hey guys, just wondering if any of you ever target them at night? most of my trips are at night time (due to the 95 degree heat and having 2 small children) and ive always done decent for largies but the lake im fishing is a great smallmouth lake, i just dont hear much about going after them at night.. feel free to chime in.

Don't get to night fish much, but I can tell you smallies will bite at night!

 

Jeff

 

 

Yes, you can catch smallies at night. 

 

This is going to sound like a boring reply, but just use the same baits/techniques you would in the day time (bait fish don't change color at night.) They may move shallower in the dark, but this is relative. Shallow may mean inches to 10' or more, and they may not move shallower at all.

The rare chance I get to target smallies at night has proven that they will certainly bite at night but tend to be much shallower than they normally are during the daytime. 

During the Dog Days of Summer - night ops for smallies is often a good bet.  I do it quite a bit late through July and right into September.  Fish will often move pretty shallow on dark no moon nights.  Topwater, spinnerbaits, cranks, jigs and mid-sized swimbaits all produce.

 

 If I haven't been out on the water I plan on fishing at night for a bit, some daylight scouting often helps eliminate water during the night trip.  Getting there early and finding bait in an area is often key.  Then returning to these spots has been good. 

 

  Of course the presents of crayfish in areas where weeds meet wood, docks or rocks which is in close proximity to the deeper areas where you think the fish may be holding (or suspending) during the day) are always a good spot to drag a jig & craw.

 

Good Luck

 

A-Jay

 

Rattling crankbaits seem to work best for us

During the Dog Days of Summer - night ops for smallies is often a good bet.  I do it quite a bit late through July and right into September.  Fish will often move pretty shallow on dark no moon nights.  Topwater, spinnerbaits, cranks, jigs and mid-sized swimbaits all produce.

 

 If I haven't been out on the water I plan on fishing at night for a bit, some daylight scouting often helps eliminate water during the night trip.  Getting there early and finding bait in an area is often key.  Then returning to these spots has been good. 

 

  Of course the presents of crayfish in areas where weeds meet wood, docks or rocks which is in close proximity to the deeper areas where you think the fish may be holding (or suspending) during the day) are always a good spot to drag a jig & craw.

 

Good Luck

 

A-Jay

good tips jay, i do like going an hour or two before dark to "Scout" out some potential spots and it really helps navigating after dark if you know your way around.. nice smallies guys

The terrible picture of my biggest nighttime smallie and the jig she ate right next a dock in about 2' of water on the 4th of July last year.

we caught about 20 Saturday night on Dale Hollow.  Fished from 8 to 5am Sunday.  Hair jigs in 12-20ft.  Night time is best way to catch them there in the Summer. 

we caught about 20 Saturday night on Dale Hollow.  Fished from 8 to 5am Sunday.  Hair jigs in 12-20ft.  Night time is best way to catch them there in the Summer. 

appreciate that tip kevo! im heading out saturday night so i will target those areas.

The terrible picture of my biggest nighttime smallie and the jig she ate right next a dock in about 2' of water on the 4th of July last year.

that is a pig man!!

appreciate that tip kevo! im heading out saturday night so i will target those areas.

good luck.  Spinnerbaits work well also.

May seem weird but my buddy tried some of the tv advertised glowing jigs and such. Slayed the smallies for several night consecutively. Just have to find them on those shallow isolated structures as they do move in much shallower after it cools down for the day.

 

I've only ever succeeded in catching largemouth at night. They seem to be a lot more predictable and less fussy. Never liked night fishing much anyways though. Good luck!

May seem weird but my buddy tried some of the tv advertised glowing jigs and such. Slayed the smallies for several night consecutively. Just have to find them on those shallow isolated structures as they do move in much shallower after it cools down for the day.

 

I've only ever succeeded in catching largemouth at night. They seem to be a lot more predictable and less fussy. Never liked night fishing much anyways though. Good luck!

the lake i fish is almost unfishable in daylight hours in the dog days of summer.. if it isnt the heat its all the boats and every cove thats been fished 5 times that day.. its peaceful at night and better fishing in mid summer in my opinion.

that is a pig man!!

Yes she was. Don't even remember what she weighed, but one of the biggest I've caught from that lake for sure.