Things Go Bump in the Night
By Chris Jenkins

The dog days of summer can be tough. Last month, I provided you with a contact for tarpon that will change your perspective of fishing forever. This month, the voice inside my head says, “Go night fishing.” Actually, April 23rd was my first night out this year. I caught 12 bass on a Gambler Bacon Rind, and I’m still sticking an Eagle Claw in them. Now I will admit that night fishing is not for everyone. It can be frustrating at times, so if you are a beginner, make sure your casting is up to par.

Some other things to consider before night fishing are preparation, lure selection, and location. With over 100 night trips under my belt, hopefully I can help you out. In preparing for the trip, take only what you need. I take a backpack and three St. Croix rods. Bug spray, lures, and a head lamp are obviously mandatory. Three factors determine lure selection: color, sound, and taste.

The first one is the easiest. Anything dark seems to work the best. A bass only sees a silhouette at night, so keep it simple. Secondly, the sound a lure emits is crucial to me. You may not think a soft plastic lure makes any disturbance in the water, but you are wrong. The pulsation and vibration of a multi-appendage creature bait and big ribbon or sickle-tailed worm can be detected by the lateral line of a bass. This allows the bass to hone in on an object. Adding rattles or a glass bead below your weight can provoke further interest from the already nosey fish. I am a firm believer in a Stanley jig, and a long time ago I discovered the bottom half of that Gambler bacon rind makes for a great trailer. I also bring two shallow, two medium and two deep diving, rattling crankbaits. Notice I said two. You always want a backup because the one you lose is the one they are hungry for. Years ago, I thought the only way to bust bass at night was on the surface. You live and learn, they say. But I don’t leave home without a couple surface baits just in case. Now I have all three levels of the water column covered and they are in the backpack.

Now, let me relay the importance of taste. I don’t care how good you are at fishing; a bass can inhale and reject a lure quicker than you can stub your toe. I have gone to set the hook only to whip slack because the bass had gone completely under the boat. When you can’t see, you have to rely on instinct. Now that bass and many others would not have held onto that lure if it had not tasted edible. Berkley, by far, surpasses anyone with their scent impregnated soft plastics. If what you use works for you, then by all means stick with it. That goes for anything I ever mention. I am not here to steer you wrong or sell you any lakefront property. As I was saying, the better it tastes, the longer a fish will hold onto it. Anything that puts the odds in your favor will in turn put more fish in the boat. I ordered some five-inch Berkley Bungee power hawgs through the mail last month, and I could smell them before I opened the box. Need I say more?

As far as location goes, fish a place that has produced bass for you in the daylight hours. Nighttime is not the time to experiment or venture out on unfamiliar bodies of water. Try to avoid slime-coated lakes or hydrilla fields, for obvious reasons.

My fishing technique is the same at night as it is in the day. I am working brush piles, laydowns, grass lines, and drop-offs with soft plastics and jigs. I like to use crankbaits and spinner baits (Colorado blade) on points and flats, paying attention to the thermocline. The thermocline is the region in a thermally stratified body of water that separates warmer surface water from the colder deep water. For example, picture a house for a moment. The basement is cold, the attic is hot, and the middle floor is just right. Bass will stack up on secondary and main points in the “just right” zone.

A word to the wise: since it is very quiet at night, noise is a factor. I use my Minn Kota trolling motor as little as possible, and I try to avoid using my depth finder when I can. If you are interested in the effects of lunar phases, based on my experiences, e-mail me for additional information. Otherwise, fish whenever you can. On another note, there is a blue cat bonanza going on at the James River right now. I have met some bottom-fishing magicians in my life, but one stands out like a drag queen at a tractor pull. His name is Chris Eberwien and this guy gives new meaning to the phrase “freaks come out at night”. If he doesn’t put you on some freaky big cats at night, I will start bobber fishing for crappie. Ow! That hurts! Don’t worry, it’s not happening. This guy guarantees citations and he holds the James River record. So rather than battle melanoma, give night fishing a try. You can contact Chris Eberwien at (804) 449-6134. Or e-mail me.