night stalk @ Dierks tonight

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...nightstalk.jpg

This was the night that I have been waiting for. I came out with 15 crappie, but that's only half of the story. I got overtaken by what had to be every white bass in the lake. I'm guessing that I caught 5 whites for every crappie, maybe more than that. I went through 5 dozen minnows and caught some on jigs. I finally realized that if I fished on the bottom my ratio got a little better and I put a few crappie in the boat. At one point I noticed that I had blood all over my hand...and that it was mine. My right hand is just shreaded right now. I started out with 5 poles when things were quiet, then went to three and like an idiot I stuck with that...probly shoulda went to two. When I realized @ about 10:00 that I still hadn't had my ice cold yoo-hoo I just let all three hang there unbaited til I got a drink.
It would have been fun to have the kids with me, but in all honesty it would have been one tangled up mess after another. I had my three rods spread as far apart as I could reach, and those white bass still had me all wrapped up. I had several that I couldn't even turn at first, and before I could anything with em...train wreck. I really needed another guy in the boat. If was frustrating at first, but then I realized that I was having a blast and I was catching a crappie now and then.
Man, I'm going to bed. I feel like I've been hauling hay...
Sorry about the lousy pic, hard to get someone to take your picture at 1:00 in the morning.

That's an awesome post. Glad to hear about a successful nightstalk. How deep were you fishing and what kind of light setup did you have?

Good morning Gooch, I decided to set up on the edge of some timber on a creek that feeds the main lake, over a fairly sharp drop in 17' of water.
I just had one starfire sub going last night, never even hooked up my floater. I had two clamp on shop lights, with the reflective housing that I modified with alligator clips w/12v bulb...one in the bow and one in the stern, works great. I wish I had something mounted in the bow to clamp that light to so it can shine down in the water and be up and out of the way. I may work on that...

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I had several that I couldn't even turn at first, and before I could anything with em...train wreck. I really needed another guy in the boat.

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I think you would have no problems getting someone to help you with that. How's next week sound?:D

Wow nice night. I went to Bull Shoals today and caught only one big bluegill. The lake is still fairly cold at 49-52 depending on which side of the lake you are on. But the crappie just are not there yet. Gotta get some condos out soon.

I know that was a fun night on the water! Me and Gooch got into a school of whites on Lake Maumelle one night last summer. It's a lot of fun....but a headache at the same time. They just seem to be swim thru at about 20mph, grab that shiner, and never let up. Hah, you know it's bad when you've got to take a yoo-hoo break...:D