Cermele: The Benefits of Largemouth on the Dark Side

It's a sad but true fact that there are no public lakes or ponds in close range of my home that offer really good bass fishing. Some used to, but you know the game...within a few years everybody and their mother knows about every little pond (thanks Google Earth) and you end up with stunted fish or a few bigger ones that have seen it all. I really don't bother chasing largemouth locally during the day anymore, especially on a weekend, but there's nothing like hitting a few ponds after dark on a weeknight. If your bass waters are pressured, this is the way to go. Plus, it will make you a better angler.

This is what I consider relaxing fishing. One black Jitterbug, one rod, and a headlamp. No bags of worms and cranks to lug around, no shiners to keep alive, and best of all, no fighting over pad patches or stumps. I can count on one hand how many anglers I've run into at night. Given the pressure on these fish, I'd say a late topwater attack is truly one of the last things they expect. The little guy in the photo was rather surprised just this past Tuesday night.

If you've never tried night bass fishing, it's a really exciting experience. Your eyes are about worthless, so you're forced to fish by sound and feel. You listen to that gurgle, gurgle, gurgle, then BOOM! The toilet flushes somewhere in the darkness. But more than sharpening your other senses, night bassing sharpens your patience and will power. Set the hook upon the explosion and you'll likely get a Jitterbug in the face. You have to wait for the rod to load and feel the fish. Tell you what...it ain't easy.

Who else is into late-night largemouth? Let's hear some tales from the dark side. - JC