I used to night fish all the time.  I used to tighten the cast control knob just a bit more than if I were fishing in the day.  After the I make a cast I'll slowly lift my rod tip up slowly while thumbing the spool to let a couple more feet of line out before engaging the spool.  This will pull out any loops or small overrun that may have happened during the cast as leaving these can cause you problems on the next cast.  

 

As far as baits, as some have suggested, any color works, just work them a bit slower.  like the jitterbug, a Deps buzzjet is really hard to beat if the topwater bite is on.. Good luck!

I'm still newish to bait casters, so when I know I'm going to be fishing after dark I bring along a spinning outfit as a backup because I also wouldn't see a backlash that well.  

 

I also have a light on my hat & a 90-degree light I can hang on my bag/coat.

 

Fishing at night is pretty cool, but like Bill Cosby says - "10:00, that's when all the monsters come out!"  

Go to the pond like you normally would except close your eyes

GOOD QUESTION....I FISH LOCAL PONDS OUT IN THE OPEN OFTEN AND I RARELY DO AS WELL AS I SHOULD....I USED TO CATCH ALOT MORE FISH AT NIGHT AND I THINK THE KEY IS TO FISH SLOWLY REGARDLESS OF TECHNIQUE.

 

I USED TO ONLY USE BLACK TOPWATER LURES AT NIGHT GROWING UP AND I REMEMBER LOSING MY LAST BLACK TOPWATER LURE WHICH WAS A HEDDON CRAZY CRAWLER. BASS CRUSH THAT LURE AT NIGHT AND THEY WILL FEED OUT IN OPEN WATER MANY NIGHTS DURING THE SUMMER SO MANY TIMES I WOULD HAVE SUCCESS FISHING OPEN WATER WITH ZARA SPOOKS IN DEEP WATER WITH SUCCESS.

 

I HAVE LEARNED THAT BASS ACTUALLY HAVE A SIGHT ADVANTAGE OVER SHINERS, SHAD, AND OTHER FORRAGE IN LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS, WHERE THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE DURING THE DAY ACCORDING TO RECENT STUDIES FROM IOWA UNIVERSITY....I FISH WITH SWIMBAITS, JIGS, SPINNERBAITS, RATTLE TRAPS, AND I LOVE TO SWIM A SASSY SHAD SUBSURFACE OR BOUNCE IT ON THE SHORELINE AT NIGHT AND I WILL USE ANY DARKER SHADE THAT ALSO HAS SOME ELEMEMENT OF FLASH, SOUND, OR CHARTRUESE COLOR....

 

I NEED TO GET OUT MORE AT NIGHT AND SLOW DOWN BECAUSE BASS ALWAYS SOUND AND FEEL SO MUCH BIGGER AT NIGHT. I STILL LOVE THROWING TOPWATERS, BUT MY FAVORITE IS THE RAPALA J-11 IN BLACK AND SILVER FOR SURE WITH A SLOW WAKE. ALWAYS GETS A FEW,