Night Tourneys

[GorillaWarfare]

In a couple months I am going to start fishing a night tourny roughly once a month. I was wondering if anyone had a few suggestions of what works well for them during the night. Last year I worked black spinnerbaits and the occasional buzz bait with limited success. This year I have added a jitterbug (black) and have went to War Eagle black spinner with some purple in it. Are these logical color combos for night? Also I am considering trying to work some soft plastics but I don't have a lot of experience with these. What would you recommend for colors and set ups? I was thinking probally larger profile baits at night as they would move more water and be easier to find but as I said I really don't know a whole lot about this. I greatly appericate your help and any insights/suggestions are welcome. Thanks in advance.

-Nick

[JB]

Nick,
Looks like ya have most of the basics covered on the correct baits, a black worm or jig may be added to that arsenal.
You may want to now try to figure out places to fish and try to keep on top of the fishing scene a week prior to the night tournie, so you'll have some idea to what the fish are relating to that time of year, and how they can be caught...its always a changing thing when you are fine tuning your game!

[K-Driz]

Last summer was my first time fishing a night fishing circuit. The big bait on the lake I fished was a 1/4oz texas-rigged, Prowler Slim Jim with the tail dipped in chartreuse Dip N Glow.

[GorillaWarfare]

Thanks for the insight. I have also considered using cranks (lipless and Norman DD22s) mainly in darker colors (midnight blue with flake and black with red on sides). A friend of mine swore by them but they really didn't produce much for me. Would these be best around docks (especially with lights) or possibly around points?

[Rebbasser]

Nick, if you don't already have one in the arsenal, add a black spinnerbait with a big, single Colorado blade-puts out more vibration and is easier for bass to find in low light conditions.

[GorillaWarfare]

Reb

I have one with a big red colorado blade. I heard once that I should use a black blade. I assume both have their time and place but what purpose do these different colored blades have? Thanks..

NICK

[Fish2win]

GW, I hope you are using a short armed single spin with that Colorado. The strike King mid night special or the Hoppy's are an example. Tip the bait with a pork frog to slow its fall. Slow rolling can be very effective when the fish are shallow. Overall the lift and drop or Yo Yo method is usually best. Let the spinnerbait fall to the bottom.Lift the rod from 10 to 11 and allow the bait to fall back . Most hits will come when the bait breaks over and the blade chages rotation. That at the top of the lift so stay in touch with your bait. Scented baits like Berkley or Yum are good at night in soft plastics. Try Red Shad or Tequila Sunrise along with blue fleck or black. Up in the summer a 10 inch worm can be better than a 6 or 7. I also have used a suspended jerk bait with good sucess early in the summer like May and June. Bass are very good at finding the bait in the dark. Vibration and smell seem to be more important at night than during the day.I have caught bass on full moon nights on a black or red crankbait. Good luck. Up here in East Tennessee nocturnal fishing is a way of life. Fish2win

[Patrick Krueger, Jr.]

Rattletrap makes glow in the dark models that have caught me monsters at night.

[1FASTLASER]

Ahhh...nite tourneys THE BEST. You pretty well got it covered. A couple of tricks in my arsenal. On the black spinnerbait a #5 deep cup colorado with a rattle attached to the arm is KILLER with the added attraction of half a power worm in black shad as a trailer and SLOW ROLL. The smallies cant stand them and will KILL that bait. When thrown around the lighted docks on a lake in Pa I used to fish alot almost had the rod ripped outta my hands SEVERAL times. Its that good a bait. And yes the larger baits usually produce better due to the water they displace. Good thinkin bud.

[GorillaWarfare]

Thanks for all the tips. Also could someone explain the different colored blades on spinnerbaits for me? Thanks

NICK

[bassnman30]

One thing to be aware of is if two boats are side to side, theres a good chance that one of these boats will have a good string. Next tournament the same may hold true and the other boat may have a good string.
One boat can "give" his fish to the other and then on the next tournament it's just the opposite.
That is simply called "cheating".

[bassintom]

and unsportsmanlike conduct...grounds for being ejected from the tournament,club or trail,etcl....is cheating really worth being despised by the entire bass fishing community?...not for me..and if i saw someone cheating i would tell the officials....unlike any other sport we (bass anglers) have high standards of conduct which i believe should be enforced...we are under the magnifying glass(and in the crosshairs so to speak) of every enviro wacko group out there lest we forget.
it is up to each and every one of us to protect our sport.if we slip on a banana peel the wackos are all over us. and i am very surprised they don't use example of say that guy that was just banned from competition and kicked out of B.A.S.S. to further their agenda.(i may have just gave them an idea)................anyway,,here's your soapbox back.

[1FASTLASER]

Bassnman

Funny u should mention that but its true. There are some sob's out there that cant win fair and square. When I was in Pa dealt with my first Cheater and wanted to actually beat the chit outta him. We had a draw club (new partner evrytime) except when you didnt know if you where gonna fish or not so therefore we would let you fish and bring a partner. Well this person did it 4 times in a row and brought the same person. Putting my boat into stealth mode one night run up on this person and guess what I caight them doing. I found there bass basket tide up to a dock. Well needless to say he was ousted from the club immediately but the 3 previous tournament wins where lost and 2 of them belonged to me. I did get the recogniton on paper but the cash as well woulda been nice. After a very strong shall I say cussin out he proceded to load his boat and then proceed to the local hospital and have what was left of his nose fixed. These tourneys where held at night so my point is......be it night or day be HONEST and always keep a watchful eye. The person that is a so called friend just might be in disguise.

[Fish2win]

Not only was he a crook he was a stupid crook. He must have been one real insecure person. How could it be worth the risk to win a club tourney with the smaller purse and then lose the respect and acceptance of every bass'n man in the county.
I have seen it myself over the years laser but it still amazes me at how stupid some folks can be.
Would I take a chance of going to prison for a few thousand , heck No. For a few million? Maybe, but it would have to be a really big reward to take the chance.
Rules only keep honest people honest. A Thief is always A thief, Fish2win

[1FASTLASER]

I tell ya Fish2win it amazes me as well that someone would stoop so low. Just the other day found out another person was caught "with a basket". He didnt fair so well after the fact. Probably gonna be outta work for more than he "thought he won",NOBODY knows how he repeatedly fell down, and the local sheriff department has charges pending. Like u stated how in the hell could someone get satisfaction from a so called win like that. I would feel so guilty that I would tell on myself. Shoot I get nervous if I am fishing a say a topwater and see a bass bust the surface drop that rod and grab a spinnerbait to make a long cast and see that I didnt get the topwater bait completely outta the water. I know that is extreme measures but I want to win because I DID it and without breaking any rules. Sorry bout the post didn't mean to jack it.

[bassnman30]

A man who robs a bank may be forgotten about in a week. If a man cheats in a bass tournament he will be remembered for life.

[bassintom]

In Louisiana, Missouri angler Paul Tormanen was charged with felony contest fraud after admitting to tying six bass to stumps before the start of the Nov. 10-12 Red River Bassmaster Central Open. He weighed the fish over the first two days of competition, not knowing that one of his fellow anglers discovered one of his tethered bass during a practice round and marked it for identification. Tormanen was busted and disqualified from the tournament, where the winner took home a fully-rigged Triton boat and Mercury motor along with $10,000. He was banned from BASS competition for life. If convicted, he faces maximum penalties of a $3,000 fine, imprisonment for a year, or both.

got this off some website...good for the S.O.B.


Paul Tormanen.....CHEATER!
i'd sure hate to be this sorry bas****


here's his mug shot

[Fishing4Soup]

My dad fishes almost always at night and he catches a ton of bass on a black jitterbug and a jig in black and blue skirt.

[GorillaWarfare]

Thanks for all the input. I'll try to win a couple .

-Nick

[lizardsrule]

Now how in the world did no one mention, lizards or zipper worms, in any dark color, black, green pumkin, etc... They have the benifit of moving a lot of water, with the lizards legs and tail, and the zipper worm has a lot of water movement. Sounds like you have a good handle with the night fishing, get a head light for tying hook/baits, a Black light with flourescent line(only time I use mono anymore) A trick I learned from a great old fisherman, is to paint your baits(hardbaits) completely, and I mean completely, hooks and all with FLAT BLACK spray paint. Another good tool is a spook, or a Hula Pop-R. If I could fish at night instead of the day I would in a heartbeat. Some of the real toads come out at night. I try to key on any flat that is adjacent to deep water. Without a doubt the Painted Black Jitterbug has produced more big fish, and quantities of fish than any other bait during the hotter months. Good fishing, hope you win a few.

Lizards