Australian Adventure

Bass After Bedtime

It’s a hot summer evening with the sun slowly setting in the west. The stillness is broken only by the sound of the outboard motor and the waves slapping against the boat as you return from a day of fishing. But wait a minute; you are just going out to fish.

Last summer I had the opportunity to fish the lake that currently holds three smallmouth bass records in the world, Dale Hollow, a man made lake located on the Tennessee/ Kentucky border. Dale Hollow, like so many Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia lakes, as well as Lake Erie and the river, becomes heavily crowded during the summer. It’s at that time of the year that fishermen like guide Bob Coan, who operates out of Horse Creek Marina, switch their fishing tactics to night fishing for large bass. Bob tells us that, as the water heats up, not only do bass feed deeper or stay deeper during the heat of the day, they then move up into the shallows and the drop-off points at night in search of crayfish, shad and other bait fish that run near the surface or shoreline at night.

Bass fishing at night offers several unique opportunities and challenges. You have the opportunity to fish in the coolest part of the day and to fish with less traffic from recreational boaters and other fisherman. You also can fish, while your family gets some sleep so that you are not taking vacation time away from them when you go fishing.

The challenge comes from not knowing your distance from shore, from not seeing your lure or in changing everything you have learned about fishing.

Part of the equipment for night fishing will date some of us back to the 60’s. As on either end of the bass boat black lights are installed or plugged into the boats electrical system. The use of a florescent floral carbon line allows you to see the line very clearly for a distance of approximately 20 to 30 yards from the boat. Although the layout of Dale Hollow is different from many places in the Ohio River Valley, being quite deep and steep, I feel the same type of fishing can be adapted to this area.

In this method of fishing the boat is brought to within 30 to 40 yards of the shoreline. Using a jighead lure with real or synthetic type hair attached, and treated with one of the many attractant type sprays, you cast as close to the shore as possible. I say close as possible, because one of the unique challenges at night is judging distance, since just beyond the light of your boat there is total darkness.

Once you have cast as close to the shore as you can, you lift your rod tip, tighten your line and literally walk your jig down into deeper water one step at a time. Simply holding the line and waiting to feel that tug of a bass is not productive at night. Bob and the folks at Dale Hollow teach you to really watch the line. In a lot of cases, the line will tighten long before you feel the strike.

Watching the line that evening in Dale Hollow took me back to my catfishing days on the Ohio River, watching a small bobber attached to my line to see if I was getting a bite. Watching for the line to tighten and setting the hook at just the right point, requires getting used to. In fact it wasn’t until the second night that I that I really got on to this method.

Another advantage of nighttime fishing is that the fish feeding at night are usually larger. Bringing in a 5-pounder, in the dark, and not being able to see it until it gets near the black lights, is a thrill that I just cannot forget.

At Dale Hollow, you are looking at an extremely deep lake, thus giving you a lot of play on your lure as you walk it off the various ledges. I feel that many areas in the Ohio River Valley, as well as Lake Erie’s break walls, are ideal for this type of fishing.

If you decide to night fish you need to know the dangers of fishing at night. Make sure you observe all the Coast Guard regulations for lighting and night navigation of watercraft. Wear a PFD. Make sure you know your battery life so that when using lights and trolling motors you don’t end up the proverbial lake or creek without a battery or paddle. Also, keep in mind that one of the reasons you fish at night is less people. That means less chance of help if you have an emergency.

After catching some great bass, our unique fishing adventure ended as the sun came up. It was then time to go to breakfast, get a few hours of sleep, and anticipate doing it all over again the next night.

If you have the opportunity to fish Dale Hollow Reservoir, a couple recommendations come to mind. First of all, it is a good idea to fish with a guide when fishing any lake for the first time and I highly recommend Bob Coen. I’ve fished with Bob on several occasions, both night fishing and using the float and fly method of fishing for small mouth, a story we’ll pass along to you in the fall addition of Ohio Valley Outdoors. I have found that Bob knows the lake and will fish long and hard as long as the client hangs in there and wants to fish.

The other recommendation is if you are looking for lodging at Dale Hollow, my friend, Jack Huddleston, is at Horse Creek Marina. I hate to use the term shipshape, but that’s the way Jack runs Horse Creek. In addition to cabins, a motel and fantastic bait shop, Jack’s claim to fame is running houseboats that will sleep anywhere from 4 to 14, a unique way to plan a summer vacation with your family.

Night fishing is challenging, fun, and rewarding. After all, what else did you have to do… sleep?