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Post by Brent Elliott on Dec 2, 2011 21:36:58 GMT -5
Hi folks, I've got a few questions to those who fish at night. Work lately has only allowed me to fish in the dark and it hasn't been that productive. I fished a small stream in northern PA on monday during the day with success. There were fishing hiding where they would be expected (brookies). I fished the same area a couple nights later. Water conditions changed (cleaned up) and flow went down a bit, but I couldn't get a fish. I was throwing small streamers and then nymphs. I did have a headlamp, which I had to use. I didn't know the stream well enough to fish blind and there wasn't enough moonlight. I was quiet. I approached a pool after a few casts that I got fish in on the previous outing. I saw the fish there under the light. they wouldn't eat!
Any ideas, hints, voodoo, ...anything?!
thanks!!!
Brent
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Post by Justin Damude on Dec 3, 2011 12:50:25 GMT -5
generally the big fish come out at night. try throwing some large streamers around. and check the regs on the stream you are fishing to see if night fishing is permitted. i know alot of the ones i fish close a half hour after sun down.
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Post by B.Ingersoll on Dec 3, 2011 13:26:05 GMT -5
Hi folks, I've got a few questions to those who fish at night. Work lately has only allowed me to fish in the dark and it hasn't been that productive. I fished a small stream in northern PA on monday during the day with success. There were fishing hiding where they would be expected (brookies). I fished the same area a couple nights later. Water conditions changed (cleaned up) and flow went down a bit, but I couldn't get a fish. I was throwing small streamers and then nymphs. I did have a headlamp, which I had to use. I didn't know the stream well enough to fish blind and there wasn't enough moonlight. I was quiet. I approached a pool after a few casts that I got fish in on the previous outing. I saw the fish there under the light. they wouldn't eat! Any ideas, hints, voodoo, ...anything?! thanks!!! Brent brent, looks like you pretty much covered it. fwiw, i am not sure fishing brookies at night has any advantage, especially this time of year , maybe a some in summer? the only advantage i have experianced night fishing trout were / is for browns in particular on really large rivers and as the temps warm / summer / july. really big streamers are over rated for such I'm my experiance especially at night. they worked (big streamers) pretty well jerk stripped from a drift boat fall - spring on overcast days mostly. at night during early summer when the big browns tend to go nocturnal color mattered more than size = black or black/olive combo's. these were swung slowly rather than jerk stripped and left twitched a bit at hang down longer than norm giving the night browns a chance to zone/dial in , in the dark . many variations tried but, this was best/most consistent. A big black/olive bead head bugger with a few extra hackle turns at front to move water did best and imitated the hellgramites the browns keyed on well along with a good enough night time minnow. strange thing is right after dark was never best ............ about 11pm - midnight was when things really picked up lasting to 1am-2am. we would pick up bow's to but, it was really more a brownie thing. takes some stones to stand out there in pitch black of big forest area middle of night with bat's zooming around and black bears combing the shore........definitely gets a bit edgy at times..........always was a bit more comfortable to have a little moonlight. i suppose big streamers may work in winter/late fall/early spring at night but, there is no need really. that time frame, very cold waters, over cast days are ideal ............all day.......as water temps rise a bit from nearly numb like.....through the day it seems to help. funny thing, the browns seem more tolerant to both the coldest water along with warmer compared to bow's. the browns are the likely takers in winter freeze water over the bow's. i admire your quest as a former/avid night time trout hunter myself.......been awhile .........but, i used to do it quite a lot.........something special about it. thanks for re-kindleing memories and best of luck. btw - i live in the SW-NY / NW-PA sector. give me a shout some time if your in this neck of the woods. there are some pretty avid, hush,hush brookie guys around here if thats your game, i will introduce you too some time.
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Post by Brent Elliott on Dec 3, 2011 21:44:05 GMT -5
thanks for the reply, Justin, Bill, thanks for the info. I know for browns night is good and have also found that just after dark is unproductive (but just before is productive). I did hear some noises from the bush that scared the crap out of me! There are bears in the area but I hoped after a day of work my foul smell would repel them...but maybe they're into it.
thanks for the luck! the night fishing is more out of desperation as I would otherwise be sitting in a hotel room in god knows where reading about fishing instead of just fishing.
I'm actually in Warren, Pa right now. I will be here until monday and am then heading to Poughkeepsie or somewhere close to there. I may have a few hours to spare on Tuesday morning if you want to get out??? I'll PM you my number (cell service is sporadic).
thanks again to both of you!
Brent
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