It was raining when I arrived at our vacation campsite on Venango County's Justus Lake. Rather than get all of the gear wet while packing in, I set up the tent and drove into Franklin to get a hot meal and wait out the weather.

The clouds cleared by about 11:30 that night, and when I got back to the lakeside site I took a spinning rod and my favorite lure -- the classic black Jitterbug -- onto the private dock to make a few random casts before bed.

On my second cast, the gentle burble of the big-lipped plug exploded in a startling splash and I felt a heavy tug bending the rod tip. In the moonless night, senses competed to compensate for the absence of sight. Was it a whopper or a whelp? Running left or right? I knew I'd reeled the mystery fish close enough to land it only when it splashed my face.

In an hour and a half -- standing alone on the dock over black water that occasionally reflected the Perseid meteor shower streaking overhead -- I caught and released four largemouth bass, lost another fish and heard several more attacks at my lure somewhere out on the water. The magic continued every night for a week. A soggy camp experience turned into the most exciting fishing I've experienced this year.

Top-water night fishing is special. Lunkers can be coaxed to the surface after dark, but half the thrill is not knowing what's on the line until it's landed. And in the excitement of the moment, every fish feels like a monster.

Some waters are better for nocturnal surface action than others, and adaptable anglers can experiment with baits and tactics.

"Predatory fish like largemouth bass are crepuscular in their behavior," said Bob Lorantas, a biologist and warm-water unit leader for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. "They move toward the shore at night where baitfish and crayfish may be hanging out."

In fish-count surveys using electro-shock devices, the PFBC and other agencies routinely take advantage of the nightly movement of predators toward near-shore feeding waters. Where the bottom drops abruptly from the bank, and at drop-offs near shore and over barely submerged islands -- particularly weedy humps -- predators cruise the dark water in search of food.

Lorantas said it's "pure conjecture" whether big fish let their guard down a bit at night. But it's clear the vibrations of surface activity piques their attention more at dusk, dawn and after dark than during daylight, when irritating ultra-violet rays may keep them deeper. Depending on who you talk to, night fishing may be better under a full moon, no moon or cloudy skies, but Lorentas said he knows of no conclusive scientific evidence regarding moon-phase impact on fish feeding behavior.

The type of weed growth and clarity of water seem to play a larger role in determining a lake, pond or river's top-water fishing status. Waters rampant with lily pads, standing trees or surface-breaking structures tend to support top-water night fishing better than water rife with phytoplankton -- microscopic plants that make the water seem to be always cloudy.

"I don't have any evidence, but I can honestly say from personal experience that lakes that tend to be clear tend to be effective top-water," said Lorentas. "As for time of night, it seems that after sunset all the way to sun up predatory fish like black bass seem to be near shore. And right now, this time of year, is the best time for it."

Floating lures in the 1/4- to 1/8-ounce range seem to work best, and basic black starkly profiles the silhouette against the night sky.

More important, however, are the vibrations produced by the lure as it's popped, twitched or dragged across the water. It's been 86 years since Fred Arbogast, a fisherman from Akron, Ohio, ran his first advertisements for a revolutionary line of lures that transformed the fishing industry. His classic Jitterbug and Hula Popper can still be found in countless tackle boxes, testament to their enduring ability to catch fish in one of the most fun ways imaginable.

Manufactures caught on to anglers' interest in the popping, "blurping" action of the concave mouth, and today lots of floating lures can lure fish to the surface at night.

Dave Lefebre, the Erie County angler who finished among the top 10 in the recent Forrest Wood Cup, has fond memories of top-water night fishing on Presque Isle Bay, Edinboro Lake and Leboeuf Lake.

"I've used a Rebel Pop-R, with a popping open mouth with a feather in the back with two treble hooks, and Heddon's Zara Spook," he said. "I always used baits that were a little darker and fished them a little slower at night. Black is good. Whenever they're looking up at something, they see the silhouette a little better."

Lefebre said the theory applies to just about any lure.

"Anything works at night, but vibration is more important," he said. "A lot of fish feed at night. They're still feeding on the same types of baits as during the day, but you have to slow it down a little bit."

The shape, said Lefebre, isn't as important as the sound it makes.

"Bass learned over the years that they just want to kill stuff that's alive," he said. "It doesn't really have to look like anything, as long as it looks alive. 'Blurp' it or pop it once and let it sit for 10 seconds before 'blurping' it again."