Evening excursions
 

How many of you yakkers have tried fishing at night?
I haven't tried it in the salt, but I've been having a field day fishing from the yak at night. The solitude and quiet can be a little unnerving if you are afraid of the dark, but after you become accustomed to the dark, your hearing will become quite sharp. You hear every slap, slurp and pop around you.
I have learned, as with stripers, that largemouth bass are less wary at night and are more "receptive" to fishermen willing to put their time in. I was fishing this one pond this past weekend, and after getting a few 2-3 lb. bass I was startled by the splash of a leaping fish that, based on the sound of the splash, must have been in the 10-15lb. range. (basing that on prior salt experience).
To say the splash was big would be an understatement. It sounded like a kid doing a belly-flop in a pool! I can't wait to hit that pond again this weekend, and again when I go on vacation towards the end of the month.

If you decide to give it a try, I bring my headlamp, a spotlight, bug spray, a small tackle assortment and a bottle or 2 of water and then head out.
(Note that I wear a PFD all year round, but it is mandated from 9/15 - 5/15)

Tim

All sounds are magnified in the dark, but caution on the 10-15 lb LMB

I have never heard of one >10lbs in RI, I am unsure of MA. They just don't get that big up here due to cold water.

check that;

MA state record 1975 15lb 8oz
RI state record ? 10lb 6oz


maybe you did encounter that fish of a lifetime. Go get 'em.

I do know that this pond has bass, pickerel, pike, white and yellow perch.
I don't believe it was anything other than a bass, and although it may not break any records, it will break my own personal record.

Imagine being on a flat calm pond, with NO shore access (surrounded by swamp/marsh) and hearing a splash that sounded like someone were able to toss a boulder as high as possible out onto the water.
Now imagine you're out on this pond, and didn't know that this size fish was there. Now imagine the fact that you are SOOOO undergunned for that fish that you couldn't even fathom what you would do if you actually hooked that beast.

That's how I felt. It felt so good that I'm definitely going back again as many times as I can before the striped bass start beckoning to me.:drool:

Night is definitely my favorite time to fish, yak or otherwise. :uhuh:

I don't do a ton of night fishing on the yak, but I have a few times and it's cool, if the conditions are calm it can be less unnevering that surfcasting alone at night because on the shore, you never know what could sneak up on you, where as on the water you are free!

it some swells and chop though it's scary cause you can't see the rollers coming at you!

I was fishing the same pond last night and finally found out what the monster of the pond was.
It had splashed about 30 feet in front of me, but I never saw the fish leave the water, but I noticed a wake in the water streaming away from the splash area, so I assumed it was a huge fish swimming just below the surface. WRONG! I pulled out my spot light and loh and behold the monster was actually a very large beaver.
The splash was the beaver slapping his tail on the surface as a warning. Although I was dissapointed that there wasn't some freakishly mutatant bass in this pond, it was nice to see nature in it's pristine environment. I also had fun with a pair of owls near the shore, repeating thier calls. I half expected them to fly by and check out the "competition".