I’d rather be casting jitterbugs for largemouths on the midnight shift. Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle — whump! Each moonlit surface strike sounds like a record-setter. Lunkers prowl with evil intent after dark, but other surprises lurk just beyond the view. I once snagged a popper in an overhanging willow. As I drew within a few feet to shake it free, dozens of bats suddenly exploded from the branches. I think my partner pissed himself.
{Favorite Rig}
A three-inch black or yellow jitterbug tied directly to 10-pound-test Ande pink (abrasion resistant) monofilament.
{Favorite Place}
Southwest corner of Lake Ronkonkoma, Islip, New York. A state-record largemouth roams that shoreline stretch.
{Sharpie’s Tips}
Target calm nights and retrieve with a steady cadence so that fish easily can track the lure by sound.
