Better than coffee

[GreenPig]

I got a early start this morning and was headed up the lake in the dark with a plan while sipping on my 30 oz mug of coffee. About five minutes into my run something small hit me in the chest and I thought nothing of it even though I was running wide open(26 blistering MPH). A moment later I feel something similar to loose fishing line blowing against my bare leg so I swipe it away and immediately it's back doing it again. I came off plane and flipped on my headlamp and looked down to see a BAT trying it's best to climb my leg. I went from my driver's seat to up by the trolling motor in a millisecond and somehow had my net in my hands ready to defend myself. The little fella was stunned and crawled around for a minute and then flew off but I was now fully alert and awake and in no need of coffee. But I was raised no to waste food so I forced my self to drink it. Oh yeah I even caught some bass.

[Big Hands]

I was night fishing a few weeks ago and the bats were thicker than I have ever seen them. They were continually running into my line and it was hard to tell if I was getting bitten or batted ;~)

 

Sure enough, one got tangled up in my braid. Luckily I had a couple of fish handling gloves stashed aboard and my son held the bat in a gloved hand and I did my best to cut the braid off of it. There was one tiny strand I couldn't get untangled from it. 

 

Gruesome looking creatures up close.

[PressuredFishing]

4 minutes ago, Big Hands said:

I was night fishing a few weeks ago and the bats were thicker than I have ever seen them. They were continually running into my line and it was hard to tell if I was getting bitten or batted ;~)

 

Sure enough, one got tangled up in my braid. Luckily I had a couple of fish handling gloves stashed aboard and my son held the bat in a gloved hand and I did my best to cut the braid off of it. There was one tiny strand I couldn't get untangled from it. 

 

Gruesome looking creatures up close.

I hate bats, I would be so worked up I'd call the fishing trip up and order 8 McDonald's big Max's and some hashbrowns to calm myself down.

[T-Billy]

My wife had a bat get tangled up in her braid one night. They are indeed gruesome looking critters. Good to have around though. They eat lots of skeeters.

[T-Billy]

My favorite night fishing lake is surrounded by rocky hills. Lots of bats at night. The skeeters will eat you up at dusk and dawn, but while it's full dark and the bats are out, you don't get bit. I like 'em.

[MGF]

We have trouble keeping bats out of the house.  On several occasions we've had one flying around the living room. 

[Junk Fisherman]

That had to wake you up!

 

We had a bat flying around our cottage once.  My wife wakes me up saying there is a bird in the house.  I tell her it is just a moth and to go back to bed.  Half asleep, I see something fly by and realize it is not a moth.  So at 2 AM I am with my landing net chasing this bat around the house.  Ugly sucker!  

[TnRiver46]

5 hours ago, Big Hands said:

I was night fishing a few weeks ago and the bats were thicker than I have ever seen them. They were continually running into my line and it was hard to tell if I was getting bitten or batted ;~)

 

Sure enough, one got tangled up in my braid. Luckily I had a couple of fish handling gloves stashed aboard and my son held the bat in a gloved hand and I did my best to cut the braid off of it. There was one tiny strand I couldn't get untangled from it. 

 

Gruesome looking creatures up close.

Might be better off not touching the bat! They carry rabies more frequently than most mammals. A guy in Illinois recently died from a bat bite (he refused treatment )

[T-Billy]

41 minutes ago, Junk Fisherman said:

That had to wake you up!

 

We had a bat flying around our cottage once.  My wife wakes me up saying there is a bird in the house.  I tell her it is just a moth and to go back to bed.  Half asleep, I see something fly by and realize it is not a moth.  So at 2 AM I am with my landing net chasing this bat around the house.  Ugly sucker!  

[Smells like fish]

I’m not a fan, I had a bad run in with a bat once. 

[islandbass]

9 hours ago, PressuredFishing said:

I hate bats, I would be so worked up I'd call the fishing trip up and order 8 McDonald's big Max's and some hashbrowns to calm myself down.

I like them. They keep me company when I fish at my home lake in the evening. They’re small, probably just a little bigger than my hand. Many times however as the skunk sets in, I tell myself at least someone’s (the ? bats) catching something.  The acrobatics they pull off catching insects is pretty cool. 

 

There also is a McDs nearby. Maybe I’ll buy a couple of Mc Doubles and fries ? next time so I’d have something to eat while watching the show, lol. 

[DitchPanda]

When I read the title I thought this may be a pro cocaine propaganda piece.

[GreenPig]

5 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Might be better off not touching the bat! They carry rabies more frequently than most mammals. A guy in Illinois recently died from a bat bite (he refused treatment )

The chance of rabies was my concern. A friend of my wifes dog brought a dead bat in their house and the entire family of 4 had to get rabies shots. My understanding was that none of them even touched it and this joker was on my leg. So if y'all don't hear from me after a couple weeks it'll be no mystery. 

1 hour ago, Smells like fish said:

I’m not a fan, I had a bad run in with a bat once. 

If that joker would've made it up into my shorts I'd be with you on not being a fan.

[K1500]

May want to call a Dr. about a rabies course. As mentioned, a guy was in the news recently who woke up with a bar on him and contracted rabies and died. It’s has the highest mortality rate of all viral infections but can be treated if done early. 

[GreenPig]

10 minutes ago, K1500 said:

May want to call a Dr. about a rabies course. As mentioned, a guy was in the news recently who woke up with a bar on him and contracted rabies and died. It’s has the highest mortality rate of all viral infections but can be treated if done early. 

I would if it would've scratched or bit me. I stay away from hospitals & Dr. Offices so I'm not exposed to the Covi. I really hope that bat didn't migrate from the Wuhan seafood market. 

[WRB]

Bat encounters are more common at dusk when they come out for the night. When I fly fished more would occasionally  catch bat that grabbed the fly.

Bats hitting your fishing line gets your attention tick. Our local bats are mouse size about 6”-8” wing span. 

Where I live we get a few bats under the eves during the day and I hose then down with water jet to get rid of them.

Tom

 

[NavyToad]

Bats, spiders, and opossums - man’s allies against annoying bugs.

 

[Big Hands]

6 hours ago, WRB said:

Bat encounters are more common at dusk when they come out for the night. When I fly fished more would occasionally  catch bat that grabbed the fly.

Bats hitting your fishing line gets your attention tick. Our local bats are mouse size about 6”-8” wing span. 

Where I live we get a few bats under the eves during the day and I hose then down with water jet to get rid of them.

Tom

 

Yep, the one we tangled with was pretty small, about the size of a mouse with wings and they look even more hideous than I expected up close. I finally left a dim light on so I could see that it was a bat ticking my line and not a bass biting the worm. There were hundreds, if not thousands out that night. Like moths or gnats. They took until about 11 pm before they went away.

 

We woke up to one flying inside of our house in early 2020. No idea how it got in. When they fly, they really do look pretty goofy on their own just like in the old movies where they jerk them up and down on a string. Not super graceful in tight quarters.

[gim]

This thread cracked me up.  That is an awesome story @GreenPig.  Would a freaked me out too.  Had an encounter with a bat once in a college house that 4 of my friends and I lived in.  We knew a bat was living down in our basement.  One of my roommates had the bright idea of going after it while we were all drunk.  In the wee hours of the morning, all 5 of us went into the basement after a night of drinking.  A couple of my roommates even put their lacrosse helmets on too lol.  I armed myself with a tennis racquet.

 

Well, after 30 minutes of 5 college aged drunk guys trying to "capture" this thing, we finally got it into a 5 gallon bucket with a cover on it.  I carried that bucket outside and released it fully alive.

 

I agree that they are beneficial in terms of bug control and ugly things that can carry rabies (and coronaviruses) at the same time.  Just let them do their thing and eat mosquitoes.

[GRiver]

I had a bat that was try to live in my engine cowling. I ha d to put screens over the holes to keep him out. 
I was really surprised the first time I took the cover off. 

[Zippo Guy]

We have a couple of 14 foot long outdoor shade screens on our houseboat.  Last week I was lowering one as we were getting ready to start the BBQ for dinner.  About a dozen bats flew out as I was lowering it. Some were under the covered area flying around like crazy. Really shook up my wife as she was just coming out the door.  After they were gone I lowered the starboard screen and only one dead dried up bat dropped out. 

[Smalls]

I SMOKED one with a buzzbait a few years ago. He was flying like 10-15 feet in front of me as I was casting. Backlash so bad I had to cut it out. He hit the water, but seemingly flew away fine. Guess their sonar ain't that great after all.