Night Fishing

[airmcnair8888]

I live in PA and we've been having some trouble fishing into the night... (actually fishing in general). Senkos and Tiki Sticks havent been working... What colors are the best for these...? I used Watermelon Red Flake for the Tiki's today without a bite.
We've been using different topwater lures & poppers and frogs n such when it got dark... What else, besides topwater lures, are good to use as it gets dark?

Also, anyone familiar with lakes around the Pittsburgh Pa area?

I've been taking advice from this site for awhile now but it seems like everyones south of Pa where the big bass are... You've seen how low the weight total was for the Bassmasters. Should I not be trying such big baits... This summer has just been trouble for us...

Thanks

Chris

[FishySkater]

I havent been having much luck with the fish lately either. I was told it was probably because it was so hot that the fish just didnt want to move. Whether thats trtue or not i dont know. I would just say try everything you have over and over again and hope for the best.

[IL.bassin]

Try stuff that moves water or makes noise it'll help the fish find it in the dark.


Hey are you gona change your display pic to the Ravens logo?

[WTL]

I'm no nightfishing expert, but I use hairjigs a lot of the times when I go. You know crawfish make up 63% of a smallmouth's diet!

[airmcnair8888]

Don't start with that...haha... I stay with the team not the player... McNair, even though he is in Baltimore, is forever a Titan.... and myname will continure to be airmcnair8888 for everything i need a username for...

Yea i've basically went to a lake today at round 5 and started with senkos.... nothing... tried and rapala jointed shad rap for awhile... nothing.... Caught to pee pees on a Yo-Zura Stickbait... twitched it cuz its pretty shiny.... tried topwater for awhile but didnt have too much luck.. i shoulda tried more stuff deeper although my fasha was using a deep crank... Im no good at choosing what colors to use...

Like for the jointed shad rap.. I have Blue Shad, Shad, Baby Bass, Red Crawdad, Perch, and Walleye... Do I just pick one? It would take awhile going through each one to see what they hit... Cuz thats only one style of crank it would take forever to go throuh every crank I have... especially if i found out they dont want a crank...

[airmcnair8888]

So are the bass all deep by now.. this time of summer?

[JB]

If the water is fairly clear go with any of them that is natural in color and the fish in your lake are used to seeing..if you see crawdad mounds on the bank or if its a full moon week, try the crawdad color...if its stained water, you may choose a brighter color like firetiger .

[lizardsrule]

C-rig, and yes I would downsize my baits. Try some 4" Worms. The Zoom Dead Ringer's are pretty good baits IMO.

Lizards

[ohio_bass_fisher]

i do just about all of my fishing at night, because i work a third shift job so i try and keep my same schedule all weekend, but what works really well is a black jointed jitterbug, 8' worms usually black or junebug, scum frogs are a really neat bait except the hook sets can be a little hard sometimes, but thats realy all i use and have great sucsess, but it really comes down to trial and error finding what works for you acorrding to structure, depth, and so forth.

[zooker]

ohio 8' worms?? dam...

i have been using 10" junebug on a c-rig at night and it has been working for me.. try it near creek channels or near any currant area -moving water is cooler than still water..



zooker

[ohio_bass_fisher]

lol 8 inch yah i figured my bait would eat the fish

[senko]

at night try a black buzzbait or a big black jig or worm...




i havent had luck either,i have only caught 3 fish this year.

[lizardsrule]

Originally Posted by lizardsrule

C-rig, and yes I would downsize my baits. Try some 4" Worms. The Zoom Dead Ringer's are pretty good baits IMO.

Lizards

OOPS Meant to downsize during the day, but not at night, water movement/noise/vibration is the key at night, and dark colors.

Lizards

[WIbassfisherman]

I just was night fishing last weekend. Buzzers, Larger spinner baits with single colorado blades, crankbaits, and rogues all produced fish for me. Largest was 3 lbs.

[Hef]

I have most of my luck at nite with a spinnerbait with one large colorado blade.

[DonnieDarko]

strike kings midnight special spinnerbait...

[bassintom]

i never fish deep at night.i've won may night tourneys fishing extremely shallow.but.....there has to be deep water nearby.i have done well using(dare i say it?)4"red shad powerworms,black jigs,black jitterbugs,purple or black zoom 7"worms and berkely makes 4 and 7" power worms that are black w/red glitter tail(think it's midnite fire)and black w/blue fleck tail.these are killer sometimes.
i prefer to stick a rattle in all soft plastics at night just because.
some times you have to cast(i prefer skipping)right to the bank.if they aren't biting there,just keep moving out a little deeper.just a couple feet at a time.you will find the fish.
sunday morning i was out just before dawn.we were catching big(3 to 5lb)LM and SM in less than a foot of water(water temp 79-82 degrees).it was overcast and windy so the pattern held up well into mid morning.
the fish are not always deep in the summer especially at night.

[Fish2win]

If the fish were not hitting top water before dark they most likely wont after dark. This time of year I preferr Texas rigged worms or short armed single blade spinnerbaits. If the fish are shallow a crankbait might be a good choice.
Fish dark colors. Fish bigger lures like 10 inch worms or colorado no 5 blades.
The depth may be shallower than during the day but not shallow. For the last month I have been catching the majority of my fish at night between 10 and 15 feet deep. During the day they have been 20 to 25. Just before daylight they may move up in less than 5 feet of water.
Look for the bait and the depth the bait is using. No concentration of bait ,no fish.
Fish2win

[FlyRod]

Originally Posted by airmcnair8888

I live in PA and we've been having some trouble fishing into the night... (actually fishing in general). Senkos and Tiki Sticks havent been working... What colors are the best for these...? I used Watermelon Red Flake for the Tiki's today without a bite.
We've been using different topwater lures & poppers and frogs n such when it got dark... What else, besides topwater lures, are good to use as it gets dark?

Also, anyone familiar with lakes around the Pittsburgh Pa area?

I've been taking advice from this site for awhile now but it seems like everyones south of Pa where the big bass are... You've seen how low the weight total was for the Bassmasters. Should I not be trying such big baits... This summer has just been trouble for us...

Thanks

Chris

Chris,
Read this excerpt from another thread. It might help.
Use a worm with a fairly thick body, perhaps no shorter than 6" in length. I further recommend a "gator"-style worm; one with a more sickle-shaped tail as compared to the ribbon tail of something like a 7" Berkley Power Worm. Remember that you want a lure that will displace and disturb a lot of water on it's falls. The wider sickle tail might cause a slower fall as well, and that means the worm is "active" for perhaps a few precious seconds longer as it is falling. You might also consider a 5-6" curl-tail grub.
Next, make a rattle insertion tool. But...rather than take up space here... you can PM me for instructions on how I make them.

Now, if you have a worm that displaces a lot of water, has a rattle, there's one factor left to address...scent. It's up to you as to whether you use a worm that is impregnated with an attractant, add attractant, etc., but all I can say to that is that I'd make application of a good scent about every 5th cast, and THAT is if the worm/grub already stinks to high heaven.

Steve, so far we've thought in terms of "worm". A recent experience at a lake here in Texas compels me to offer another suggestion; behold the "SenkoTikiYumDingerWhatever."!
Last Sunday AM, around 0530, a 5" Tiki with a RATTLE inserted right behind the bend of the hook (Texas Rig) caught four in a row for me when the usual suspects had failed me. No monsters, but at least something bit!
While the water in that lake is pretty clear, and you are mentioning muddy water, it was moonless and dark as Hades so the same principles apply.
Think a moment...Soft stick, T-rigged = pretty slow fall. A periodic little twitch as it sinks makes a rattling noise...Hmmmmmmm. Add scent...Wow!
BTW, it was a green pumpkin/chartreuse swirl 5" Tiki, not the traditional black most would choose for the "night shift". I'm willing to bet that color played NO role.

I've used up enough bandwidth for now. PM me if you wanna learn more. Maybe we can link via phone...easier!

F.Rod

[airmcnair8888]

Thanks, def gonna try that