4 Ways to Catch More Bass at Night

Summer nights bring some of the best fishing of the year for largemouths and smallmouths alike; however, bass behave differently under the stars than they do in the daylight, and catching them consistently calls for altered approaches.

1. Roll a Big Blade – Fish turn largely to lateral-line feeding at night, and no offering creates more “thump” than a BOOYAH Moontalker spinnerbait. Equipped with a single oversized Colorado blade, the Moontalker sends out strong vibrations to help the bass find it. Designed with a black nickel blade and available in four dark colors, a Moontalker also is easy for bass to see at night because of maximized contrast. Bring it back slowly and steadily, turning the reel handle just enough to keep the big blade turning, or work it down a sloping bank by lifting the rod and then allowing the bait to fall again on a tight line.
2. Get Wooly – YUM Wooly baits offer a thick body style that bass can hone in on in the dark; plus they feature Live Prey Technology, which prompts fish to strike. For largemouths, Texas rig a 4-inch Wooly Beavertail or 4-inch Wooly Hawgtail and bump it across a hump or the top of a point. For smallmouths, work rocky banks with a 3-inch Wooly Hawgtail. Wooly Beavertails and Wooly Hawgtails suggest crawfish, which tend to become active after the sun goes down.
3. Stroke a BOOYAH Boo Jig – Stroking is a specialized jig presentation, which draws hard strikes from largemouths and smallmouths alike. A BOOYAH Boo Jig, with its twin magnum rattles, is ideal for the job. Use a black, black/red or black/blue Boo Jig, dressed with a 3 1/2-inch black neon or black/blue flake YUM Chunk. Make a long cast across a flat and let the offering fall all the way to the bottom. Work the bait back with severe, sweeping lifts (almost like a hook set motion), letting the bait fall between every “stroke.” If you don’t feel foolish working the bait, you probably aren’t sweeping the rod fast enough or far enough. Most strikes will come on the drop.
4. Wobble a Jitterbug – If you like big thrills and big bass and have the patience to continue throwing a bait all night for a few huge strikes, a 4 1/2-inch Arbogast Jitterbug is the bait for you on summer nights. The presentation is elementary. Make long casts and reel the bait back slowly, so it gurgles steadily across the surface. Don’t add jerks or pauses. The hard part comes when a 10-pound bass comes out of nowhere and blows up the surface after three hours of complete silence. IF YOU DON’T FEEL THE FISH, DON’T SET THE HOOK. You don’t want a 1 1/4-ounce plug with three treble hooks flying back toward the boat in the dark! Instead, keep reeling. Usually the fish will come back and finish the job, and you’ll know it when she gets the lure.