`Hawg Wranglin` in the Dark! Chasin` Piggy-Bass on Top-Water

Last Thursday I had the pleasure of fishing with a gentleman by the name of Dennis Huskins for a few hours before work. “Doc”(as he is indeed a retired physician) and I communicated on the fishing forum/site “Hooked-in.com” and decided to meet in person up in Warren County that morning. He took me to one of his favorite fishing haunts to show me around a bit. A very versed fisherman who truly loves to fish, Doc explained what his favorite lures of choice where to use at this lake and gave me one of his swim-baits to try.    
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Armed with several poles, I asked Doc why he brought so many. He explained his very cool side-hobby to me. He actually buys broken St. Croix Rods from eBay, repairs them, then tests them out personally, and if they pass his testing(catching/landing fish), he then resells them on eBay. 
While we only landed a few fish in a short time frame that morning, I certainly enjoyed his company and am looking to some future fishing adventures down the road. Yep……. another Fishing Friend indeed.
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So I went to work that day, and as I was driving home that evening, something occurred to me. Back in the early 90`s I had been quite successful fishing for Largemouth Bass at night with my Step-Father Rich. I just totally forgot how well I did fishing out on Spruce Run with him…….in the dark. My favorite lure of choice to throw at night was a Banjo Minnow…….. Remember them? 
I got home that night, ate supper and told Sharon that I was going to have a go at it and try chasin` some Largemouth Bass that night. She wasn`t all that crazy about my plan, because of having the heart attack a month a half before. She didn`t like the idea of me running around in the dark by myself. However I assured her I`d be fine and that I would text her exactly where I was……….besides, I had my knife…….. ha! ha!
Grabbed my poles, gear, bug spray…….. hmmmmmm…….. but what the hell was I forgetting? Ahhh…must not be all that important I thought to myself. Just remember that……..
Got to the spot I wanted to try at around 6:30pm…….. still was light. I decided to start out throwing a “Jawbone” Top-Water Mouse, as I really enjoyed using those when I went after the Snakeheads down in South Jersey. On the third cast I had a decent “blow-up”(fish missed my lure)……….as I worked the weedy vegetation. Then darkness started rapidly setting in………
Just on the brink of darkness, the water erupted as really nice Bucket-Mouth smashed the mouse! Fish on!

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The heavy Bass dove deep as my rod bent in half and the drag screamed in the night air. Between thrashing the water and doing acrobatic breaks, the Bucket-Mouth surely put on quite the fight. Eventually I landed the beautiful 4.8lb Greenback.  
I caught two smaller bass that night and then decided to call it quits around 10:30pm. 
Up to this point, I hadn`t used a light at all………. and it was a new moon(no moon) so it was really dark. I turned on my phone(which doesn`t have a light on it…..whole other story) for what little light from the keyboard and fumbled through my gear bag for my light.
Son of a bitch!…….. That`s what I forgot back at the house……. a light! Now I would have a hell of a time walking my way out as I was a good half mile or more from my vehicle. Away I went, fumbling through the woods in total darkness trying to use the horizon as a guide. Eventually I did get back to my truck. As I was opening the door, a State Trooper pulls in………… shines his spot light on me and says “Ken Beam”….. 
I said, “Yea…..that would be me”….. He got out and introduced himself and said he had known of me from various hunting/fishing forums and that he followed my adventures on my site. Helluva nice guy as we must’ve talked about all types of hunting/fishing for at least thirty minutes. Then another local town police car pulls up and he asks the Trooper if everything is ok. The Trooper walked over and said, “Yea yea….everything is cool. This guy is like a local fishing legend” —- With that the other cop got out of his car and introduced himself and the three of us chatted another fifteen minutes then said out good byes.
A couple of real nice fellows. 
But now I had the “bug” for this night time `Hawg Wranglin` and wanted more.
The very next night Sharon was working the late shift and wouldn`t be going to work until 9:30pm. “Well why not have a go at it for an hour or so….would be a late night but why not?”, I thought to myself. 
So I did just that. Arriving at the same spot I had been the night before around 10:30pm.
What a night! Fished two hours and landed seven beautiful Bucket-Mouths! (Even brought a light this time! ha! ha!)
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The highlight of the night was this beauty…… A 23 inch 5.8lb Greenback! An amazing fight and again, on the Top-Water Mouse. 
When you`re on a roll, why stop right? When the dice are hot, ya keep rollin`!
The following night I decided to try some new territory a little further north and got there around 6pm. Wasn`t long and I had this beauty…. a 19 inch 4.3lb Piggy on the shore. 










































And I gotta tell you, there`s nothing quite like hearing a big `ol Greenback exploding through the lily pads as he smashes your top-water Mouse in the dark. It`s really a totally different experience when you`re out and about fishing in the dark. In my opinion, your hook up percentage ratio is much higher at night as compared to the day time hours. Definitely less misses. When these fish strike at night, they mean business. I enjoy it as I certainly see fewer fishermen out there at those sometimes ungodly hours. Ahhhhhh……ya might see a bear or hear a couple coyotes. But that`s about it when it comes to company. 
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Two nights later, I convinced Sharon to come out with me at night. So she brought her one little Pomerainian with her as well. Her and “Piper” sat on a little chair while I worked the water. After being there for two hours and losing four nice Bass, I thought to myself, “Guess I`m gonna get skunked tonight” —
Besides, Sharon was getting bitten bad by mesquitoes….even with bug spray on. So I said, “The hell with this, let`s call it a night…… Guess I`m goin` home skunked”

Ahhhhhhh….. “One more cast”……..

“Last cast of the night” and this nice Bucket-Mouth crashed the pads, hittin’ the. “Jawbone” Top-water Mouse….again.






 
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A nice way to finish the night indeed. 
Till next time…..

6 thoughts on “`Hawg Wranglin` in the Dark! Chasin` Piggy-Bass on Top-Water”

    1. Hiya Bruce – Hey thanks a lot…… glad ya liked it. Yea…. I get a little lucky every now and then! ha! ha! Thanks again for checkin` it out.

  1. Beautiful colors on those hawgs! Great read!! I may have to dust off my top water mouse that’s been sitting in my tackle box now. 🙂

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