I have quite a few opportunities to get out from about 4 am - 6 am.  I am very familiar with fishing at dawn/first light.

 

I haven't done much bass fishing in the dark.

 

What do you use when it's pitch black out there, and how do you work it?  I will be fishing on shore.

black chatterbait, black Colorado spinner bait and a black buzzbait has worked for me this year at night. the chatterbait caught me the biggest of the three.

15 minutes ago, YoTone said:

black chatterbait, black Colorado spinner bait and a black buzzbait has worked for me this year at night. the chatterbait caught me the biggest of the three.

Some of my favorites anyway. ?

My answer would be the same baits I use during the day. Literally the same baits used the same way. Willow leaf spinner baits with a steady retrieve, twin-tailed grubs on 3/8 ounce heads around rocks and crankbaits in deeper water. For me nothing changes in the bait, color or presentation. 

A flashlight 

+1 on chatterbait, also early AM is a golden time for any topwater, WP, buzzbait, pop-R you name it. I like the one that make noise but can be retrieve slowly. You don't even have to cast out far just along the bank should do it.

I caught this one a few night ago (1:00AM) about 5' from shore using chatterbait white on white grub.

 

Spinnerbait

Lipless crankbait

Chatterbait

Jitterbug ......

He'll, scratch the others, Jitterbug and more Jitterbug !

Thanks for helping me game plan.  I'll be reporting back!

Buzzbait is number 1  .Also use Strike King Midnight Special , Texas Rigs and crankbaits . A square-bill  Rapala Crankin Rap   in red craw   has worked good . Basically the same lure categories  I use during the day .

Dark brown or black baits! Can't go wrong with black and blue coloed colorado spinnerbaits, dark brown or black senkos and black and blue chatterbaits

Like @Gundog, I use the same things that I use during the day.....with one big exception: all trebles get stowed from 1/2 hour past sunset until first light.

Big black Jitterbug pulled just fast enough to make it gurgle.

1 hour ago, Bankbeater said:

Big black Jitterbug

How big ?  Musky size ?

My initial thoughts were to use things that "thump".  I guess I wasn't too far off.

The exact same things I use in daylight, only in black or blue colors. 

Same baits, same techniques, on the same structure as I do in daylight.

texas rigged plastics

I'll add a Colorado bladed spinnerbait in place of a willow leaf. Other than that I don't change baits. I'll start out with the faster moving hard baits and switch to jigs and worms if things get tough. The only bait I throw during the day that I don't at night, is a tube jig.

This ~ 

A-Jay

Ned rig is killer at night! 

Casting treble hook lures at night from shore can be a nightmare. 

Whatever you use it needs to be weedless or single hook.

Nothing has caught more bass in the dark then Berkleys Power ribbon tail worms, both 7 1/2" & 10" in black w/blue flake, T-rigged with sliding bullet weight. Lots of sift plastics to choose from like Zoom Brush hog etc.

If you can't fish slow then a buzz bait is a good option.

Tom

I use a big Dark colored worm. I Don't let it sit as long as I do in the daytime. I reel it about 6 feet or so, let it sink, wait maybe 10 seconds, pick it up, and repeat back to the boat.

2nd choice is a booya pc. Frog.

Also have done well with a devil's horse but Not crazy about the trebles at night either.

23 hours ago, scaleface said:

How big ?  Musky size ?

The 5/8 ounce size. 

15 minutes ago, Bankbeater said:

The 5/8 ounce size. 

Ok . I'm planning on going tomorrow night at Mark Twain and I'm trying to sharpen those horrible hooks on my vintage wooden Musky Jitterbug . Team Nine and WRB have inspired me and I'm determined to catch one on it this summer .

First attempt: Fished from 4:30-5.30.  Nothing on buzzbait, Ned rig a no-go(too much grass), one decent fish on black Terminator spinnerbait.  Didn't catch it until first light.

 

I'll keep at it, and probably give a Chatterbait and Jitterbug a try next time.