The Hunt For Big Fish with Larry Dahlberg

Larry,

First off, I love the show. No show on Television shows more passion for adventure and travel than yours. As for my comment/question. One night while fishing a large recreational reservoir near my home I decided to try something new. I tied on a half-ounce white spinner bait and began working a rocky bank near the dam face. BANG! On the second cast, I landed a nice 2 pound smally. Being that it was late fall, the success was marginal the rest of the night. Remembering this, while fishing the next fall, I tied one on and began working under lights near a marina late at night on that same lake. That night, my uncle and I landed a few nice large-mouth, smally's and even a few small pike.

The next summer, while the water level was down to accomodate white water rafting in the river below, I tied on a spinner bait and began to work a boat launch area in a small cove. The bite was absolutely un-believable. Largemouth after largemouth fell victim to big clunky white spinner baits. We didn't catch one under 3 pounds! Small mouth too. HUGE. Near where a creek flowed in, the large mouth were chasing the spinnerbait into water so shallow that their dorsal fins were sticking out of the water! They would actually gulp at it near the surface just before you pulled it out of the water! Here is the catch. Nearly everyone in the area is convinced that this lake is dead! I must admit that before fishing it at night, I had marginal success at best. The boat traffic is just too high. The fish go into hibernation. We eventually started making the trip once a week, with close to the same success every time. This method simply does not work on any other smaller bodies of water in the area where boat traffic is not an issue.

My question is this.
Have you ever experienced this same scenario on lakes with heavy recreational usage? Are spinnerbaits the typical bait that you find works best in this situation, or are others just as effective. I really want to find out if this is something that I can use in other situations in lakes around my area.

Many Thanks, and keep up the great work!

Brian R.

Hi B
For sure. That's the reason black lights for fishing were developed.
Sometimes it's truly amazing the way fish behaviour is influenced by heavy traffic.
I'd get some black lights and keep quiet about the lake!
Thanks for the post.
L

I will be sure to investigate these black lights. It really is amazing what each body of water can present in the right situation. The other smaller bodies of water where only electric motors are allowed seem to only produce with plastics on the bottom and once in a while you will get an explosive 2 hour Jitterbug bite which can be an awesome experience itself.

Thanks again
Brian

Blacklights??

I must have missed something, or did someone delete a post or what.

Forgive my ignorance, but what do blacklights have to do with fishing spinnerbaits after dark in pressured waters? Thanks.

Brad

hi B
You're fishing at night 'cause the fish are spooked by humans during the day. It's really hard to see at night. Normal lights also can spook the fish and also semi-blind you at night.
Black lights, which are focused outward, cause the part of your line that's out of the water to glow like a neon bulb, enabling you to see the most subtle bite, tie knots, plus provides enough light to fish without destroying your night vision.
They're fantastic for night stalking, and as far as I know developed by the same guy who developed the spinner bait as we now know it! (stan sloan)

best,
L

Cool Do I need to use some type of phosphorescent line to get that effect or will any mono glow like that (not braid though, right?).

Brad

hi B
the phos neon lines show up best.
L

you can use Stren Blue and Fireline in flame green both work VERY well I was just at Clear Lake,Ca for three days last week doin' some night stalkin'!