Night bassing always good in East Texas
Published 10:35 am Friday, July 10, 2026
The East Texas summer heat has already disposed of most of the common variety bass anglers.
Afternoons with temperature highs reaching triple digits including near tropical humidity levels will make anything outdoors miserable, if not dangerous.
Every year we talk about fishing for bass after dark and using the full moon for better visibility, but it will make zero difference in catching fish. It may “dim” the angler’s vision but the fish can still see perfectly and act accordingly.
There are different schools of thought on when to hit the lake for a night fishing trip.
Some prefer to get to the lake in the late afternoon, fish until 10 p.m. and then head on home. The school of thought here is to take advantage of the famous dusk surface lure bite..
Some get to the lake at 3-4 a.m. and fish until it warms up, again taking advantage of the daylight surface lure bite. Still others go early and stay late.
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I tend to get to the lake around 10-11 p.m. and stay as long as I’m having fun.
Those early-am mornings are my favorite. I prefer offshore, fishing river/creek channels, points, drains, humps and road beds. Find a roadbed, follow it looking for ditches, culverts or especially bridges and creek crossings.
I have a few theories when it comes to fishing for bass after dark.
I believe there are bass that operate mostly after dark and another group that are more diurnal. Hunting, flushing or ambushing activities are more successful during low light conditions. If there is nocturnal and diurnal bass then it makes sense that they would both be actively searching for forage during the late afternoons/early mornings low light conditions.
I do have enough confirmation that bass on a 20-foot deep hump will be actively firing at daylight just like the bass that are blasting bream in 3 feet of water near the bank. If you are trophy hunting, pick the spot you think is holding a trophy and be there and stay there during the optimal time for an encounter.
Any color is fine, as long as it’s black/blue. Seriously I have had success at night with blk/blu, black neon soft plastics and an old personal favorite, a Texas rigged Berkeley 10” Blue Fleck worm is outstanding for night work.
Bring along a single Colorado blade spinner bait. I use a heavier spinnerbait so I can slow roll the blade through 12-14 foot water. Chatterbaits are also a great nocturnal lure. For cardiological testing purposes, try a buzz bait or whopper plopper.
At 4a.m., the sound of a 4-pounder hitting the surface bait can sound like a plane crash and if it’s close to the boat well, let’s just say I have witnessed an angler run away from the noise but he only made it to the back of the boat.
Bring drinks, snacks, extra towels and plenty of lights and be safe.
A word of advice for conservation purposes: Catching a large bass in the summer may require some extra care for the fish. Normally a large bass from deeper water will not have a problem with its swim bladder. If it cannot return to the depths, it may need to be fizzed. This requires inserting a hypodermic needle into the fish to relieve pressure.
There are pages on the internet dedicated to teaching the ins and outs of the procedure. I suggest watching several videos before attempting.
Contact Chris Smith: cksoutdoors@aol.com