The best times to fish for Redeye Bass are at night just before the sun sets, several hours past sunset and the twilight hours of the morning to several hours past sunrise.

Distribution & Habitat

Redeye Bass, like all other freshwater bass, are night predators enjoying areas with moderate flowing rivers with clear water, which is typical of their habitat in the headwaters of the Savannah, Alabama, Chattahoochee, warrior and Coosa river systems.

Unlike other bass, Redeye Bass still enjoy the good cover provided by underwater debris, but they prefer pools and riffles in river headwaters.

Plastic Lures

We have not talked much about plastic baits with the Redeye Bass mostly because small plastic baits can be hard to come by.

Above: Small plastic worms

However, this is the age of the Internet so there are plenty of online shops where small plastic worms can be bought as the standard sized worms for Largemouth Bass are far too big.

Live Baits

Traditional baits also work well in the winter as it is easy to keep them alive and fresh. Worms, leeches and minnows are good for winter fishing.

Spinners & Crankbaits

spinners and crankbaits work on the simple principle of creating vibrations in the water that resemble a wounded fish, which quickly get the attention of any fish including the redeye bass. Make sure these are small sized as the normal ones used for smallmouth bass are too big. Cast your line close to their position, reeling the lure within a few feet to elicit an attack.

Fishing Spots

And while they are considered river fish, they can also be found in the lower end of lakes where rivers and streams enter it. Focus on where streams enter the lake that have moderately fast moving water, characteristic of streams that drop around 35 feet over about a mile and with water temperatures between 65°F to 70°F/18°C to 21°C.

Best Time to Fish at Night

The best times to fish for Redeye Bass are at night just before the sun sets, several hours past sunset and the twilight hours of the morning to several hours past sunrise. When fishing up to sunset, it may appear that the redeye bass have stopped striking. Most freshwater bass require several minutes to adjust to the darkness after sunset before resuming feeding.