Night Time Is The Right Time For Georgia Bass

“Cast over that way,” I told my partner. “If you hear a splash your bait is in the water, if you don’t hear a splash you are in a bush,” I added.

Why would anyone want to fish in the dark when you can’t see what lure you are using, can’t see how to tie a knot and can’t even see where you are casting? There are a bunch of reasons to bass fish at night here in Georgia this time of year. The most important to me is the bass are biting.

If you like temperatures in the 90s and broiling sun on your skin you will love day time fishing in Georgia in the summer. If you prefer to be a little cooler, try going after dark. No only is it more comfortable, most of the pleasure boaters, skiers and jet skis are parked.

For many years while I was teaching school I would go to my place on Clark’s Hill late in the afternoon on Sunday and fish until dark. At about 10:00 PM I would come in, take a shower, eat and go back out. After fishing all night I would try for the early morning topwater bite then hit the shower and bed by 9:00 AM and sleep the hot day away, repeating the process every day for a week.

I did this several times each summer. During that time I experimented a lot and found some patterns and baits that work for me. One of the bass clubs I am in fishes our July and August tournaments at night and I have done well in them, winning three of the past four night tournaments in July at Jackson Lake. Many people don’t like to fish at night but I love it.

You have to remember bass can see much better in the dark that you or I can. A bass’s eye can collect much more light than our eyes. They can find food in the dark with their eyes from star light and they can locate food with their lateral line even in pitch black dark.

If you fish at night key on two things – rocks and brush. I really like rocks because crayfish come out at night and feed on the rocks and bass are looking for them. Riprap and natural rock points and banks are both good.

Bass hold in brush at night and will hit a bait that comes close to them. I look for blowdowns and deep brush piles to fish in the dark. A lighted buoy is a good investment but you can tape a chemical light stick to your buoy to mark deep brush.

Brush around docks is excellent and it is even better if a light on the dock draws in baitfish. You can also see what you are doing. The only drawback, other than angry dock owners, are the bugs that the light attracts. They tend to fly to your face.

When fishing rocks and brush I use a black plastic worm Texas rigged with a light sinker or a jig and pig. Color really doesn’t matter in the dark but a black bait had a better silhouette against any light. Crawl the bait slowly along the rocks and brush, shaking it in place a lot. Rattles in the jig and worm help. You can not fish a bait too slowly at night.

Crankbaits and jigs also catch bass at night. I like a little light from the moon or nearby shore lights when throwing them. Fish both slowly and with a steady retrieve so the bass can home in on them. Keep both baits near the bottom unless fishing under a dock light. Color really does not matter much but I stick with black in both baits.

Give night fishing a try this summer. Put on some bug juice, keep your running lights on and catch some bass.