Night time Bass Fishing

[TUrainbow88]

Hello all,

I am about to fly fish for Bass this year. Its my first time!!! I was wondering, can you fly fish at night for Bass? What is the right fly to use? Any help would be much appreciated!!! Thanks

 

[Fishidiot]

Absolutely.

I don't fish at night much anymore but when I was younger I hit bass rivers hard with conventional tackle at night. Most of my fish came on surface lures like Jitterbugs. For fly fishing at night I just stick to the usual stuff. There's a widespread belief (which I agree with) that black flies fish best at night. Have some black poppers and streamers. Don't be surprised if, when you're fishing streamers, you get a walleye or two. Rock bass and channel cats hit well at night too.

 

[mrchunk]

I agree with Fishidiot. I don't necessarily think you need to go at night thou. Dusk was always most productive for me for hula poppers and jitterbugs. When it got dark, the fishing always seemed to shut down a bit and it became hard to avoid the swooping bats. You'll have a harder time with fly line in doing that!

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear TU,

I always did better in the early morning and the evening. I found that smallmouth bass pretty much shut down on the rivers I fished once it got dark.

I like to be able to see what I'm doing and where I'm casting so I stick to mornings and evenings. Being on the river when it's shrouded in early morning fog and you can just smell the fish is where it's at for me. I also believe that if you get a cloudy dreary day you can fish all day long and still pick up fish.

I fish mostly foam poppers and clouser minnows, any color as long as it is chartruese works for me too.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[Pittflyguy]

Just finished out a weekend in Erie and the popper fishing in the evening was pretty good for LMB. SMB I had much better luck with through the morning and even some at mid-day (go figure). I had great luck with a white pencil popper and a black popper with a cupped face that made quite a bit of noise. That hour between dusk and dark for me is the magical one.

Good Luck and Tight Lines!

BTW.... don't forget to strip strike!!!!

 

[FlySwatter]

I grew up fishing for bass a night out of canoes and row boats. I love it! There's a surreal aspect to night fishing that I really enjoy.

I know some folks in the south fish plastic worms at night for bass, but that misses the best part (IMO): hearing the strike! There is usually a din of crickets, frogs, etc. You have to focus to hear the take.

I found that there is a flurry of activity just before dark then the bass shut down for an hour or so, maybe to adjust to the dark. Then things pick up and peak at dawn.

I prefer a deer hair bug or gurgler with a thick body made from semi-absorbent materials. I think the sound of the fly landing is key. I cast to within a foot of shore or structure then let the fly sit for a while. If nothing takes, I’ll give it one or 2 short strips then cast again a few feet down the shore.

The great thing about a fly rod is you don’t have to bring all the line in and recast each time. This is key to not going too crazy when night fishing.

We've gotten some real swamp mosters at night. It can be great. Just be careful & safe.

 

[pwk5017]

I fish smaller lakes and ponds at night all the time. I always fish with conventional gear for ease, but maybe I will try out the fly gear this summer. We have caught some real monsters(5+ pounders) on the 4-5" jointed jitterbugs. Also have done well on the larger size original floating rapala--like the 5-7" ones in silver and black. During bright moons, I have fished super shiny mirror finish crank baits and done very well. I certainly never expect a lot of bass when I fish at night, but if I get a take, it is always over 18+, so the fishing can be slower, but when its on, its really on.

I usually fish 10pm-1am/2am when I do fish at night. Midnight is usually a pretty good hour.

 

[cricketontherun]

As the summer starts warming up my girlfriend and I do a lot of night fishing for smallies with poppers and sliders. We refer to it as Jedi fishing! Usually white poppers, but black has worked for me too. I'd advise against heroic casts at night and keep it short and sweet. If you're stream fishing like us; swinging is the way to go. Besides hearing the take; the line is already tight in the current, so the hook up is immediate. I would also agree that the bite slows a bit at night fall then usually picks up again an hour or two after it's been dark. Hell; sometime 3am is where it's at! Bottom line; if you've never chased smallies after hours; Go for it!

 

[Fredrick]

Pittflyguy wrote:
Just finished out a weekend in Erie and the popper fishing in the evening was pretty good for LMB. SMB I had much better luck with through the morning and even some at mid-day (go figure). I had great luck with a white pencil popper and a black popper with a cupped face that made quite a bit of noise. That hour between dusk and dark for me is the magical one.

Good Luck and Tight Lines!

BTW.... don't forget to strip strike!!!!

I want a cool pic with a bass in my hand and a rod in my mouth too

 

[TUrainbow88]

Thanks a bunch for the info guys!!!! I bought a black mouse fly and the website said its best used a night? I like to fish at night with my girlfriend with spin rods and using chicken liver, worms, you name it!!! Anyway, one night a Bass came near to the shore chasing the alewifes and got one!!! Huge splash 5 feet from where we were fishing. So I started thinking about wading out a few feet and cast near the shore in hopes of lurering in a Bass. I want to try this Black mouse and see how it works. Will post pics if successful!!!