The long hot days of summer are here and fishing during the day can be a real challenge. Jet skis, houseboats and the hot sun will run any fisherman off the water. But there is a world of fishing available to anglers that venture out after dark.

Night fishing has been an accepted practice for a long time and the reasons multiply with practice. Your senses are more keen at night. Even though it's impossible to see the fishing line in the dark, night fishing with this bait will improve the fishing skills.

This is a great time to learn how to fish any soft plastic bait and the tackle is easy to set up and use. And if feeling a strike on a plastic worm has been a problem, night fishing will solve it.

Keep it simple on the first few trips. Rig up two sets of spinning outfits. The Bass Pro Shops Bionic Blade rods will work. Select the six foot six inch one piece rod in a medium tip and the other rod with a medium heavy tip. On the medium tip rod use 8 pound test line and on medium heavy rod use 10 pound test. Make sure to use fresh line to avoid getting kinks in the line in the dark. Spray some Reel Magic on the fresh line for improved casting and accuracy.

Use the popular Zoom finesse as well as u tail worms for spotted bass night fishing. Dark colors are easier for the fish to see especially on dark nights. On the largemouth lakes, a ribbon tail style in the seven inch size. Rig both these baits on a 3/16 ounce slip sinker and offset style worm hooks. On the finesse worm use a 1/0 hook and on the u tail worm use a /30 hook.

Rigging the standard Texas rig is easy. Rig the outfit with the weight on the line first, then add an 8 millimeter plastic or glass bead. The last item is the hook and use the Palomar knot. Make sure the worm set hangs straight on the hook. Head to the lake an hour before dark and pick out 5 points and 5 docks close together. This will allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness and let you find some places to fish.

At night be very patient and fish these worms slowly. The best way to get strikes on any plastic worm is to work it as slowly as possible any time. Work the baits all the back until the lure is right under the boat to cover all the water. Night fishing is fun and it beats the summer boat traffic.