Fishing on the Dark Side

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gillbuster

Fishing on the Dark Side

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Posts: 1157

03/26/09 15:44:16

Outfitter

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I know Armand (B52) fishes for Bass at night....curiosity how many other fishermen in the group have tried to fly fish at night? This year I am going to seriously dedicate several nights of Bass bug fishing in my Belly boat/kayak for steath around several lakes and ponds that are pretty clean along the shore line but have good underwater structure (taking safety into factor)... There are some nice fish taken early spring/very late fall before the crowds/skiers get on the lakes...these fish have to feed and I am reading that mature bass go almost nocturnal during the summer... this will be my year to experiment, going to use my Fenwick 8wt glass rod over-lined so that I can feel the rod loading during casting...I've tied some of the noisiest bass bugs to push some water while retrieving the fly...I am really pumped and excited to try this technique out.... Going to Fly Fish this year on the Dark Side!!!

Interesting English article on Bass bugging and also from FlyfishOhio.com

http://business.virgin.net/flyfishing.flies/bassbugs.html

http://www.flyfishohio.com/Bass%20Bugging.htm

Gillbuster

Last Edited By: gillbuster 03/26/09 16:03:39. Edited 3 times.

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Shakeyfly.clarksclassicfl...

#1

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Posts: 15

03/26/09 15:53:39

This is going to sound kinda crazy but if you do.. Seriously invest in clear safety glasses. I've done it, and I have THWACKED my seeing glasses at night, and it was enough to encourage me to make sure that I had safety glasses on. the only other things i could suggest is a life jacket, flare, whistle. especially if going solo, and let someone know where you are going and when you might possible return.

I've night fished a couple of times, and it's awesome. It's a different world out there. The water seems Alive. things are popping everywhere and you have no idea what it is. Very exciting.

Good luck!

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spinzo

#2

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Posts: 1158

03/27/09 07:02:45

Master Guide

And be careful of the bats. Not sure if the tales are true, but I've heard stories of bats trying to take a fly being cast.

Mike

(Are snapping turtles nocturnal? Might want to stick with the kayak if that's the case.)

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Cornmuse

#3

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Posts: 277

03/27/09 09:53:22

Registered Member

Yes, fishing at night can be really effective. I've done it many times, both in salt water and in fresh. If you go for largemouth, save yourself some time. Fish from the beginning of sundown until its dark - say 6pm till 9pm on a late June evening. Then have dinner. Here's why...

Largemouth bass have both rods (for black-and-white night vision) and cones (for full color day vision) in their retina. As night comes on the cones retreat and the rods take over. This is true of humans. When you go into a dark movie theater it takes about 10 minutes for the rods to displace the cones so you can see in the low light. When you come out it takes about 5 minutes for the rods to receed and the cones to take over so you can see in the bright light and stop squinting. It takes about 4 times longer for this to happen in a bass.

From right after it gets really dark (9pm in our example) until the rods are completely deployed the bass will not feed aggressively. Since some fish are always ahead or behind others you'll still get some action, but you'll find it slows a lot right after dark. The rods/cones is why. Now if you beach your canoe at 9, have a cup of coffee and a sandwich and listen to the news, then get back out on the water at 1030 or 11 you'll find the fish are ready to go again. And in the middle of the night you'll find the biggest fish on the prowl.

Good luck! I'll see you guys out there.

Joe C.

"Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit,
and resign yourself to the influences of each."

- Henry David Thoreau

Visit www.flyfishohio.com for great fly fishing and fly tying articles, the "Adventures in Fly Tying" monthly video podcast and the "Adventures in Fly Fishing" monthly audio podcast. The Midwest isn't a place you fly over to get to good fishing - it's right here in our own backyards. Think globally - fish locally.

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Flytackle

#4

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Posts: 1806

03/27/09 14:39:40

Outfitter

When I was in my 20's I fished at night alot. It was all spin fishing, and all generally with a black jitterbug or a black hula popper. It was great. It is extremely exciting, and the darkness adds weight to every fish. I also used to get scared occasionally - I'm not ashamed to admit it - things crashing through the brush alongside shore - HUGE splahes in the water - I could get really startled! The bats will bother you, but the most bothersome aspect of all is the mosquitoes. Oh they are bad at night - sometimes bad enough to drive me off the water. Night time is so beautiful though - the moon risning over the water - geese cackling at dusk - and the stars!! All of God's creation in quiet glory.
Once I became a family man, I quit night fishing. I'm not much of a night person anymore - generally early to bed and early to rise, and since I quit smoking I just can't take the mosquitoes. Though I have been sneaking a pipe full of Captain Black lately, so I should try again (don't tell!). I do admire the guys that do it. I have a friend in PA. that does almost all his bass fishing after midnight and man does he catch some big fish. Alec

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B52 bugger

Interesting stuff

#5

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Posts: 255

03/27/09 15:27:51

Registered Member

In the fifties, my dad and I were very serious about winning Field & Stream northern division for largemouth bass, I did take a 9 pound seven ounce bass in 1960 but that year it didn't even get a honorable mention. Had I caught the fish a year later it would have come in fourth.

On a warm summer day, before launching the canoe. I looked at the sandy beach area. Some bluegills in about three feet of water. Upon returning around 10:30 pm. I was shinning the light in the same area. Wow, lots of bluegills in eight inches of water, a five pound bass (estimate) three smaller bass, a big pickerel. All in shore for dinner.

I understood in June, July and August - all prime months for big bass on the surface at night, gone are the ya hoos with their zig zagging bass boats. Yes bats are out, mosquito - if you are getting bitten by mosquito - more bites - better the fishing. I mix three types of bug juice and a bug shirt - they love the stuff.

My favorite pond had one beaver, last year another beaver joined and they love sneaking up and whacking their tale to scare me. In New England - fishing at night you have a greater chance to take a ten pounder on the surface. Another suggestion - overload your rod by one size. You will have better feel for where your line is, learn to shoot the line out. Also forget about light weight leaders. Minimum 20 pound test straight, I use Big Game Berkley 25 pound test. Flash light is a must and first aid kit. This is my blood. The fish jumped and but the hook through the top of my hand. We were both jumping around in my twelve foot canoe. I took the pliers and pull the hook out, then released the fish. That was about 10 pm it cut short my all night fishing trip. Enough said.

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JeffSod

#6

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Posts: 704

03/27/09 19:03:16

Registered Member

Armand ouch....thats way too much blood for a G rated website.

I got into fly fishing for stripers before ever casting a fly in freshwater and most of my striper fishing whether it be plug or fly was done at night. Alec I am not ashamed to admit getting spooked too. Standing thigh deep on a sandbar in chatham at the break by the lighthouse and having something as simple as some sand eels bouncing off my waders or a horeshoe crab bump into my boot

Often out there alone so I would sometimes get freaked and call it a night. But caught enough big fish to know it was always worth going back....

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gillbuster

Fishing on the Dark Side

#7

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Posts: 1157

03/27/09 21:41:29

Outfitter

Thanks guys, I will heed your advice...

Rule #1- Wear safety glasses
Rule #2- Have 2 Good flashlights
Rule #3- Wear floatation vest
Rule #4- Over-line fly rod to help get a feel of blind casting
Rule #5- Use 20lb leader
Rule #5- Have plenty of bug dope
Rule #6- Bring a net, DON'T land fish Armand style Ouch!
Rule #7- Start fishing around 10:30 - 11PM to let fish's vision adjust to the darkness
Rule #8- Take nerve pills; so slap crazy Kamikaze Beavers and creepy things that go bump in the night don't scare the "Bejesus" out of me & make me "soil" myself

Thanks, will bring a camera for pictures
John

PS... does any other species of fish strike at night besides LM bass?

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Flytackle

#8

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Posts: 1806

03/28/09 04:27:48

Outfitter

Yes John - catfish. I also used to bank fish at night on the CT. river for Channel cats. I was young and ignorant so I ate them all - tossing them on the bank behind me. They are delicious! One night I heard a wierd noise behind me and I turned to see a 'possum tearing away at one of my fish! I tried to shoo him away and he just hissed at me with those nasty teeth. I let him keep it! Channel cats are great game fish - they fight hard, and though I was bait fishing, they will hit a fly. Crappie are also a good night fish. I have had sudden crappie action at first dark many times. Alec

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gillbuster

Fishing on the Dark Side

#9

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Posts: 1157

03/28/09 05:32:46

Outfitter

Question, do Opossums swim?...I am not afraid of snakes, snappers... but, I do have respect for furry things that have teeth, I had a dear friend who lost his hunting dog to a bull raccoon in Mississippi back in my 20's. His 80 lbs Lab went out in the water chasing after a raccoon and the Coon turned, attacked and drowned her...My buddy was devastated, hours later when we able to find his dog, Coon had damn near bit/chewed both ears/nose off, vicious bite marks all over the face during the attack...... That is why I am not fly fishing from shore at night...

Rule #9- Watch out for fly stealing bats and wear a cap

Rule#10- Don't tie any fish to my boat to attract free meal stealing critters

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JeffSod

#10

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Posts: 704

03/28/09 05:38:08

Registered Member

I was fishing on the end of a fairly long rock jetty on the cape one night and had a bluefish stashed in some rocks behind me. Turned around to find a huge racoon gobbling down the guts of the fish. I let him finish it off and had to wait until he exited the jetty so I could go home

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Shakeyfly.clarksclassicfl...

#11

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Posts: 15

03/30/09 07:30:41

I was down in the keys, Doing some night time tarpon fishing, near a rip on the route 1 bridge. Well known spot. Definitely sketchy. Homeless kids my age in the mangroves etc. Not the safest feeling spot in the world. Well they come out of the wood work, and they start throwing their coffee cans, 4 ounce sinkers and mullet pieces. All of a Sudden, We heard this horrible friggin screaming noise, and splashing, everyone jumped and freaked out.

It was a racoon that had it's tail bitten by a barracuda. The little bastid racoon was no more than 4 - 5 lbs full grown. It turned around and bit the cuda. Everyone was laughing that we all got freaked out by a large rat racoon.

I will try and find the picture of it.....

Last Edited By: Shakeyfly 03/30/09 07:32:52. Edited 1 time.

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B52 bugger

At the Swift River.

#12

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Posts: 255

03/30/09 11:49:08

Registered Member

I was fishing with a buddy at the Y pool in late September, everyone was gone except us and another guy. He said to us can I walk with you to the parking lot. We said sure but why did you wait for us. He told this story.

It was eleven thirty at night, I had taken and released some nice size browns and rainbows. He climbed up the embankment and saw two eyes looking at him. He shined his light - it was an adult bear. He went bcak into the river and started fishing again hoping the bear would go away. Twenty minutes later all is calm he climbed the embankment - the bear was still there he went back into the river and it dawned on him bears like water. Well he waded the whole river to route 9 bridge, he could hear the bear walking on the bank. At the bridge he took a chance and raced to his car - bear was gone but he was one scared dude.

This night the three of us walked and heard no noises.

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gillbuster

Fishing on the Dark Side

#13

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Posts: 1157

03/30/09 18:36:30

Outfitter

Thanks goodness, there are no bears down the Cape, that's all I'd need...

Another question for you night time flyrodders.... do you use primarily black colored bass bugs or do you find it doesn't make a difference?

Last Edited By: gillbuster 03/30/09 18:38:51. Edited 1 time.

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Flytackle

#14

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Posts: 1806

03/31/09 02:58:51

Outfitter

Black, black and black. Black works pretty good too. And black. Alec

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B52 bugger

It doesn't matter

#15

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Posts: 255

03/31/09 15:57:36

Registered Member

In my early days of bass fishing with dark side tackle (plug casting) my dad used black, I used frog color Jitterbugs, we were even in catches. My dad painted his Jitterbug purple. Made no difference. It was the plug size and what noise it made.

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