Evening/Night time smallies

[bobthebowhunter]

I'm a beginer so bare with me.

I'm not a fan of fishing during the day. I like to hit it of the evening or early morning. So I think I'm gonna fish on after dark. How shallow are the smallies comin up during the night and how does stratgy change. Thanks a bunch

 

[mossyhorns300]

Not sure about now, but in July on Pickwick, I've been fishing bluff walls where it's 20-25 ft deep right at the wall, and the smallies seem to be suspended like 3-5 ft under the surface. Been using a Rage Craw with a 3/16 oz weight and they would hit it fairly quickly right after it hits the water. Jig it a few times and let it fall, and then jig it a few more times and let it fall. If you didn't get bit on right on the wall, you weren't getting bit. Seems like if you got out off of the wall any, they wouldn't touch it. Almost like vertical jigging.

 

[Kimberman]

I have fished Dale Hollow at night twice in the last month, most fish were caught with the boat sitting in 25-40 feet of water and casting into shallow water and fishing a jig all the way back to the boat. Most hits seem to be 12-25 feet deep. Most fish were on points and main lake grass flats.

 

[bowriter]

It will vary greatly depending on what lake and water temp. The moon stage, unlike with deer, has a great effect. Back when I could see and lived on Center Hill, I fished almost every night. I have caught them from 2 feet deep to 20 feet deep. When I fished Dale Hollow at night, I concentrated on long sloping points and fished nothing but a 1/4 black hair jig with a U-2 trailer in purple. Near the grass, I used a huge black worm with a 1/4 ounce weight. We use to wear them out.

But here is a tip not a lot fishermen know about. On a full moon night go to a big, double spinnerbait in chartereuse. Normally at night you use dark colored baits. But try the chart. color on the moonlit banks and look for banks with chunk rock or gravel for the brown fish.

But...about ten years ago, when I still fished at night, went with a chart and light green 3.5" tube lure on a 1/8 head and most nights caught 15-20 fish.

Now I can't see where I am going and can't see to tie a lure on and have stand up and pee every 10 minutes.

 

[Hook1]

We've been catching them fairly shallow,,,I mean not having the boat deeper than 10-15ft deep,,,casting spinnerbaits upon top of points,,,mind ya, if you turn the boat around your sitting in 30+ft of water,,,were huntin the active feeding fish,,,if the smallies around here are feedin their shallow.

 

[T-Bone]

Now I can't see where I am going and can't see to tie a lure on and have stand up and pee every 10 minutes.

That's funny right there.

 

[GRAMPS]

Bowriter, that choice of color for spinnerbaits is very interesting. I love that color during the day, but have only used black at night..........I will be sure to give that a try to see if if works on my area lakes.

 

[Hook1]

Hey bowriter,,,glad to hear I'm not the only throwing a big double,,,double colorada's,,,black & red with a brown and orange spotted chunk is my choice of color though,,,should've won the last smallmouth tourney on Wattsbar on that combo,,,did win big smallie and big Lm pots though.

 

[kdxdude]

Caught this one on top water bait on Mon Aug 17, 2009 about 5:30 pm.