patrapper90
New member
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2007
- Messages
- 16
How many people Night fish and if you do what do you use, Where, and Does anyone know how to fish a mouse pattern,
shipnfish2006
Member
- Joined
- May 10, 2007
- Messages
- 579
I have night fly fished four or five times and I plan on making it six or seven in a few weeks here when I go for stripers. When I night fish I almost always use poppers or an unweighted hair streamer and just run it along the surface. I've mainly only done it for bass with one attempt for trout that did ok with a mouse pattern.
As for mice flies, this is the one I use:
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/intermediate/part44.html
My only luck on it was in vermont while targeting big browns or rainbows, I caught 2 trout both about 14-15" and 6 smallmouths between 15 and 18". I would cast it near a bank and then high stick my rod and just kind of pull it along while moving the tip of my rod side to side to make it look like a franticly moving mouse and then pause it for 2 or 3 seconds then continue moving it. Every hit I had came on the pause and they were quite vicious hits. I used 3X tippet because the fly is so big and it was dark anyway.
I've heard of people tying a smaller less complicated version where they just have a small deer hair body and a short leather tail and having great success. Come to think of it on that fly fishing masters competition on OLN, I remember a guy using something similar to that and catching some real big trout.
As for mice flies, this is the one I use:
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/intermediate/part44.html
My only luck on it was in vermont while targeting big browns or rainbows, I caught 2 trout both about 14-15" and 6 smallmouths between 15 and 18". I would cast it near a bank and then high stick my rod and just kind of pull it along while moving the tip of my rod side to side to make it look like a franticly moving mouse and then pause it for 2 or 3 seconds then continue moving it. Every hit I had came on the pause and they were quite vicious hits. I used 3X tippet because the fly is so big and it was dark anyway.
I've heard of people tying a smaller less complicated version where they just have a small deer hair body and a short leather tail and having great success. Come to think of it on that fly fishing masters competition on OLN, I remember a guy using something similar to that and catching some real big trout.
skiltonian
Member
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2007
- Messages
- 601
Fishing at nigth isn't any differnt than fishing during the day except you can't see!
Know the stream, know what positions you should be in, know where the fish are, big rocks, holes, be able to tie knots proficiently, never have slack in your line, and learn all back cast obsticles. Always make sure someone knows you'll be on the river or fish with a friend. Obviously, wear a head lamp and be prepared to eat and breathe in lots of bugs everytime you turn it on. I've gotten a few bigger fish lately and I wish I could get a picture of a fish illuminated by the small LED light with all the reflections and refractions disappatting into the dark water with a faint outline of the streambed underneath. Problem is the flash never truely allows you to catch the moment. If approaching an unfamilar stream at night, only go upstream and take it slow. Big patterns, like mouse patterns, work for bigger fish but so do smaller patterns. To fish the mouse pattern effectively, slap it as close to the bank or known holding water / structure then strip as fast as you can, pause and strip again. Jerk stripping is most effective but take practice on avoiding slack line.
I'm catching trout in streams right now that most people think won't be fishable again until it gets stocked. Why - I fish at night.
Tightlines,
Skiltonian
Know the stream, know what positions you should be in, know where the fish are, big rocks, holes, be able to tie knots proficiently, never have slack in your line, and learn all back cast obsticles. Always make sure someone knows you'll be on the river or fish with a friend. Obviously, wear a head lamp and be prepared to eat and breathe in lots of bugs everytime you turn it on. I've gotten a few bigger fish lately and I wish I could get a picture of a fish illuminated by the small LED light with all the reflections and refractions disappatting into the dark water with a faint outline of the streambed underneath. Problem is the flash never truely allows you to catch the moment. If approaching an unfamilar stream at night, only go upstream and take it slow. Big patterns, like mouse patterns, work for bigger fish but so do smaller patterns. To fish the mouse pattern effectively, slap it as close to the bank or known holding water / structure then strip as fast as you can, pause and strip again. Jerk stripping is most effective but take practice on avoiding slack line.
I'm catching trout in streams right now that most people think won't be fishable again until it gets stocked. Why - I fish at night.
Tightlines,
Skiltonian
