idea to have suction cups on the bottom of black lights for easy installation and removal, but also to ensure an accidental bump doesn’t send your light to the bottom of the lake. A head lamp is another great lighting source to have onboard.

Lure selection at night is rather simple. Texas rigged plastics work great. I prefer 7 to 10 inch black or purple worms.  Black and blue jigs with pork or plastic trailers are also a good choice. Recently, I discovered a half ounce shakey head jig rigged with a plastic crawfish fished on points and breaks can be a big performer as well. The half ounce jig head allows you to get to the bottom quick, while providing great action.  Perhaps the highlight of bass fishing at night though, is the top water bite.

Arbogast still makes the good ol’ Jitterbug that remains a night time favorite for many anglers.  In the shallows, and in back of creeks and coves, a black Jitterbug can produce explosive strikes. There are few greater fishing rushes than a largemouth destroying a top water bait in the dark.

Make yourself a nighttime fishing check list, and make  sure someone at home knows where you are fishing. Let them know when you’ll be back, and at what time they should start worrying. Be sure to know the rules and regulations for running your boat at night. If you plan to use a spot light, respect the campers on the shoreline.
The dog days of summer have their advantages, and night fishing is one. Being on the water after dark is an exhilarating experience. The weather is often perfect, the sounds of silence are inviting, and bass, like most predators, do a lot of their hunting under the protection of darkness. If its been awhile since you bass fished at night, now is the time of year to do it.