Last week on our fishing page I wrote about catching musky at night and was asked how many anglers fish for BASS during the night. My answer is not many that I know of.

Bass get bigger for a reason and that’s because most anglers practice catch and release. Another reason I believe is BIG BASS move to deeper water during the day, but when the sun goes down, they move up into shallow water to eat and are catchable at night.

If you didn’t read last week’s topic on night fishing, here are things you need to consider. 1) Be familiar with the lake you’re fishing. 2) Make sure your boat has enough gas for that night. 3) Make sure all the lights on your boat are operational, and 4) Clear the boat of everything that won’t be used.

So, where to find Bass once the sun goes down?  During the day, bigger bass can relate to deeper structure like drop-offs, suspended over rocks, off points, humps and old river channels, so when the sun is high, take a boat ride and mark some (WAY-POINTS) like edges of weeds or the beginning of weed flats, outside of lily pads or shoreline rocks that are related to deeper water.

Bass will use transition routes to move up from their day locations to these shallow areas to chow at night. But if you can find an area that has lights near any of these locations, this could be the best fishing spot you will ever find on that lake at night. One such spot would be boathouses or docks with lights because this area will attract more baitfish. I suggest casting to the edge of the light.

As far as your lure choice, in clear water, soft plastic worms and frogs you use during the day near weed flats or lily pads will work, but use darker (BLACK, BROWN, PURPLE OR DARK BLUE) colors, because the dark colors create a silhouette against the water’s surface/sky.
BUT ask any old timer and they will tell you, at night Bass use their lateral lines more than sight to locate prey so, make some noise with your favorite topwater lure. In stained water a spinnerbait with a good size blade and because of the light, spinnerbaits with gold, copper or silver blade that reflects light could be a great lure.

PLEASE RELEASE WALLEYES OVER 24 INCHES. THESE BILG GIRLS PRODUCE MORE EGGS AND LARGER WALLEYES IN THE FUTURE.