Night trip on KY Lake 7/19/15-7/20/15

[M R Dux]

I admit it---I'm a glutton for punishment. The line to kick me starts at the rear.

I got on the lake about 5:15 and the temperature was about equal to the oven my wife bakes in. I was soaked to the skin with sweat before I even got the boat unloaded. I went out to a main lake ledge I fish occasionally to check for baitballs and possibly some crappie that would chase a crankbait. I found neither. I ended up with 2 solid keeper crappie and 2 barely keeper bass that couldn't live without blasting my dropper rod baits. On one point, I hooked 3 bass at one time and got 2 of them in the boat with one keeper. The best bass of the afternoon ripped 10 yards of line off my dropper reel and jumped twice before I could get the other rod back in the holder. Adios!

My real reason for going was to try out some new LED green lights I had built to see how they performed and how much weight it would take to sink them. I had picked up 4 dozen large minnows at a quarter a piece. I scanned several drops and humps before I decided to go with my instincts and fish a certain hump edge I had planned on fishing all along. I got the anchor to hold at 17 feet and let out enough rope to get just off the drop in almost 30 feet of water. There were brush piles on the drop.

I got the lights out and they worked great, very bright. It didn't take long to get a huge baitball going. I started feeling like the settlers in a western movie with the Indians circling their wagons. The bait set up a circle going clockwise that extended 15 feet all around the boat with an occasional silver rocket blasting thru the school. I put out 4 rods with minnows at varying depths. It was action from the beginning with the yellow stripes hitting the minnows head-on hard enough to knock some of them off the hook without being hooked. Still don't know how they do that?

I hung in till 12:30 AM and ended up with several short crappie and countless yellows. I'm shocked my hands don't look like I stuck them in a wood chipper this morning due to the razor blades on the gill plates of all those yellows.

It ended up being a nice night. A breeze started up around 10 that helped cool things off and keep the bugs at bay. I did get to watch the distant fireworks of several thunderstorms northeast to northwest of me. They were so far away I couldn't hear the thunder. I love to watch them in the distance but KY Lake is no place to be in one. Been there-done that.

I got the boat stowed, unloaded and batteries on charge around 1 AM. Nice night, just not much to show for it.

[ifish]

Nice report Doug. Congrats on the lights. I bought mine and they work great also. I have not figured out the night bite this year. Had a few crappie here and there but mostly razor fish. It is neat out at night how all the senses get charged up. Mother natures fireworks are cool like you said!! Going back out Thursday night if the weather cools down.

[crp4570]

Glad lights worked well and at least it didn't rain on you

[wilbur]

How did the Skeeters treat ya.?

[chaunc]

I just cant get into night fishing. Up here in PA, the bats keep buzzin you all night. Glad you had a good time Doug.

[M R Dux]

How did the Skeeters treat ya.?

I sprayed down and never saw/heard the 1st one. I did have my Thermocell ready but didn't need it. I'm sure a nice SW breeze didn't hurt.

Kenny, I had a couple of bats buzz the lights but they moved on. I had one in my garage a few nights ago but caught it with one swipe of my EGO crappie net and released it in the yard.

[duck]

how many lights you put out and how deep. if you don,t mind me asking

[blueball]

good report,how deep did you sink your lights

[M R Dux]

how many lights you put out and how deep. if you don,t mind me asking

I used 2 lights about 6 feet deep. I experimented a little with the depth but 6 feet seemed to get the best results from the bait. From the lack of keeper crappie, I don't know if I should have tried something different. The lights I built are so bright you don't want to have to look at them very long.

[callen]

With This heat, it is a good time to be night fishing. I need to make some of those lights.