Night fishing for bass question

[kc]

As I said in a previous post , I use lights at night on my boat when fishing for bass on lake Cumberland. With th black light I can see my line ok but not much on the bank. When I use the green light I see the bank much better but worry that the green light may spook the bass.

any opinions as to whether the green light spooks the bass???

I have night fished for bass for decades and I never use lights. Generally at night the fishing is bottom oriented whether with spinners or jigs / plastics and what is best IMO is to develop a keen sense of feel and quick hookset reflexes rather than depending on "line watching" with lights. With that thought in mind I have learned that your rod and line are keys plus I tend to use slightly heavier weights than I might while using similar techniques during daylight hours to keep better bottom contact. I still use mono on my spinner bait rigs but I have evolved to use braid with a fluro leader on jigs / plastics for the improved sensitivity. On using quality rods I remember jig fishing years ago with a friend at night and he was popping them right and left with his new GLoomis MH casting rod as I kept missing them. He must have put a dozen in the boat while I think I may have managed to stick one although I was getting bit. He put down his jig rod to throw a spinner for a while and offered for me to try it and I put 3 in the boat in minutes although we were fishing the exact same jig I couldn't feel the bites well on my cheap a$$ rod. From that point on I have been collecting GLoomis rods (and others) for the improved sense of feel - fast action but light. Brush up on your feel and ditch the lights...

kc

[bassinrookie]

Thanks KC, very helpful. I will try without lights on my next night trip.

[crappiepappy]

Oh yeah, Rookie .... I forgot to mention that back in the day when I was using the Moon Glow lights, I was also using 17# test Cortland braid (white with a green strip around it). I had to, so that I could see my line in that dim white light of the Moon Glow. And actually, I really didn't "really" need to see the line, as the braid let me know I was being bit even when my eyes were not focused on the lighted line. The only thing the Moon Glow really did was let me know how far away the bank was, and where to go to retrieve a errant cast that was hung on the bank or in a bush/tree. The rod I was using was a 7' Kunnan ... and it's still the rod I use now to "worm fish" for Bass at night.

Oh, and don't forget : the law says you have to have your transom light on after dark (and it may offer you a dim view of the bank in the darkness of Cumberland).

Luck2ya !!

[bassinrookie]

Thanks crappiepoppie

[Moveon]

The hardest part of night fishing along the bank if seeing how far away the bank is. The bank looks farther away at night than it is and I ended up throwing my baits on the bank more than I wanted.

I remember going duck hunting years ago. We would get up at 3 am and be on the water an hour or so before daylight. I set up the decoys where I figured they would be about 40 yard out from the blind. When the sun came up I found the decoys were much closer to the blind. Things look different in the dark.

I found trying to cast baits at night was more difficult. If I had to do it over again. I would use a weed less setup. A worm with the hook buried into the plastic worm making it easy to retrieve.

[BRS]

The scuba diver seem to answer the question fairly well. Light woke the bass and bass swims off. Full moon, I tend to fish the dark side banks maybe a little more then the lighted banks thinking the bass like the dark better then the light. But no matter I am a black light user and will most likely keep on using one. I like seeing my line and knowing when it hits the bottom. I just like it. I want to think all you fellows on the report of the braided line and the report of the rods with such sensitive feel. Great report.

[fishincreek]

Am a blacklight user. Recently switched to braid and use blue fluorescent P-line for leader. Use about 12 foot of leader, which can be seen by bl, which I can tell how deep my bait is at all times.

[4given]

Moveon how did you know the bass was asleep, did they have their eyes closed or were they snoring? Just kidding, you may be able to tell when a bass is asleep. I swear they are asleep about half the time when I go. Now as for the Loomis commercial, I have a high dollar Loomis but most of the time at night I reach for a Kistler or a Falcon. But that's your choice. Now young man let me share some knowledge from someone who has been night fishing for over 50 years. Like most of bass fishing there is no set rule. Learning as you go along is half the fun. I too used a moonglow and I still have one. But I use black lights now. But light is relative. I have seen the time when some knothead comes down the lake shinning a spotlight and it turned fish off for hours. But I have seen the time when i caught fish on a bank immediately after a bowfishing boat goes through. Was the light the problem or the solution? I have fished with fanatics that would not allow the glow on the end of a cigarette ( I don't smoke). And I have fished with those who use two white lights, both successful. It's sorta like which bait is better, a spinnerbait, a jig or plastics. I've caught good fish on all of them at night.So here is my advice, enjoy yourself. Use what make you comfortable and have fun. I fish tournaments because I like the competition. ( I know I'm too old, this may be my last year). But i have friends who are good fishermen and would never fish a tournament because that is out of their comfort zone. Fishing is about having fun.when you go don't think about all of the if's, just have fun. If you decide to fish tournaments, spend more time on the water. think while you are there. Don't worry about lights or baits. Instead focus on what the fish are doing. try to set a pattern from that information. And it may be helpful to fish with someone older and more experienced to help you do that. But most of all don't get spun out just have fun and learn.Sorry Moveon and Loomis guy, no harm meant. I apologize.