This year, more than I can remember, I have had bass clear the water, cartwheel and sometimes repeat the action several times after being hooked. Mostly this has occured on Needlefish at night but I have had it occur this year in the canal on Pencils and Polaris plugs and fly fishing as well. Like tarpon for God's sake

Whats your experience with this phenomena?

I thought I was alone. I have had the exact same thing happen to me numerous times this year. In the canal at first light most of the time.:tm:

Last May I swas fishing a yozuri hydro pencil at first light. It was on the new moon and I had not had a bass all night. I was working the plug maybe 15 feet in front of me and a 36" bass came completely out of the water, cleared the plug, and did a complete flip. It scared the hell out of me. It was one of the best moments of the season.

It's fairly common for smaller fish but anytime you get a larger bass to do it it's impressive. I guess I've never seen one bigger than maybe 15 pounds come all the way out of the water.

Happened to me a few nights ago on a Saltys needle. Large fish hit the plug in the middle of one of those rafts of floating foam from white water. Immediatly there is a big hole in the foam and the bass is up in the air. Then jumped again after a short run. Sounded like a refrigerator hitting the water. Dropped it on the last jump - should have bowed to it like bowing to a jumping tarpon. Made my night.
DZ

Yeah, its been a weird year and these fish have been acting weird. Had 40+ POUND fish doing tail walks like tarpon. All on eels. Is insane

This one came completely airborne this past June. Weighed just under 30# and took a pencil. The most exciting fish of the year for me.
NIB's 40 the other night spent some time on top too. not sure it went airborne, but it made a racket.

same-same ~~last year for me,,,,,,,,,,,,

had a 36" at HAZAve in July CRUSH an olive/white Danny an hour into first light,
then sound with its tail penetrating the surface at a 90 degree angle. that was AMAZING!! :heybaby: :heybaby:

had a 40"er+ absolutely launch herself at first light,
on a AH Herring spook off the rip at DI in Oct.
the guy in the yak about 40 yds away was as JACKED as i was!! :cool: :cool:

lost a Cape Ann monstah on a live eel last Sept that ran for about 20 yards, then went airborne and shook (tarpon-like),
then swam straight at me, jumped into a trough between me and a tight ledge (within 5' of my perch) and proceeded to
slap the water with her tail and head(snook-ike), before she snapped a 40# shock like it was a guitar string ~when i touched the leader,,,,,,,,,,,,she still gives me nightmares and COLD SWEATS!! :bl: :bl: :bl:

i had that happen to me a few times in the canal this season.

I got his one on a spook, the first hit she went clear out of the water

They've been hangin' around the toothy critters too long. See what happens. :)

Maybe there's been some cross breeding with the silverking ... there have been some tarpon up into the LI area over the past few years in August ...maybe one got a little lonely one night out at Shagwong rip and had its way with a few stripers ... :love:

I had a big one jump clear out of the water one rainy crappy morning.Looked like one of them footballs the way it flew out and nosedived back down.She was a fatty.Jumping at a Gags Sea Special.

It's because it's an election year
and the bass are happy

22 pounds or so is the biggest I've had go completely airborne at a plug

Now your fishing correctly... slow and slow and bang....

I usually have1 fish per year do it - mostly its fish over 40" that ate an umbrella rig. Last year we had a 44" fish that ate a jig in 40' of water go airborne - the guy on the rod thought he foul hooked a lobster trap until i pointed to his fish going nutty on the surface.

I got his one on a spook, the first hit she went clear out of the water

that is won efffin NICE FISH!!!

how much did SHE weigh?
and thanks for the pic!!!

I was surfcasting a plug at the beach about 7 am.(last summer) a few people were strolling, jogging etc. I hooked a fish that went airborne 3 times. Then broke me off. I was waist deep and turned to walk out and about a dozen people were standing there...about half were holding their hands 3 feet apart.

I call them "marlin bass". It is weird when they do that.

it happened to me today...high 20# on a pencil...it was nuts..I ve had dinks do it...but never decent fish like today..they were bananas

I had that happen last night at the east end, on 3 consecutive cast/fish. I was tossing Slug-gos on 1 oz. jigs, and they were hitting them just after they hit the water.
Last night was a strange night indeed. With the winds coming out of the N/NE, the current was almost non-existent. Add to that a waning full moon, and it was a surreal night of fishing. I had a string of 30"+ fish that must have been parading through last night because they were hitting on almost every cast, and there weren't many shorts either.

Can we sing "It's the most wonderful time of the year...."

It's been great hasn't it? I picked up a 35#er last night on a white/red head danny that spent more time airborne than in the water.I expect to see acrobatics from the smaller fish but fish of 30#+ in my experience run either to the bottom or cover.Not this season! :btu: