HOW-TO Articles
Night Bass
Actually, the arsenal you use at night is no different than what you use during the day.
By Bob Hood
If you are the squeamish-type kind afraid of things that go bump in the night, then you're missing out on one of the most exciting ways to catch bass, especially right now.
Nighttime bass fishing is nothing new. It dates back to the early days of artificial lures, although it wasn't very popular then, and it gained in popularity in the 1960s with the advent of the bass boat.
Today's night bassers' use mainly worms or lizards and spinnerbaits, but old timers will tell you that if you want the ultimate experience in nighttime bass fishing, you must try topwater fishing.
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If you are the squeamish-type kind afraid of things that go bump in the night, then you're missing out on one of the most exciting ways to catch bass, especially right now.
Nighttime bass fishing is nothing new. It dates back to the early days of artificial lures, although it wasn't very popular then, and it gained in popularity in the 1960s with the advent of the bass boat.
Today's night bassers' use mainly worms or lizards and spinnerbaits, but old timers will tell you that if you want the ultimate experience in nighttime bass fishing, you must try topwater fishing.
Power up your drop-shot
Take your drop-shot rig beyond a finesse presentation
30.Jun.2009
Editor's note: This article originally appeared in the May-June 2006 issue of FLW Outdoors Magazine. Learn more about FLW Outdoors Magazine and how to subscribe by clicking here.
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For anglers who live east of the Mississippi River, the term “drop-shot” often brings thoughts of deep water, wimpy rods, spinning reels, 6-pound-test and plastic worms the size of spaghetti noodles.
While many Eastern anglers automatically place the dainty drop-shot into the finesse category, Western pros Luke Clausen and Art Berry do not see it that way.
“Drop-shotting does not have to be a finesse technique for deep water,” Berry emphasized. “By beefing up tackle into the medium and heavy range, the drop-shot can be a total power technique in the shallows.”
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Fish Smart: Strategies That Supercharge Stickbaits
Don't let that intimidate you. Just watch the water temperature and follow this guide:
From 38 to 42 degrees, gentle pulls—not hard jerks—separated by long pauses are key. Ten seconds is the baseline; wait longer in colder temperatures. Go with a deep-diver like the new Sébile ACast Minnow.
As the water warms to 43 to 48, fish a suspending bait like a Lucky Craft Slender Pointer with a jerk-jerk-pause cadence. Use three-second pauses and soft jerks.
At 48 to 55 degrees, forget about pausing more than an instant and fish a Rapala X-Rap with a moderate to fast twitching retrieve.
When the water hits 55 to 65, switch to a floater like the Smithwick Rattling Rogue and twitch it in place over bedding fish. Keep it there till a bass mauls it.