What Is The Key To Fishing At Night?

[kc300c]

I am going to be down on Taneycomo tonight and tomorrow. I am thinking about fishing when the generators are off tonight or early tomorrow morning so I can get out and wade fish. What special equipment do I need, what flies and/or crank bait work best at night, anything to be especially cautious about, etc?

[patfish]

Shoot Leonard a PM....

[Dave Cook]

You need some knowledge of where to fish from daylight experiences. Fishing at night from outlet 1 to outlet 2 can be very good. I recommend an LED head lamp and another LED flashlight. Find a fishing buddy.

For flies, olive or black # 8 - 10 wooly buggers work about as good as anything (when they are bitting).

There are nights when you have to change flies until you find the right one, just the same process as daylight.

[duckydoty]

It will take about an hour to 1 1/2 hours for the water to go down after they shut it off tonight. I would use a 5 or 6 wt rod with floating line and streamers. Streamers to include but not limited to mohair leaches, slump busters, pine squirrel sculpins, wooly buggers and so forth. Definately bring white. Some other colors to have are olive, black, purple, and red. Size of the streamers should range from 6 to 12 both weighted and none weighted. If you know the area very well then the flats between outlet one and two should be good and the lower part of the gauntlet below the downed tree to the point should also be good. Dont forget to fish the shallow water behind the point also. To fish the streamers I would start by casting directly across the current and just let it dead drift through the swing then strip slowly back in. Also try quarting the current down stream and let dead drift then strip back in. If those done produce for you, try varying your retrieve. If you dont get a bite in 10 casts, change something up, either color, weight of fly, or retrieve, until you find out what and how the fish want it.

Good luck and be careful

[tippett7]

Good luck with them shutting the water down for you. Hope you get to go, but they have been running 4 units non stop the past few days.

But if you are in the outlets it doesn't matter. One of my favorite flies at night is the purple leach. It's amazing how well the color purple will outfish any color at night.

[rainbow]

kc300c said: "anything to be especially cautious about, etc?"

Yes, watch out for the dang Taneycomo giant squid. Otherwise, the advice of the other guys is good.

[ColdWaterFshr]

eat lots of carrots

[fly2fish]

Good luck with them shutting the water down for you. Hope you get to go, but they have been running 4 units non stop the past few days.

But if you are in the outlets it doesn't matter. One of my favorite flies at night is the purple leach. It's amazing how well the color purple will outfish any color at night.

They have shut it down at least the last 7 nights in a row about midnight til 4 am. If it is a dark night start with dark colors black, olive, brown etc. if it is light (moonlit or cloudy) where you can see without your light use lighter colors, natural rabbit, grays, white. Only turn your light on if you are changing flies, landing a fish or to see what is bumping into your leg.

F2F

[DoveTail]

Take some snacks or food. Don't leave fruit on the dashboard.

[Greg]

Are you going by yourself? If so be careful. The first few times I tried it at night - it kind of spooked me. I knew Taney really well but it's a whole different world at night. I recommend going with someone at night especially the first few times.

I went with Michael Kyle (BCO owner) a couple of years ago and after he kind of showed me the ropes it made a world of difference. I've felt much more comfortable and caught more fish when I've been out at night since then. I like mohair leeches and wooly buggers the best at night. I agree that purple is a good color.

Greg