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3 Browns and a Bat!
Went fishing yesterday evening testing out some of the bushwhacking tactics that we had discussed earlier.. Changed out the vest for a small chest pack. Snuck up along the edges and hid behind a downed limb and made roll casts up the little creek. Caught 3 nice browns like that and was pretty happy and started back to the truck.
Was just starting back and all of a sudden I heard a sqeaking sound, there on the end of my rod was a bat! The water had caught my slackline and pulled my #10 Stimular to the end of the rod and he went for it. I cut him loose but I was afraid to handle him with my bare hands.
Anybody have any ideas on handling this situation if it happens again? Ugly little SOB.
[This message has been edited by CharlieB (edited 21 August 2005).]
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CharlieB:
As a devoted after dark fisherman catching a bat happens to myself or one of my partners at least once or more a season.
You did right, just cut them off quickly. Catching one on the cast or while drifting a fly can be a real experience since they will attempt to fly with all that slack at their disposal and often times come straight for you.
Use a caught bat as an excuse to pack it in and head back to the car for a brew confident in the knowledge that you tie a pretty realistic fly.
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Several years ago I was at a well known watering hole in Colorado with a group of friends who had been fishing that day. After one-or-two-or-so it was decided that we would go to the parking lot and cast for bats. There was a pole lamp in one corner of the lot that was attracting large numbers of insects and the bats were attracted to the sm?rg?sbord. Those who participated broke the hook point off at the bend so as not to impale the ugly creatures. It was a pretty funny sight, not too mention a lot of fun when a bat hit your fly.
http://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/053906.gif
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Dan S
The poster formerly known as Outrider
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Grizzly Wulff:
I'm glad to see I'm not the only maniac out there http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/wink.gif.
I was reluctant to post my own "Bat Fishing Derby" experiences for fear of getting blasted by PETB; People for Ethical Treatment of Bats.
At the end of an evening of fishing during the Sulphur hatch I usually spend a few minutes at the lamppost or casting in the air trying to get a bat to grab my flies as well. Sometimes it's tougher than getting the trout to take and scary as well!
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gross. im shivering just thinking about it. i hate bats. had one in my house once in upstate NY. i hid under a blanket in the corner while my friends escorted it outdoors. had a whole nest fly out in my face while pulling the peak off of a roof i was redoing. about 60' up, im waving my arms and screaming like a little girl. i hate bats.
the last thing i would do is cast for bats in a parking lot. as fun as it sounds...i couldnt do it. they scare the bejeesus out of me...
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Everyone dies. Only the lucky ever truly Live. Take your time.
Chris-Bishop, CA, USA
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I'm with Chris except I'd have to put casting for bats as the Second to last thing I'd do, the first one is knowingly meddle around with rattlers. However, an encounter with either one would send me to the car and into town to the nearest watering hole.
On thinking that last sentence over, I guess there are a lot of reasons (excuses?) to send me to the nearest watering hole I s'pose.
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Snow on the roof but with fire still in the hearth
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Yep I tied it and it was a pretty ugly fly at that having caught several fish on it. The bat was pretty defiant with his mouth open glaring up at me. I didnt want to hurt him as bats are pretty useful eatin' up mosquitos and other pests. (And I guess caddisflies too)
I'd prefer not to catch another one. Drinking beer and casting a hookless fly under a street lamp sounds kind of interesting though. Maybe add that to the redneck olympics.
Bat Angling!
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RW here,
Scared of bats, c'mon! I don't remember the number of mosquitos they eat in a day but I know it's in the hundreds. One of the few beneficial "rodents"?? there is, although all living things are beneficial to some extent, even if it's only to feed something else.
It's a mouse with wings!! What's the big deal? I take two or three out of my house every year. SAVE A BAT! AVOID A MOSQUITO BITE!! lol
Later, RW
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"We fish for pleasure; I for mine, you for yours." -James Leisenring on fishing the wet fly-
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Thanks,
This is one of the funniest threads I've read in a Loooong time,And I dare say your not alone.
I fish a spillway in PA that as night falls,Things really get interesting with the fish and bats.
I have a great respect for bats as pest control...Have to say that it never occured to me to break the hook off,as it is a pain in the a** when the bat bite is good at the street light at the end of the trail leading up to the dam & Spillway....I to, am guilty.of such simple pleasures.....lol..Please don't notify PETB... http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/biggrin.gif PS, RW since I see you slipped in ahead of me, 500 an hour is the rate in which I've been told they scarf up the pesky Lil critters.....
CharlieB,
Did you get the DVD on that yet..?...and what did you think of the techniques he employ's....Just wondering....
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"I've often wondered why it is that so many anglers spend so much money on,and pay so much attention to.the details on the wrong end of the fly line.If they took as much care in selecting or tying their flies as they did in the selection of the reel and rod,They might be able to gain the real extra edge that makes it possible to fool a fish that has,in fact,seen it all before" A.K.Best
"Wish ya great fishing"
Bill
[This message has been edited by billknepp (edited 21 August 2005).]
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I have caught a couple of bats so far . Not to rain on anyones parade but around here (BC Canada ) It is illegal to hunt molest or kill the little critters . There are a couple of species locally that are on the protected list .
I think PETA are just interested stuff that will annoy the Naked ape .