At night, bass will leave their deepwater haunts to hunt in the shallows. The best night fishing locations are transitions where there is deep water close to shore. Bass follow those transitions as they move up to feed. Drop-offs, points, channel bends, and ditches are all excellent night fishing targets.
What time of night is best for bass fishing?
As with all things bass fishing there are no hard and fast rules but generally speaking the last hour of light, dusk, into the first hour of darkness then during the midnight to dawn hours are the most productive. Remember, this is but a general rule of thumb when fishing in the dark.
What do you use for bass at night?
In general, fish the same areas at night that you are finding fish during the day. Bass won’t move long distances just for the night. The lures I use most at night are spinnerbaits, topwater, jigs/plastics, crankbaits, and swimbaits. As a general rule, use lures that are bulky and dark.
What time of day are bass most active?
In Conclusion. Most times of the year, bass fishing is best around dawn and dusk. Focus on the hours of dawn until around 8 am and 5:30 pm until dusk in the late spring, summer, and fall. During the late fall, winter, and early spring focus fishing efforts around midday for bass.
How do you catch bass in its bed?
Pitch the lipless crank onto the bed, and let it settle on the bottom. Once resting in the bed, lightly shake it – enough to make it rattle without moving off the sweet spot. Bass on the bed are particularly sensitive to sound, so it shouldn’t take long for big mama to come “grab” it and move it off the bed.
What color lures work best at night?
Quick answer: The best colors for night fishing are dark colors like black, red, and purple. These colors surprisingly show up better than bright colors because they leave a clear outline against a moon lit background.
What colors do bass see at night?
Color is an obvious factor when choosing a lure. Let your experience be your guide, but listen to the science, too. Bass see colors as bright, green, red and dark—and that’s about it.
Is night fishing good on a full moon?
Many experienced anglers will tell you, “There’s no good fishing when the moon is full.” The conventional wisdom is that the end of a lunar cycle adversely affects your chances of landing a fish two days before and after a full moon. Since the moon affects the tides, it’s no wonder why many anglers feel this way.
What colors do bass see?
Bass apparently do see color. Their vision is strongest in the areas of medium-red to green. It fails rapidly moving into the blues and purples, as it does towards the far reds. If our picture of bass color vision is accurate, then color is meaningful to bass in some cases but not others.
What depth do bass swim at?
While productive depths during the early summer are dependent on the lake, I like 6 to 12 feet of water. During the height of summer, bass may move as deep as 15 or 20 feet, especially in clear water. Fishing crankbaits along weed edges is a proven summertime tactic for big largemouths.
How far will bass travel in a lake?
Another study found that over 90% of the bass tagged and released moved a great distance, many traveled up to 16 miles away. This supports what I found in my study on Lake Eufaula. Some bass would be caught by anglers near where we released the fish while others would show up miles away at the other end of the lake.
What month is the best for bass fishing?
April is the best month to fish for bass. Depending on your region, bass may just be starting to come out from their winter depths or already well into spawn.
Why are the bass not biting?
Bass don’t make big moves when conditions suddenly get tough, but they will reposition to a nearby location that provides them more comfort. For example, if you’ve been catching them under overcast conditions and it gets sunny, bass will move closer to cover and are less likely to chase a bait.
Can see fish but not biting?
Your leader could be too heavy given the water clarity or conditions and it may be visible to the fish. Try downsizing your leader to a lighter weight, and then see if you start getting a few bites. Downsize your hooks. You may also want to try downsizing the size of your hooks and bait if you aren’t getting any bites.
What lure catches the biggest bass?
Now, for the three best lures for catching a 10-pound bass.
- Big Plastic Worms. It’s hard to beat a good plastic worm. Image by Joe Balog.
- Swimbaits. Both hard-body and soft swimbaits work on big bass, east and west.
- Punch Baits. Punch baits need a compact profile and heavy tungsten weight to penetrate matted vegetation.
What is the best bait for bass right now?
Shad, minnows, or shiners are some of the best live baits for bass, hands down. Baitfish come in different sizes and can be used in all types of bass waters, but they are incredibly productive in deeper water to target huge bass.
Can bass see in the dark?
Largemouth bass have excellent night vision. The fish’s eyes have much denser sets of light-gathering rods than do human eyes. It would seem that nature has equipped bass properly to feed at night as well as during the day. Do not think that because you can’t see at night that the bass can’t either.
How do fish see bait at night?
The majority of fish can see lures at night, but their vision is limited. So fish depends on their other senses, which are slightly heightened, when vision is limited, to detect food or predators. As long as your fishing where the fish are, they will find your lures, even at night.
How far can bass see underwater?
The lens of a bass’ eye extends beyond the plane of the pupil giving the bass an exceptionally wide lateral field of view. Vision to its sides is monocular (sees with one eye) and farsighted providing at most a viewing distance no more than 50 feet in clear water.
What color are bass most attracted to?
Most expert night fishermen use black or dark blue lures. The theory is that these colors provide a more distinct profile when silhouetted against the lighter background of the water’s surface. Thus, a dark lure is easier for bass to see and strike accurately at night.
What color plastic worm is best for bass?
Black worms can be a versatile option for bass. This color can be ideal for all types of water, whether it’s clear or dirty. However, black plastic worms may work best if the water is a little murky or if during cloudy weather.
Elvira Bowen is a food expert who has dedicated her life to understanding the science of cooking. She has worked in some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens, and has published several cookbooks that have become bestsellers. Elvira is known for her creative approach to cuisine, and her passion for teaching others about the culinary arts.