First Night Fishing Trip...any Tips?

[OKFlyFisher44]

As long as they're not scheduling to generate, I'm going to try to sneak down to Taneycomo saturday night to do some fishing along with fishing the following morning before I head back west to fish Capps and Crane. I've fished Taney a few times during the day in Fall of '07 but I know the floods have changed the river significantly.

Any tips on methods or flies? I was betting on big flies fishing them on the swing or just tight-line drifting smaller stuff. Just not really sure because I've heard and read different things. It seems the BFE is a hot fly right now and I've actually got a few those in my box.

Any help would be appreciated...I'm really excited about going night fishing!

[duckydoty]

Your already in trouble because Capps and Crane is West of Taney...

Mohair leeches, slumpbusters and wooley buggers would be good streamer flies to fish at night. Fish below outlet one on the flats between outlet one and two. If the temps are going to be really cold either use alot of Ice-Off on your eyelets or consider fishing with a lighted indicator. The BFE's will work good under a lighted indicator and larger sow bugs and scuds should work also. Larger meaning in the 10- 14 size range. Greys and Tans. Becareful wading around after dark if you are not all that familiar with the area. Lots of submerged trees and chunk rock scattered thoughout the area. You dont want to trip up and end up swimming. Bring some white colored streamers incase a shad kill starts to happen.

Good luck

[OKFlyFisher44]

Whoops! Wow...this icy/snowy weather is killing me with this cabin fever. Losing my mind...yeah, I'm pretty much an idiot...

[OKFlyFisher44]

Just tied up a couple PMSs and some big knarly buggers...should do the trick for big streamers. Bust out some scuds and I should be good to go.

[vanven]

Most nights seem to be really easy for fly selection. Slumpbusters and mohairs in black, purple, brown, and occasionally white always work well. PMS is also a good goto fly at night. Like DD said, watch where you walk and slow down. It is very easy to get a bit off balance when you stub your toe and your eyesight is limited to a 10 foot circle of fog. Other simple advice, leave your light off as much as possible. It can take up to half an hour for your eyes to really adjust to the dark so get used to doing as much as you can in the dark or with a small light instead of a huge 1 watt headlamp.

Night fishing is an amazing experience.

-Jerod

[OKFlyFisher44]

Right on. Thanks guys! My headlamp has an infrared switch that is really nice at night as it doesn't jack up your night vision and I've got a tiny handheld infrared light kinda like you'd hang from your key chain that I think will be great too....

[jjtroutbum]

Don't forget the change of clothes. Better to have and not need then need and get hypothermia before you can get home.

[vanven]

I find it really hard to fish with a lighted indicator at night. It takes a lot of practice to get used to detecting takes. With the super clear water I cant tell when the indicator goes under. I would much rather drift or strip a streamer and have the fish try to yank the rod out of my hand.

The fog also limits visibility, although with cooler air temps it shouldnt be a problem. In the summer time it gets really bad.

Check your fly more frequently than during the day. I cant count how many time I have thought to myself "man they were nailing this fly 30 minutes ago and nothing since then" only to check my fly and notice it was gone or had been replaced my a birds nest of a knot.

-Jerod

[fly2fish]

You might want to tie some PMS's on a 1/16 or 1/8 oz. jig head just in case the water is up and running. Also a tip for walking in the fog, carry your headlight down by your waist until you get where your going then put it back on your head, you can see farther and little more clearer than with it on your head.

Henry

[vanven]

And if you hear a strange noise blindly toss a rock at it.

-Jerod