Members Capt E Posted July 4, 2007 Members Posted July 4, 2007 I've been listening to all the hubbub about night fishing since joining the forums. And since the last few times I've tried to go during the day, they seem to start generating while I am on the way down. I decided to give it a try. Heck, what did I have to loose... I sure wasn't doing a lot of catching that's for sure.. I showed up around 10 ish and they had just stopped generating for the night. Leonard and Duckydoty were already in the parking lot and were gearing up. We had never met and I told them that I was a total n00b at night fishing. I wasn't too hard to convince them either after they looked at my setup.... You know it.... 9ft 5wt with a tapered leader and 6x tippet and a lot of 14-20 sized flies. I guess I looked pretty pathetic because Duckydoty started giving me some 'proper' night flies and Leonard re-rigged my rod. He also said he would take me on a tour and show me a little night action. I finished gearing up and we headed for the big hole. When we got there, Leonard pointed me to an area to cast and helped me with stripping. Slow, Slow, pause, short, short, short, pause...Bam! And I had a hit... You gotta love it when you get a hit on the first cast of the day (or night). Pick up and recast... This went on for some time.. I seems that I just wasn't able to set the hook. If I would have figured out how to set the hook I'd had a least 50 fish on. Leonard changed out my flies until we could find a balance between the fish's desires and my skills (or lack there of). Heck, he even caught two himself while he as tying flies on my line with his rod tucked up under his armpit. After a while, I started to get the hang of it and began hooking up fish. We stayed there a while and then started moving up towards the gauntlet. The action was on top and there was plenty of it. We were having a hoot. Lots of catching going on. After a short coffee break, we headed up to outlet #1. Leonard said he was a gonna get me a big fish... He showed me where to cast and after a few attempts I was able to hit the spot and started stripping... Slow, Slow, stop.... Bam! It was a really nice 'bow. Definitely bigger than the dinks I catch during the day. By now the moon was really out and they stopped hitting on top. We change to some of Leonard's flies he calls 'Mohawk sculpin' and started moving down steam. They were working really well...a fish here, a fish there.... Slow, Slow, pause, short, short, Bam! And then it happened.... KaBlam! I thought somebody tied a boat anchor on my line and threw it down stream (or it was Terry's man-eatin squid). My 5wt was doubled over. All I could do was holler 'Oh Sh#$' and the fight was on! Leonard heard all the commotion and headed on over to help with landing it. She was a beautiful brown. I'm not gonna say how big, cause I didn't bring a tape measure nor a camera. But I will say that I see all kinds of pictures of folks holding up fish only 2/3rds this size. It was definitely the biggest fish I have ever pulled out of Taney. It kinda slowed down after that (or we were getting pretty tired) and decided to call it a day (or night). After it was all said and done it was some awesome fishing....I had enough adrenalin pumping through me for the two hour drive home making it in just in time to see the sun a coming up and enjoy some cold brew. I know there a lot of other N00bs looking at getting into night fishing so I would like to throw my .02 in. 1 Polish up on the basics... Learn to cast with your eyes closed and do it without hooking yourself (or others like your guide). And learn to set the hook (this especially helpful if you like 'catching' fish). 2. Do not attempt to do this alone! Get in touch with the experts! I thought I would be able to pick it on my own, like I have always done. I was totally wrong, had it not been for Leonard and Duckydoty. I would have been skunked, and for no good reason. One night fishing with them has shaved years off of the learning curve. As far as I am concerned, I am pretty much done fishing under the sun this summer. I'll be a night stalking from now on. Maybe I'll even be able to talk my son and wife into staying up all night with me. Kerry, aka Capt E
Danoinark Posted July 4, 2007 Posted July 4, 2007 Great report Kerry and it was a pleasure meeting you. Dano Glass Has Class "from the laid back lane in the Arkansas Ozarks"
Troutn Posted July 4, 2007 Posted July 4, 2007 Glad to hear you had a good time. I got there and it was plum full up by the big hole. I started out at the end of the gauntlet and ended the night up at the big hole. it started off a little slow for me but ended on a really good note. After duckydoty, michael and the gang moved on, I moved up to the big hole. As soon as they left I changed flies and moved on up to the big hole. For about an hour and a half I cought fish on at least every other cast. The fly of the night for me was a brown leach. I had used every other color I had until this point with mediocre results. So there you have it, started off slow and ended with a bang. No big fish, but I would say I caught aprox 30-35 fish in 3 hours. Sorry I didn't say hi to anyone. I don't say much to anyone while fishing. I don't want to interupt or butt in on a fishing trip with a good friend or what not. On the other hand, feel free to holler my name out and ask what I am cathing them on. I hope every one caught lots of fish last night. Nathan
Terry Beeson Posted July 5, 2007 Posted July 5, 2007 Good to meet you too, Kerry... Now you'll be hooked on night fishing for sure... So get ready to lose a lot of sleep... Nathan... You'll find that most of that group that was there are very much the (as Michael quotes from a bumper sticker) "SHUT UP AND FISH!" types... So if we don't say hi on the water, don't fret... In the parking lot, get ready to "rock 'n' roll!" But on the water, it's "all bid'ness..." We do tend to have a good time in the parking lot... After all that stripping, we need to unwind... TIGHT LINES, YA'LL "There he stands, draped in more equipment than a telephone lineman, trying to outwit an organism with a brain no bigger than a breadcrumb, and getting licked in the process." - Paul O’Neil
perchjerker Posted July 5, 2007 Posted July 5, 2007 What a great place to have such knoledgable fishermen helping the newbies. You dont see that happening at other Lakes or Rivers.I hope to be a noob on next Thursday the 12th at night.If you see a Fat Boy just watching dont think it's a terrorist cell here to hit where it would hurt us most. It's just the old perchjerker taking notes.I love this Forum !!!
Terry Beeson Posted July 5, 2007 Posted July 5, 2007 ...If you see a Fat Boy just watching... You just described half the night fishermen... TIGHT LINES, YA'LL "There he stands, draped in more equipment than a telephone lineman, trying to outwit an organism with a brain no bigger than a breadcrumb, and getting licked in the process." - Paul O’Neil
Danoinark Posted July 5, 2007 Posted July 5, 2007 You just described half the night fishermen... Terry, you beat me to it... Dano Glass Has Class "from the laid back lane in the Arkansas Ozarks"
Micheal Kyle Posted July 5, 2007 Posted July 5, 2007 Dan it was great to me you as well. Like everyone else said you can join into the group anytime. If we are moving just say hay can I tag along and strip too. we don't talk that much but wee sure do have fun in the parking lot. then when on the water it is all what Terry said. Did your heart slow down after you changed your under ware Terry. You never know where we might be(LOL) We ended the night all the way down in front of KOA not sure how many fish we all had but I know I had 21 and Randy had 28. It was pretty slow. To Know People Is To Know Thier Ways!
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