You've probably never seen anything like this before!!

[Wes_G]

So let me preface this story by saying that I don't like to see any animal suffer, especially not as a direct result of human ignorance.

Was walking down one of my favorite little streams this weekend and looked across to notice something hanging from a piece of fishing line caught in a bunch of branches. I thought it was a dead bird at first tangled up so crossed the creek to go cut it down. Once I got to the otherside I noticed it was definitely not a bird and was very much still alive.



So I wasn't just going to let this thing hang there suffer and die, after all with all the mosquitoes and other annoying bugs that these things eat its the least I can do and since its because of us that this animal is in this predicament.... Once I grabbed the line and broke it off the tree I noticed that not only was the bat holding onto the fly but it was also stuck in one of its feet. The hook popped out relatively easy although you wouldn't have known it by the teeth it was showing me and the noises it was making.



After the hook was out it hung out on the log like this for about 15 minutes until the girlfriend went back to see if it was still there and it flew away. I don't know how long it had a fly stuck in it and was hanging there for, but glad to see it survived.



Oh yeah, the Green Drakes were hatching to and the fish were looking UP!!!!!!

Have also never caught a cutt with the spotting going right into the eyes like this before.

[Talking moose]

I would of done the same. Good on you. Funny it could still fly with the tear in its wing.

[cecil]

Great story! Good work in doing your part in giving the little guy a chance.

[tikka250]

had a similar situation happen to me once except i was still holding onto the rod! nearing the end of the day after sub par luck catching any fish i was standing on a log overlooking the last hole. i had had tucked my rod into the crook of my arm to gain access to my flybook to see if there was anything else i would like to try out before calling it a day. much to my surprise i felt a tug on my line which had been dangling out in front of me.i lifted my head and watched as my line went skyward and proceed to do loops above me! after doing my best not to fall off the log i pulled in the line to discover a little bat quite upset with me at the fact that my elk hair caddis was stuck in his face. barb had already been pinched so i gently pulled it loose and let him go. wish i had a means to take pictures at that time.

[Stonecutter]

Holy crap. I honestly don't know what I'd do... It's a well known fact to those who know me that I have an irrational fear of bats. I'd like to tell you guys that I'd have done the same, but... I just don't know.

You can proceed to think less of me now...

[Passthru]

Originally Posted by tikka250

had a similar situation happen to me once except i was still holding onto the rod! nearing the end of the day after sub par luck catching any fish i was standing on a log overlooking the last hole. i had had tucked my rod into the crook of my arm to gain access to my flybook to see if there was anything else i would like to try out before calling it a day. much to my surprise i felt a tug on my line which had been dangling out in front of me.i lifted my head and watched as my line went skyward and proceed to do loops above me! after doing my best not to fall off the log i pulled in the line to discover a little bat quite upset with me at the fact that my elk hair caddis was stuck in his face. barb had already been pinched so i gently pulled it loose and let him go. wish i had a means to take pictures at that time.

Same thing prob happened to somebody else with this guy, but cut the line and left him. Wild story tikka, I've often thought of that happening with birds but a bat never crossed my mind.
Side note, biggest bat I've seen in Canada was near crowsnest driving to a camp spot to fish at 3am. Bounced off my headlight and smashed it. Was prob 2-3 ft wingspan, only guess was it was a Hoary Bat. Woke the wife up in the back seat quick from my scream lol
Not everybody would touch a bat, nice work op.

[58thecat]

Well you did a good deed, now all the fish gods will provide you with endless catching...feisty little bugger, lucky to have run into you

[waterninja]

Good story,great pics. Very nice of you to help that little guy out.

[WayneChristie]

was fly fishing in BC a couple weeks ago, and caught 2 bats on the backcast. one got off by itself the other I unhooked, flew away no problem even with a small tear in the wing