This is definitely not the time to think light when it comes to terminal tackle. I leave the spinning rods at home and gear up with 17 to 25 pound test depending on the technique being used. My basic arsenal consists of two Loomis 6'6" GLX heavy action casting rods spooled with 20 pound Fenwick Niteline or 25 pound CX Premium P-Line. These rods are used for fishing plastic worms and jigs.

My third rod is a 6'8" fiberglass Seeker custom built by Gary Bartholomew. I use this rod almost exclusively for fishing buzzbaits and occasionally for throwing large spinnerbaits or crankbaits. A heavy line of 20 to 25 pound test aids in positive hook-ups while allowing me to keep a buzzbait running at a much slower speed than with lighter lines.

Finally, I always have a lighter rod in case I need to down size my presentation; usually a 6'6" medium action Loomis GLX along with 17 pound Fenwick Niteline. It is quite common to find bass unwilling to hit the larger plastics, but for some reason they will jump all over a 6 inch worm. When it comes to lures, once again, keep it simple. Night after night, year after year, one bait will consistently perform when others fail, and that is the plastic worm. While other baits including the jig, spinnerbaits, topwater, crankbaits and a variety of others will have their moments, the plastic worm is the only bait I have found to produce consistent action night-in-night-out throughout the year.

My favorite worm is a 10 inch Berkley Power Worm in red shad or black rigged on a 5/0 Owner offset shank worm hook. Running a close second to a 10 inch Power Worm is a 3/8 ounce Weapon Jig in brown/orange or black/blue with a twin tailed Persuader grub. Also, I have found buzzbaits, spinnerbaits and crankbaits to be extremely effective. During July and August, a buzzbait or spinnerbait can produce tremendous action, especially during the last two hours of darkness.

As far as specialized equipment, the list is fairly short. The most important piece of equipment is a black light. After burning through three of the cheaper models over the last four seasons, I have finally upgraded to a Stan Sloan Piggy Back black light. The black light is much brighter than any others I have used, and it also has an incandescent white light with variable brightness control. Of course, you need to use a good fluorescent line in order for the black light to have any effect. Three of my favorite night fishing lines are Fenwick Niteline, P-Line CX Premium and Stren Clear/Blue Fluorescent.

Always remember to keep a few safety tips in mind when fishing at night:

1. Try not to fish alone: Chances are good that you might be the only one on the lake and if something goes wrong, no one will be able to help you.

2. Bring plenty of clothes: Dress in layers, especially during late fall or winter. You can always take off what you don't need. That heavy jacket or snow suit won't do you a bit of good sitting in the front seat of the truck.

3. Hit the water before dark: It's always easiest to get to your favorite spot while it's still light out. Many lakes have speed limits after dark, making it just about impossible to fish a long distance from the ramp.

4. Always have a couple of heavy duty flashlights on board: A flashlight is extremely important, especially under the darkness of a full moon.

5. Take caution to the extreme: The potential for something to go wrong is drastically multiplied under the darkness of night. Therefore, an extreme measure of caution is a good rule of thumb whether running on full plane or just idling 50 yards to the next point.