Thread: Don't go Night Fishing, without being Armed!

I can say I've done my share of night fishing over the years and love every bit of it. With friends or by myself, the drive down south around 9 p.m. is relaxing and have found myself fishing Indiana's Lake Monroe pretty often at night. During the summer of 2008, I headed down there and went into the Campsite area, to fish one of the boat ramps that was just about a mile from Cuttright. Like most of trips down, crappie and catfish are on target and I fished on an aluminum pier, next to the boat ramp. It was around 1130 p.m, dark, nobody else around, and about 70 degrees. After about 30 minutes of fishing, a gray car pulled up with two men inside and parked behind me on the ramp. I've seen cars do this all the time, and never thought anything about it, especially when I carried my 9mm. This time I was un-armed and got an eerie feeling almost immediately. The instinct that let's you know, first hand that something isn't right.

One of the gentleman got out and approached me, while fishing on the pier. We exchanged greetings and he began to mention, that him and his friend are on a road trip, and looking for a place to pull-over and sleep. Ok!!! Knowing this area is known or some pretty strange things in the country/abductions, I started to get a bit nervous and who wouldn't. The conversation didn't make much sense, something was off, so instinctively I packed up and left. I drove down the main road and pulled into the Jellystone Campsite and planned on fishing that bank area. About 5 minutes later, I saw the silver car pass the campsite entrance. A bit of a moment that makes you think, really what are some people up to. I usually never have problems down there, and not saying this would have turned out drastically bad. Who knows, but it's always good to be cautious, especially later at night. I have always felt, that if you're down there at the lake or any lake, late on a week day and your not boating, camping or fishing. Then maybe you're doing something, you shouldn't be doing!

Years ago I snagged below dams on the Arkansas River in the wee hours after work. Most times I was only one there except weekends . A 12' snagging pole with huge treble hooks and 1/2 pound of lead makes a good weapon but my tote with hooks and weights contained a pistol !