Fishing on the Dark Side

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gillbuster

Fishing on the Dark Side

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Posts: 1262

06/23/09 21:25:23

Outfitter

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Couldn't stand it any longer, windless night...light drizzle... After 2 weekends ago at the June outing, had to try it one more time.... pulled out the bass bugs and did a night time run at a local pond...fished from 9:30 pm - 1200 midnight. Had 6 heart stopping, top water explosive strikes, only able to bring one (about 3 lbs) to the Kayak. He was hooked good on a Taps Deer hair bug... One BIG fish (close to 5 lbs) threw the bug right at the kayak, fought him about 2-3 minutes...went under the kayak and bent the rod in half...couldn't believe how strong he was and was unable to give him any drag fast enough...this fish actually pulled the kayak in a figure eight... the 4 other missed strikes were vicious.. Sorry the quality of the pictures... the wet weather , my nerves were spent and shaking a bit by this time....fishing on the dark side is bad for the heart, but good for the soul....

Tightlines and hard strikes
Gillbuster

Last Edited By: gillbuster 06/23/09 21:30:00. Edited 1 time.

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Flytackle

#1

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Posts: 1826

06/24/09 01:51:48

Outfitter

fishing on the dark side is bad for the heart, but good for the soul....

Great job John!!

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waynebh.fiberglassflyro...

#2

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Posts: 61

06/24/09 11:05:42

Hi Gillbuster;

There's nothing better than being towed around by a fish whilst in a kayak!

Perhaps maybe being towed around in a kayak, by a fish, in the dark???

Wayneb

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Cornmuse

#3

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Posts: 287

06/27/09 11:03:35

Registered Member

Great motivation - thanks! I'm taking the week after the 4th off for a "local" vacation and one night of that week will definitely be spent on the lake.

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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gillbuster

More Bass fishing on the dark side

#4

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Posts: 1262

07/14/09 05:19:35

Outfitter

Classroom Assignment.... "just add water"...
It was a good learning experience last night and very rewarding to have some top water Buggin success since I have been skunked previous nights...., I adjusted my retrieve like the posted article stated and had some good success Bass Buggin last night. Fished a warm water pond in Middleboro, lots of shoreline action throughout the pond, 2/3 moon, windless night, fished from 1100 pm -1:30 am... Caught 4 LM bass from 1.5 to 3 pounds all taken on yellow/black deer hair frog, every strike was crushed on the pause after two loud 6-8 " strips of the fly line, then a looonnnggg pause (30 sec to 1 minute) and then a 1" slight twitch... KABOOM!! heart pounding explosion, didn't need to set the hook, about took the rod out of my hand... bass hooked the deer hair frog bottom jaw & deep inside their mouths....... Great fight ensured... after the bass hooked, lots of hard pulling aerodynamic jumping out of the water, turned me around in circles in the float tube & swam around my swim fins ....had several good strikes that didn't hook up plus caught 3 good size bluegills also on top water bugs... Also had a lot of small fish hitting the fly line though out the night. There was huge top-water splashes and explosions (must have been a absolute huge fish) along the shoreline that was 50 - 100' feet in front of me through out the night... never could get close enough to get a cast to what ever it was... Again apologize for fuzzy pictures.. my camera doesn't focus well in the dark... only can just aim, shoot and flash

thought first this was asmall mouth the way it was jumping out of the water

Little belly in this girl @ 3+ lbs

another 3 lbs bass... very long

This type of fishing....Bad for the heart , but good for the soul...

Night time Bass Buggin continues; It ain't over until the "fat lady" sings

Tightlines

John

Last Edited By: gillbuster 07/14/09 05:26:24. Edited 1 time.

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gillbuster

Working the night shift.....Night Bass Buggin - Before and After

#5

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Posts: 1262

07/14/09 17:28:32

Outfitter

Here is a replica of the Deer Hair Frog I was using the other night. This is how my deer frog looked like the next morning after getting cherry bombed by 4 strong night time bass and numerous Bluegills ...poor sad looking thing

Before you add water...

Deer hair frog after a Bad hair day!!! It is going on my wall of fame for old time memories

Cant wait to get out again ... this top water addiction is an awful thing

Tight lines

Gillbuster

Last Edited By: gillbuster 07/14/09 17:33:32. Edited 2 times.

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Flytackle

#6

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Posts: 1826

07/15/09 02:10:07

Outfitter

Nice fish and beautiful bugs! Are the bats bothering you? Way to go "Night Stalker"! Alec

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gillbuster

Fishing on the Dark Side

#7

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Posts: 1262

07/15/09 12:44:14

Outfitter

No bats, snappers, snakes or mosquitoes thus far... few coyotes in the woods chasing rabbits, I guess.... mostly frogs, owls, geese, and swans... once your eyes adjusted to the moon lite nights, it is quit peaceful, tranquil and serene....Again, I am being very safety minded when I go out at night, fish only clean shoreline ponds and lake....If any critter should get too aggressive, I have a mag lite that once it turned on, it's brightness should startle & spook them away...

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gillbuster

Fishing on the Dark Side

#8

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Posts: 1262

07/16/09 20:17:20

Outfitter

Wednesday Night report - 10pm - 1:30 am, using float tube, 5 mph W wind, 2/3 moon after 11:45pm, clear night 65 degress

10:15 pm - Bass @ 1.5 lbs around some fishing docks - Deer hair taps bug
Midnight - Bass @ 2 lbs along side shore grass reed line - Deer hair taps bug
Midnight - Another Bass @ 2 lbs along side shore grass reed line 10 feet from previous fish - Deer hair taps bug
12:30am - Bass @ 3 lbs open shore line in skinny water - Deer hair taps bug
1am - Bass @ 3.5 - 4 lbs hugging lilly pads- Deer hair taps bug

All bass taken close to shore...Throughout the night numerous Bluegills hookups on Taps bug...no success on foam poppers

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Flytackle

#9

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Posts: 1826

07/17/09 02:18:14

Outfitter

Woo-hoo! Way to go bro - when do you sleep? That 4 pounder must have been a real thrill! Alec

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gillbuster

Fishing on the Dark Side- the quest continues....

#10

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Posts: 1262

07/23/09 05:19:00

Outfitter

Worked the night shift last night, (11 pm - 2:30 am) & the last night's conditions were perfect... no moon, a calm, windless night, what William G. Tapply who authored Bass Bug Fishing called any humid, hazy, still day or night - "soft conditions" perfect for Bass Bugging... and he was right!

"When there's not a Breathe of Breeze,
You''ll catch Bass with ease..."

Caught and landed my personal best Bass on a fly-rod on a Dalberg Frog diver... this Bass estimated to be better than 6+ lbs....exploded out of the middle of some Lilly pads and tried to jump several times but was so heavy, it couldn't get its body out the water.. a good fight for a full 5 minutes plus.. really concerned if my 16lb leader was strong enough...when I turned my headlight on to get a better look at her and get better control . She headed for deep water and I helplessly followed her being drug behind in my Kayak 25 feet or so, no kidding...she sounded for the deep weed line and all I could do was to keep the pressure on and let her tire out and surface... I gave her CPR (catch, photo and release) and thanked her for a wonderful fight and hope to run into her again some night... Again sorry for the fuzzy pics, it was very dark last night, and night vision was tuff... but you get the idea

Had numerous top water strikes last night.... missed 4 hard hits ... bass took in the bass bug for about 3 seconds and then jumped and spit the hook...DANG! good quality fish by the sounds of the explosion and jump...Heart palpatiaons were numerous... when I got home; took my nerve pills

Also caught two 3+ pound bass on a Taps frog bug, they were identical in size... one fish sipped it like a trout, the other crushed it against the shoreline vegetation..

Working the night shift has been very productive in this one lake... You know you got some good size fish when the skin on your thumb that you lipped the bass with is all chewed up like rough sandpaper... I found that the bass strikes were usually scattered about 50 yards apart or more... Last night's producers were deer hair bugs (Dalberg and Taps frog patterns)... Again, no hits on the foam poppers...

As I stated earlier ... Fishing on the dark side... the Quest for ol' Bucket-mouth continues...

Tight lines

Gillbuster

Last Edited By: gillbuster 07/23/09 05:31:32. Edited 2 times.

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B52 bugger

You have the official Title _ Master Bugger

#11

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Posts: 275

07/24/09 02:50:30

Registered Member

Congratulations - you are Master Bugger. Are you fishing Watson Pond or Big Bear Hole???????

old friend,
B52 bugger

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gillbuster

Fishing on the Dark Side

#12

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Posts: 1262

07/24/09 04:49:45

Outfitter

Thanks Armand...
No comparison to Delaney WMA I am sure, This year because of all the rain it a funny year fishing....I have had limited luck in May/June at Watson, it looks so good too, wondering whether all the shore fisherman are taking/keeping all the fish they catch out of the pond...but I am going to try it again shortly now that July... and Massasoit State Park is shut down this year, electrical problems, no funding...it is only open during for day use, so I can't get back there at night... I have night fished Lake Rico with some luck but mostly 1 lb bass. Winnecutt in Norton, I had some luck...My best night spot has been at the "hush, hush, honey hole", I believe the water there is much warmer there than most other bodies of water... lots of sand and rocks along the shore line to help heat the lake up...At night the steam is coming of the water... I'll pm you...Have you had any luck with sub-surface fy fishing at night???...thinking of trying big Woolly buggers with sinking line to see if any postivie results???

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B52 bugger

Surface Strikes

#13

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Posts: 275

07/24/09 10:17:26

Registered Member

During June to September I fish mainly surface bugs/lures. I like the heart stopping strikes. Delaney is a very tough place to fish. The bottom is thick Milfold weeds, lily pads and some water chestnuts which I pick. I hope to fish at night in Delaney, definetly tough fishing. Congratulations on the big one/

AJ

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spinzo

#14

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Posts: 1180

07/24/09 15:39:41

Master Guide

You guys are killing me with your pictures and tales of big bass. I got out on Cow Pond in Groton yesterday; first time on that water. Pretty as a postcard with the water lilies (white and yellow) and hyacinth (purple) in full bloom, and the pond is easy to fish in the tube -- small and fairly weed free apart from the shoreline. Weatherman lied to me about the conditions (brighter and windier than expected), but I managed to bring four dink bass to hand, plus a medium 'gill and a good sized pick. Four hours to kick my way around the entire perimeter. I can think of worse ways to spend that time.

Still, I'm trying hard to be satisfied with minnows while reading these reports. To quote Bugs Bunny, "I'm DYYYYYYIN'!"

Mike

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gillbuster

7/25-7/26 report

#15

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Posts: 1262

07/26/09 14:08:47

Outfitter

Bass Bugged from 11 pm -3 am... cloudy, no moon, 69 degree, slight S wind until 2 am then front came through
Fishing was off last night or I just couldn't set the hook. caught one 1/2 lbs bass and missed 3 good strikes...fished with a heavy weed guard Bug around heavy pads and I think that had some to do with it. Fish stuck good, but only had the bass on for 1-2 sec and they spite the hook... I have much better luck with weedless bass bugs...Around 2 am the winds picked up from calm to brisk 10-15+ mph and couldn't cast effectively into the shoreline without constant tangles and wind knots, couldn't find a quiet cove, so I called it a night... lot of Geese landing all around me throughout the night also...plus a couple of motor boat night fishing & running all over the lake and didn't feel safe with them possible not able to see me adequautely even though I had 3 lights... The quest continues...

Gillbuster

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JeffSod

#16

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Posts: 759

08/07/09 14:08:59

Registered Member

Finally joined the dark side bass buggers last night. Fished from 10-1am and had one nice bass take the bug. Missed several other hits and caught a nice sized bluegill that took a Dahlberg Diver. I am looking a little tired but here's my fish-

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Flytackle

#17

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Posts: 1826

08/07/09 14:18:27

Outfitter

That is a VERY nice fish Jeff! Alec

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gillbuster

Fishing on the Dark Side...the saga continues

#18

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Posts: 1262

08/07/09 19:49:39

Outfitter

WTG Jeff!... Nice Bass!!! The saga continues....Another fly fisherman gets stung by the night-time Bass Bug addiction!!! ....

Definition of Fishing on the Dark Side...an addiction that describes an obsession, compulsion, neurological or excessive psychological or physical dependence,..... in order to witness a top water explosion on ones deer hair bass bug in the the total darkness; observe and hunt for potential big bass in waters on a well moon-lite night, reaction to heart stopping top water detonation of where your bass bug once was, followed by a sudden violent pulling on your fly rod, hard shaking fly line vibrations, overwhelmed by the witnessing a wide open mouth, violent head shaking of a massive fish...... thus resulting in shattered nerves, uncontrollable & total loss of fly fisherman's bodily functions.... This chronic addiction is often accompanied the presence of continued deviant behaviors during the summer months looking at more bodies of water that have probable spots and likely structure.... the final consequence is; - submit to Fishing on the Dark Side syndrome in order to acquire a night time trophy large-mouth bass on a fly rod..... no known cure for this affliction/disorder at this time...

Fishing on the Dark Side,......coming to a lake or pond near you......

Tightlines
Gillbuster

Last Edited By: gillbuster 08/08/09 15:15:17. Edited 5 times.

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B52 bugger

Strange behavior

#19

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Posts: 275

08/08/09 02:33:52

Registered Member

Known to come home before the sun rises. If caught fisherman starts to hollar, teeth starts to shrink and needs to get out of sunlight.

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gillbuster

Guess the weight???? Big Bass love frog legs for breakfast

#20

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Posts: 1262

08/08/09 11:21:29

Outfitter

The Dark Side saga continues... Fished from 3:30 am -9:30 am (3rd shift.), 7/8 full moon, WNW wind, calm, 67 degrees ...Caught 7 fish this morning, including my Personal Best LMB!!!! plus missed a dozen or so tremendous blow ups...what a morning!!! Today fished top water with Taps Deer Hair Frog, I have had enormous luck with this fly ( I soak them in Rain-X and let them dry, they stays buoyant for hours) I find Bass love Frog legs....The first 3 fish were caught in the dark around 4:00 - 5:00am;. they went 15, 15 1/2; & 15 3/4 inches in length; put up quite a bit of aerobatics... All fish strikes today were next to Lilly pads....When the sun started to peek over the horizon 5:30 - 6:15 am...the breakfast bell went off...I fished on the darker side of the pond ... every cluster of Lilly pads had Bass holding in them and they were eagerly slapping at the bass bug...I missed more than I caught...but what a blast!!! the next 45 minutes it was strike after strike...and this was the next 3 fish...I don't have a scale to weigh them (could have kicked myself today for no having one), but I did measure the length before releasing them

4th fish went 23 1/4 inches in length, very thick and heavy; put up one heck of a fight...after she slurped in the bug, and I set the hook she headed for the deep and I couldn't do anything with her, I was totally at her mercy she just sounded and stayed down deep, all I could do was keep pressure on her and hope to tire her out ....My old Wonderod did the trick whipped this Hawg!....

5th fish went 19 1/4 inches and I had to go into the pads to get her out....My nerves are shattered by now....

6th Bass was 20 3/4 inches long...slurped in the Bass bug and again headed for the deep....by this time, I am about to lose all bodily functions...... trying to take a pictures of this one, my camera went crazy and wouldn't stop shuttering, low battery power message...so no pictures on her... I had to change the camera batteries and didn't want to let her stay out of the water too long , so I release her before I could take a picture . Last bass caught was 14 inches and was not a happy camper when I tried to take the hook out of her......Bass love Frog legs for Breakfast...

After 7:30 am or so no more strikes and I tried several other flies with no luck...so I just took some pictures of the water I am fishing so show the cover these fish are holding in....

Let me know what you think the weight would be for those 3 heavy fish??? BTW, the big fish didn't explode on the bug this morning like the smaller bass, they just kinda gave a heavy sucking slurp sound and the fight was on....I am definitely investing in a Boga Grip/Scale very soon

Fishing on the Dark side.... the saga continues

Tightlines and see you on the water

Gillbuster

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