Is Bass Fishing Good at Night? (Big Bass Fishing at Night)
Nighttime gives some of the finest chances for capturing a large bass on any given day. Many anglers like to fish for bass after the sun has set because the action can be spectacular.
Nighttime offers some of the best bass fishing you can have in late spring & summer as bass are more active in reduced-light, can see better than the food items they eat, and reduced pressure from other anglers. Dark-colored or noisy baits fished slowly can deliver big bass at night.
| Season | Best Times of Night to Catch Bass |
| Spring | Late spring post-spawn — nighttime bite can be great. Early spring night by is poor. |
| Summer | Great night bite for bass on full and new moon nights. Cloudy nights will be slow. |
| Fall | Great late evening and night fishing early September as bass chase baitfish balls. |
| Winter | Night fishing will be slow but bass will bite late evening until dusk. |
There’s a decent possibility of catching some of the most giant basses in any particular lake in North America at night as well. In this article, we will completely break down the benefits and negatives of fishing for bass night.
Please check out this very helpful guide to the best times to fish for largemouth bass. It contains a ton of helpful information about the best seasons for largemouth bass fishing, how largemouth bass fishing changes throughout the day, and tips for largemouth bass fishing times.
Seasonal Night Fishing Breakdown
Spring
When the water temperature rises over 50 degrees, bass fishing begins to shine. Bass begin to migrate into shallow regions in quest of a suitable spawning location. They will be easy to find and lure in during this time, as they feed heavily for spawning.
The weather can significantly influence the fishing during the pre-spawn phase when water temperatures typically range from 50 to 65 degrees.
The bottoms are dark, and the sun’s influence is strongest; the water heats the fastest. Remember that snow melts quickest on south-facing slopes in the landscape in the winter.
In the same way, the light warms the south-facing slopes of coves. Small shallow bodies of water, like ponds, will also warm up faster than larger quantities of water.
Night fishing in the spring is ideal between sunset and midnight. The water is still warm enough for bass to be active but cooling down for them to still act minorly lethargic.
Click here to learn about the best bait colors for bass fishing. You may also be interested in learning the best water temperatures for largemouth bass fishing.
Summer
When the weather warms up in the summer, and the water temperature rises into the 80s around daybreak, the fishing becomes more difficult. There are times when it appears like there are no bass in the river or lake.
I recommend using topwater lures along the outside edge of vegetation during low light conditions or later in the day. When the sun is up, use a fluke or plastic worm in the grass near a drop-off to deeper water. Another alternative for summer fishing is to use a heavyweight (1 or 2 oz.) to punch a weedless jig or creature bait through the milfoil and hydrilla weeds.
During the summer, some bass migrates to deeper water. Suppose you’re fishing a lake with little or no submerged vegetation. In that case, you may go towards creek channels and focus along their bends or even try to locate fish near rock formations.
Alternatively, I recommend fishing points with felled trees reaching into deeper water. Fish can be caught on humps in deeper water as well. The problem with summer fishing is that the fish are dispersed.
The best time to lure fishing at night in the summer is in the middle of the night or early morning. When waters are the coolest, the first will be the most active.
If you want to catch big bass in summer, you need to check out this complete guide I wrote. This thing is jam-packed with valuable insights and tips to catch more bass. Bass fishing on cloudy or overcast days will be a lot easier if you read this comprehensive guide I wrote.
Fall
When water temperatures drop from the 70s to 60s in the autumn, fishing usually starts again as bass begin to eat for the winter.
Bass tend to follow baitfish and may frequently be found in shallow water where baitfish cluster. Bass can also be seen along rip-rap around dams and on wood and concrete structures like bridges.
The water flips over in the fall as cold showers or cold days chill the top waters quickly enough to become cooler than the waters deeper in the lake. This aids in the transportation of oxygen-depleted air from the depths to the surface.
When oxygen levels are low, bass become less active. So, if one location isn’t producing bass, try another. However, never abandon a fish to go in search of a new one.
Nighttime fishing in the fall should be done around sunset. It is best after a sunny day when water temperatures are higher.
Winter
Fishing is challenging throughout the winter and early spring when daylight water temperatures in lakes and rivers remain below 45 degrees. Bass are still lethargic at this point, and while they will bite, it will require a lot of patience to find them.
Nightime fishing in the winter should be done right at sunset when the water has had the entire day to warm up.
Check out this link here to view my complete bass fishing gear recommendation list, including rods, reels, baits, gear, etc. I have field tested a lot of bass gear and these are my recommendations.
Do Big Bass Feed at Night?
The night vision of largemouth bass is superb. The eyes of fish contain far more light-gathering rods than human eyes. Nature appears to have endowed bass with the ability to eat both at night and during the day.
Big bass hunt in the shallow during the night, making it ideal for luring one in. I recommend using big swimbaits and slowing your fishing down. The best color to choose is probably black. The rods in a fish’s eye movement to the front of the retina in low light while the color receptors recede.
This improves the fish’s light-collecting skills while decreasing color perception. Since black is the densest hue, it shows up clearly, giving the greatest visual target against the bright surface and night sky.
Benefits of Fishing at Night for Bass
One of the advantages of bass fishing at night is that it is usually cooler. This implies that the bass may prefer to feed at night when the temperature is cooler than during the day, especially during the summer months.
Another benefit is that you will interact with larger bass than you would during the day. All bass will be found in shallower waters hunting baitfish.
Negatives to Fishing at Night for Bass
The negatives to nighttime fishing involve your own skill and less of the actual fishing. Fishing at night is more cumbersome; moving around on your boat and selecting your baits becomes increasingly difficult in the dark.
You could use a headlamp, of course, but headlamps have been known to scare off large bass as they look for darker colors against the moonlight rather than bright ones.
Best Time of Day for Bass Fishing?
There are three significant times during the day to catch bass. That is during the night, late afternoon, and early mornings.
The greatest time of day to catch bass is, without a doubt, at night. Bass have been observed feeding more intensively at night than at any other time of day.
Not only is the night the ideal time to fish for bass since bass are more active at night, but there are also fewer fishermen and less disturbance on the waterways. Summer, in particular, is an excellent time to go night fishing. Before the heat and sunshine return, bass will take advantage of the lower water temps and low light to feed.
When the sun sets, bass will start to eat again, taking advantage of the lower light conditions. Late afternoons, like early mornings, may produce ideal conditions for topwater lures. This is especially true during the summer months. However, you may need to experiment with different retrieve speeds to see whether the fish prefer a quick or slow retrieve.
Bass fishing may be pretty productive in the early morning hours. Baitfish activity usually spikes around dawn, when light levels are still low. A minnow or shiner is generally the finest bait for bass in the morning. If you prefer to use artificial lures, bear in mind that topwater poppers or plugs should perform well when fished near shorelines or vegetation.
How to Catch Bass at Night
Finding fish late at night isn’t all that tough. The calm of the night draws fish to the primary structure that had been overworked throughout the day. At night, that lovely rock pile fished to death during day may become a genuine hotspot.
Fish come up shallower under cover of darkness than they would during the day. It’s not uncommon to see fish flushing out baitfish in barely a few feet of water against the shore.
During the summer, shallow running crankbaits or topwater lures can be used to catch these fish. A superficial night bite might occur during the colder months. But this time, jigs, spinnerbaits, and swimbaits are the baits of choice for big fish.
In general, you should fish the same places at night as you do during the day. Bass will not go vast distances for the sake of a single night.
If you want to catch bass in the evening, I strongly recommend you check out this helpful article I wrote. If fishing for bass in the morning, please check out this complete article we produced.
Can Bass See in Dark?
Bass can see roughly half as well as they do during twilight when the light is relatively bright after dark, such as during full moons. Bass have a remarkable sense of sight and, owing to physiological differences, can see at night. When ambient light is present or water clarity is excellent, their night vision is enhanced. Bass are effective night hunters due to the structure of their eyes.
Bass can see more explicit pictures at a greater distance with more light. The quality of their vision deteriorates as they dive deeper. Because bass can perceive color instead of shadows and movement with greater light, lure selection becomes more crucial.
The water might turn murky or muddy during or after a downpour. If the weather is bad before or after you cast off, keep in mind that bass can’t see well enough to find food. Switching to a bait that contrasts with the surroundings will help the bass see it better in murky water, especially in the darker surroundings of night.
Bass are actively hunting food at night, whether the water is clear or foggy. To maximize your chances of a good excursion, make sure you have the proper gear on hand regardless of the water conditions.
What Colors Do Bass See at Night?
Switch to bold color combos like green/orange or even red/chartreuse under a full moon or on a clear, star-filled night. Choose red/black, blue/black, or green/black for partially overcast evenings. Bass tend to see the reflections of colors against the moonlight or lack of it, therefore chose your bait based on the amount of light in the sky.
Daytime vs. Nighttime for Bass Fishing
Nighttime is arguably better for bass fishing because bass will be higher in the water column and taking advantage of cooler water temperatures. Due to excellent low-light vision, bass have a tactical advantage over most of their prey species.
During the day, bass go deeper within the depths of the water, hiding from warmer water temperatures and lower levels of oxygen. When nighttime rolls around, the same bass come out from their hiding spots and hunt in shallow plains of water.
During the winter, bass will hunt when water temperatures are warmer, usually the hours around sunset.
Moon Phases & Bass Fishing
There’s also the issue of the moon. Of all forms of fishing, night fishing would seem to be the most impacted by the moon. However, in my experience, the phase of the moon has minimal bearing on the bite. Season and weather always win out over the moon.
That isn’t to argue that moonlight isn’t valuable. Consider the moon to be a second sun. The moon’s rising and setting can cause a slight spike in activity, similar to but not as intense as dawn or dusk. This happens on a full moon when it is obscured by clouds until around 2 a.m. The moon’s rapid arrival caused the same type of bite as a moonrise.
Although I don’t believe it influences the bite, picking the appropriate phase will make your life simpler. The moon phase will affect how much light and at what time of night you will have.
If you’re looking for moonlight early in the evening, try fishing around the first quarter. If you’re looking for moonlight late at night, try fishing around the third quarter. Fish under the full moon for a bright moon all night and under the new moon for no moonlight.
Finally, the finest fishing will be at dawn and dusk, followed by night and daylight daily. Some people believe that the second part of the night is better than the first, but I disagree. This may happen if the water you’re fishing receives a lot of night fishing pressure in the first half of the night.
Which Baits Work Well at night?
The best night bass baits have two things in common: mass and color. Crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and buzz baits are large, bulky lures that move water and attract attention. The commotion is heightened by rattles.
Color is straightforward. Black is the color of the moment, just as it is in fashion, where the little black dress never goes out of vogue.
To match the black skirts, some anglers paint the spinner and buzz bait blades black. Others like a two-toned bait with black and red, chartreuse, or blue colors. The idea is that black creates the maximum contrast when observed from below the water by lurking bass against the night sky. Take a white spinnerbait out on a full moon night to liven things up.
You want to pump some water around, generate a lot of noise, and produce vibrations that attract fish. You should also hook any fish that comes your way. The ideal combination for action and hooking up is a slow and steady retrieve.
After dark, avoid using a stop-and-go action. Bass have trouble finding the source and won’t come to a sound they can’t locate until they’re directly under the lure.
Are Bass Active at Night?
At night, bass can become more active than during the day, especially in summer on full moon nights. Cooler water temperatures, increased water oxygen levels, and better reduced-light vision than prey give bass incentive to feed aggressively at night.
Bass will leave their deeper spawning grounds at night to hunt in the shallows. Transitions, where there is deep water near the shore, are the greatest night fishing spots. As they migrate up to feed, bass will accompany those movements. Drop-offs, points, channel bends, and ditches are all great places to fish at night.
In short, bass tend to be more active at night than they are during the day.
Do Bass Bite Lures at Night?
Bass do bite lures at night, but they have trouble keying in on baits fish too fast. By fishing slower, noisier baits methodically, you will increase your chances for nighttime bites.
Because bass tend to ignore baits at night, reducing the number of jerks or pops will typically result in more bites. Slow and steady generally wins the race at night. On full-moon nights, bass will have no trouble finding the lures and will be hunting frantically, as they will be able to see much better.
What is the Best Time of Night to Catch Bass?
The best time to catch bass at night are in the 2 hours after sunset and in the 2 hours before sunrise. During these windows, bass will be more aggressively feeding.
After a hot, sunny, and tranquil day, the most productive nights generally occur. The best time of night to catch bass on days like these are the few hours after sunset.
Anglers get an advantage by enhancing their visibility during the full moon period, which increases fish activity. Fish will frequently congregate during the night in regular “day locations,” but they may migrate to shallower water.
