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Posted: 4/12/2020 2:24:39 PM EDT
[#1]
Great story, thanks for sharing!
Have done some dark night stealth Striper bass stealth fishing with some DTNVG's UF WPT. A few looks when I came back to the Marina from local houseboats partying. 
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Posted: 4/12/2020 3:49:13 PM EDT
[#2]
Fly fishing...no.
Shark fishing yep. |
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Posted: 4/12/2020 4:37:18 PM EDT
[#3]
Several years ago several of us pontooned (one man rafts) out to the backside of quake lake between West Yellowstone and Ennis. Fishing at midnight in the dark. Trying to listen for splashes and casting in the general direction. I didn't hook into anything, but I think one of the other guys did. It was kind of spooky. I think we were using things like deerhair mouse patterns, trying to make a good splash and make it look like it was struggling.
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Posted: 4/12/2020 6:29:26 PM EDT
[#4]
Spearfishing at night, yes. At night, above water, no
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Posted: 4/12/2020 6:56:00 PM EDT
[#5]
I’ve never fly fished but I’ve done a lot of bass fishing at night with a PVS-14. It works really well. Takes a bit to get used to when your bait gets close to where it starts to get out of focus. But once you get the hang of it it’s awesome.
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Posted: 4/12/2020 7:19:08 PM EDT
[#6]
I drove my boat one night with my PVS14. Wasn't as much fun as I thought it'd be, I was scared shitless.
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Posted: 4/12/2020 7:21:29 PM EDT
[#7]
Green Drakes like to hatch late evening so I've fly fished late into the night. You can't see big dries at night but if you put on a Glow-in-the-dark thingambobber close to the fly, you can see strikes that are in the ball park.
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Posted: 4/13/2020 12:29:56 AM EDT
[#8]
I used my PVS7 for bass and walleye, with top water lures.
Nothing like pulling a popper across calm water and having a large mouth destroy it. Caught my biggest walleye using a jitterbug at night. I liked fishing on a lake with top water, because you don't have to worry about getting your lure stuck in a tree or snagging bottom. You do have to worry about catching bats though, especially when casting a hula popper with two treble hooks. SJC |
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Posted: 4/13/2020 3:06:57 AM EDT
[#9]
Quoted: Don't laugh. I'm a lobster diver living in a landlocked territory and I miss having nighttime missions to collect seafood. I've heard that the really big brown trout feed at night so I tried going out to a local spot a few nights back with my PVS-14. Wow! Enormous fish jumping and feeding, and I could see them swimming and holding position all around me in the shallows. Was trying to catch them with artificial "mouse" flies, perhaps my line was too weak because a big fish came and snapped it right off. Anyways, I'm wondering if anyone here has any experience with this, figured this might be the only resource on the internet with an intersection of fly fishermen and NV folks. On a related note, the manual said this PVS-14 is good to 66' for 2 hours. I'll report back when I take them lobster diving, it might be a huge advantage because the big lobsters scurry at the first signs of a flashlight. 
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Posted: 4/13/2020 3:17:11 AM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Green Drakes like to hatch late evening so I've fly fished late into the night. You can't see big dries at night but if you put on a Glow-in-the-dark thingambobber close to the fly, you can see strikes that are in the ball park. I see you know what's up as well
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Posted: 4/13/2020 7:08:43 AM EDT
[#11]
Omg. This post has changed my life. Thank you for the idea.
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Posted: 4/13/2020 10:42:58 AM EDT
[#12]
I've never been fly fishing, let alone at night. Sounds fun though! On a somewhat related note, has anyone every gone mushroom (Morels!) hunting at night?
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Posted: 4/13/2020 2:47:29 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryHo. Lee. Shit. Did not know that existed. Now I need one. |
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Posted: 4/13/2020 3:05:39 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Ho. Lee. Shit. Did not know that existed. Now I need one. Quote HistoryQuoted: Ho. Lee. Shit. Did not know that existed. Now I need one. Not sure those are even available nor made any longer. 
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Posted: 4/13/2020 4:51:29 PM EDT
[#15]
come on people. please take videos and pictures. this sounds pretty cool.
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Posted: 4/13/2020 5:08:37 PM EDT
[#16]
I haven’t figured out taking photos yet but I will try next time.
I ordered an 8 foot saltwater fishing rod, collapsible. Given the focus issues running a single monocular I am not sanguine about my ability to cast a fly rod with any semblance of where the fly or leader is. I ordered a bunch of retro reflective glass beads to encrustellate my bobber, but that seemingly only works for visible light and doesn’t reflect IR well. So my plan is to tie a few inches of tippet to the end of the 8’ rod and have the fly directly on there. I’ve gotten within a few feet of the trout in the river, maybe I can just dangle and dance it in front of them and they’ll bite. I’m rigging a polymer mlok rail on the side of my Nightcap for the X400V and I might mount a Scout light with a barrel clamp picatinny rail on the handle of my net. I also need a system to quickly change flies in the dark. I may pre-tie loops on the flies and then attach them to the rod with a clip or zip tie. Have you tried threading an eyelet and tying knots with #5 tippet with no depth perception? |
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Posted: 4/13/2020 6:05:18 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I’ve never fly fished but I’ve done a lot of bass fishing at night with a PVS-14. It works really well. Takes a bit to get used to when your bait gets close to where it starts to get out of focus. But once you get the hang of it it’s awesome. This reminds me, a lot of people don't know: Go buy a Butler Creek #09-A quick flip scope cap, the one with the red button. Now find the exact center of it, and drill a small hole, like 1/8" diameter. Next, line the inner ring of it with a single pass of electric tape. It should fit very snugly on a PVS-14 objective lens. See how well that focuses up close for you (probably not much) and begin to enlarge the hole by fractions of an inch at a time. Mine's like 1/4" diameter IIRC, and it focuses things down to roughly arm's length distances now, so a smaller hole may focus things a bit closer, hopefully so in your case, but I'm not positive on that. It's actually really neat because I can effectively use pistol irons; distant things are still focussed enough to make out what/who they are, while the iron sights are just ever-so-slightly blurry (as if i didn't have my glasses on). Then, for normal light collection and focusing (it will dim the image) you just tap the red button and it's open. And remember to start small with the hole, because you can always take more off, you can't put moron. Hopefully this is new and helpful information to you all, and you catch many fish. |
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Posted: 4/14/2020 9:20:02 AM EDT
[#18]
What about bow fishing? With a laser maybe? |
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Posted: 4/14/2020 10:21:47 AM EDT
[#19]
Retying a fly at night? Ha I have a hard time in the daylight.
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Posted: 4/14/2020 10:24:22 AM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Omg. This post has changed my life. Thank you for the idea. No kidding! Awesome! |
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Posted: 4/14/2020 10:29:51 AM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted: What about bow fishing? With a laser maybe? I can barely draw my bow back properly and hit anchor point with a hat on. I wouldn't dare try it with $1,000's worth of nods on my head. If you did catch the NODS with the string there might be enough force to make the nods go flying off the boat/bridge even with bungees. Hard pass. Sure you could draw your bow and not use proper form but then you'll be ruining your form. |
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Posted: 4/14/2020 1:08:32 PM EDT
[#22]
I have always thought bow fishing would
be fun, but I have never tried it, but you bring up a valid point. Duly noted! Quote HistoryQuoted: I can barely draw my bow back properly and hit anchor point with a hat on. I wouldn't dare try it with $1,000's worth of nods on my head. If you did catch the NODS with the string there might be enough force to make the nods go flying off the boat/bridge even with bungees. Hard pass. Sure you could draw your bow and not use proper form but then you'll be ruining your form. |
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Posted: 4/14/2020 1:20:03 PM EDT
[#23]
I feel like this idea has great potential. I'll try it out once the MT streams start running clear. Might be cool to see how much IR light will diffuse through a clear creek for sight casting.
Until that time, I will be fly fishing at night for beaver with a rifle. |
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Posted: 4/14/2020 4:37:30 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Great story, thanks for sharing! Have done some dark night stealth Striper bass stealth fishing with some DTNVG's UF WPT. A few looks when I came back to the Marina from local houseboats partying. largest striper i ever caught very similar scenario... started f'n around with my fly setup casting it out, reeling it back in and boom 
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Posted: 4/15/2020 10:27:04 AM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I have always thought bow fishing would be fun, but I have never tried it, but you bring up a valid point. Duly noted! It's a blast and I would highly recommend that you do try it. If you want to do it at night people rig up lights on their boats and it doesn't seem to bother fish too bad. Also, you can stand on a bridge over a river that has gar in it and shoot them all night under a spotlight. They'll constantly come to the surface and snap the water. Makes for some fun quick instinctive shooting. |
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Posted: 4/15/2020 10:53:08 AM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I can barely draw my bow back properly and hit anchor point with a hat on. I wouldn't dare try it with $1,000's worth of nods on my head. If you did catch the NODS with the string there might be enough force to make the nods go flying off the boat/bridge even with bungees. Hard pass. Sure you could draw your bow and not use proper form but then you'll be ruining your form. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: What about bow fishing? With a laser maybe? I can barely draw my bow back properly and hit anchor point with a hat on. I wouldn't dare try it with $1,000's worth of nods on my head. If you did catch the NODS with the string there might be enough force to make the nods go flying off the boat/bridge even with bungees. Hard pass. Sure you could draw your bow and not use proper form but then you'll be ruining your form. Crossbow fishing??? Not sure if it's even a thing, but would seem to bring the IR laser back into play...though I have to imagine refraction would make the hold over/under interesting. |
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Posted: 4/15/2020 11:38:17 PM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Crossbow fishing??? Not sure if it's even a thing, but would seem to bring the IR laser back into play...though I have to imagine refraction would make the hold over/under interesting. If you chummed the water, you could pick them off as they break the surface. I've taken carp with a bow, but never at night. Now I have to find that old POS crossbow and see If I can set it up with a laser and reel. That'll get my mind off of dealing with this covid crap, except I'll have to go alone because of social distancing. SJC |
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Posted: 4/16/2020 9:53:44 AM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryQuoted: If you chummed the water, you could pick them off as they break the surface. I've taken carp with a bow, but never at night. Now I have to find that old POS crossbow and see If I can set it up with a laser and reel. That'll get my mind off of dealing with this covid crap, except I'll have to go alone because of social distancing. SJC Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Crossbow fishing??? Not sure if it's even a thing, but would seem to bring the IR laser back into play...though I have to imagine refraction would make the hold over/under interesting. If you chummed the water, you could pick them off as they break the surface. I've taken carp with a bow, but never at night. Now I have to find that old POS crossbow and see If I can set it up with a laser and reel. That'll get my mind off of dealing with this covid crap, except I'll have to go alone because of social distancing. SJC Haha, you're welcome for the thought seed. Want pics of your reel and IR laser equipped carp slaying crossbow when you get it finished. |
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Posted: 4/16/2020 1:42:52 PM EDT
[#29]
Haven't done any fishing, but frog gigging with nods is almost too easy.
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Posted: 4/19/2020 2:31:24 PM EDT
[#30]
Mistakes were made.
 Attached FileI heard more giant splashes last night and realized that what I heard last week were not giant brown trout feeding but giant beavers swimming and splashing with their tails when diving under the water. They’ve been out of season three weeks now, otherwise I’d have two lovely hats as a wedding present to my future bride . . . I went out much later this time and there were no large fish visible in the shallows. I got tired of using my fixed pole so I went back to the Jeep for my fly rig. I put the focus on my 14 for the end of the leader and that worked pretty well for awhile, until my fly snagged on something and came off. Then I found myself in the middle of the river trying to tie a simple knot. It was damn near impossible so I turned my monocular off and just did it by feel. I was eventually successful but then realized one of my flies had come out of my case and snagged my jacket. While trying to untangle that I lost my hold on my rod . . . Which proceeded to go downriver post-haste. I was lucky it only went about 300 yards before piling up under a tree. Regardless, I spooled all of the line out trying to follow it while walking through the shallow bank. I recovered it and managed to reel about half of it back in before reaching that interminable tangle, at which point I decided to cut my losses. I mounted an X400v on my dipnet with a UTG clamp on rail mount but never got to use it. What I really need to do is mount a polymer rail on my Nightcap. Learning, slowly. Will report back when I actually catch something at night. |
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Posted: 4/19/2020 5:28:45 PM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Mistakes were made. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/458220/8BB94C13-37DA-4646-9CEE-5478ECB41DB0_jpe-1375566.JPG Dude I think I would just get a new rig.  |
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Posted: 5/4/2020 2:32:11 PM EDT
[#32]
New pole setup: 8' saltwater pole with about 9' of mono tied to the tip, a tiny D-ring at the end of the mono and pre-tied loops of mono on various flies. This way I can take flies off and on the D-ring in the dark, mostly by feel, since tying any knots with mono through a PVS-14 is a fool's errand. This worked pretty well and I only lost one fly that slipped off the D-ring. Next time I'm upgrading to those little steel wire keychains with the screw lock, should reduce weight at the end of the line and be more secure.
I also swapped my NightCap for a cheap Lancer bump helmet I got so I could have a Surefire X300V on the side rail, removing the need to have a handheld light. I still might want a handheld in addition, for the purposes of shining through currents at a low angle to the water surface, which seems to be the best method of spotting trout. There were a lot out Saturday night. I managed to get a fly right in front of one 15" trout and it bit the surface just next to the fly, but on subsequent attempts it just wasn't interested. I still know very little about fly fishing in general so maybe it's up to fly selection and fly behavior, but the night vision portion of things was actually pretty successful. I think back to my initial attempts with night spearfishing and night diving for lobsters and I feel like I'm on a similar learning curve. The fiancee and I still need to get out in the garage with a couple of White Claws and untangle my reel though. |
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Posted: 5/4/2020 3:40:33 PM EDT
[#33]
I have tried fly fishing at night...the biggest challenge I ran into was trying to change flies, or in your case, add leader and tippet when a dinosaur snaps your rig. Pretty cool to see the fish breaking the surface through the goggles though.
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Posted: 5/4/2020 5:08:18 PM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By BlackTuono: New pole setup: 8' saltwater pole with about 9' of mono tied to the tip, a tiny D-ring at the end of the mono and pre-tied loops of mono on various flies. This way I can take flies off and on the D-ring in the dark, mostly by feel, Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By BlackTuono: New pole setup: 8' saltwater pole with about 9' of mono tied to the tip, a tiny D-ring at the end of the mono and pre-tied loops of mono on various flies. This way I can take flies off and on the D-ring in the dark, mostly by feel, Pics pls! I managed to get a fly right in front of one 15" trout and it bit the surface just next to the fly, but on subsequent attempts it just wasn't interested. I'm amazed you can see under the surface of the water. I have looked at water many times with NV, but never that closely I guess. |
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Posted: 5/5/2020 8:44:37 AM EDT
[#35]
I should get drawn for a gator tag this year here in GA. I plan on taking my PVS14 out for that.
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Posted: 5/5/2020 9:31:32 AM EDT
[#36]
I have done it at night in a float tube under moon light. Caught a few, also there were bats and honestly it was not worth the trouble. OP I think you need to practice casting more then trying to learn fishing at night.
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Posted: 5/5/2020 11:30:26 AM EDT
[#37]
Quoted: I'm amazed you can see under the surface of the water. I have looked at water many times with NV, but never that closely I guess. With the illuminator off and just using ambient moon and starlight the surface of the water is opaque, but I've found that holding an illuminator close to my waist works really well; something about the critical angle of refraction at that wavelength. If I set my focus about 12-15 away and walk slowly through ankle-shin deep water it's damn near transparent if the current is slack. That's what got me so excited about this, being able to see all the trout just waiting there . . . I swear the first night I could have just netted one at my feet. Quoted: OP I think you need to practice casting more then trying to learn fishing at night. Hahaha, true. Before I got this fly rod last month I hadn't used a fishing rod of any kind in 20 years, been getting all of my fish kinetically via face-shooting. I need to spend more time learning to fly fish normally, but what I am trying to work out is something completely different. The real purpose is to give me something to do locally where I can be outside and get comfortable with my NV rig and accessories, and for that it has been really successful thus far. But I'm happy that after three trips I have worked out a system of equipment that a) gets me a bite in the dark and b) lets me swap flies without tying or cutting. |
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Posted: 5/5/2020 1:53:58 PM EDT
[#38]
Do you use Fire Flies?
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Posted: 5/5/2020 2:55:37 PM EDT
[#39]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By mamasboy: Do you use Fire Flies? That's actually a great idea except they don't exist west of the Rockies. My poor fiancée has never seen one in her life. |
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Posted: 5/9/2020 11:10:31 AM EDT
[#40]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Leftover_Salmon: I can barely draw my bow back properly and hit anchor point with a hat on. I wouldn't dare try it with $1,000's worth of nods on my head. If you did catch the NODS with the string there might be enough force to make the nods go flying off the boat/bridge even with bungees. Hard pass. Sure you could draw your bow and not use proper form but then you'll be ruining your form. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Leftover_Salmon: Originally Posted By Johnny_C: What about bow fishing? With a laser maybe? I can barely draw my bow back properly and hit anchor point with a hat on. I wouldn't dare try it with $1,000's worth of nods on my head. If you did catch the NODS with the string there might be enough force to make the nods go flying off the boat/bridge even with bungees. Hard pass. Sure you could draw your bow and not use proper form but then you'll be ruining your form. It can be done. Optic on left eye, red laser on the stabilizer.  Attached File Attached FileI have a PVS14 still in the boat from last week, but my marker lights quit so I didn’t get a chance to try it out. |
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Posted: 5/9/2020 5:16:35 PM EDT
[#41]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Red_SC: It can be done. Optic on left eye, red laser on the stabilizer. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/51718/27A13266-9FA0-4F9D-A472-9B1574B95959_jpe-1408027.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/51718/2B044299-8542-42B4-B64B-9E6034F40C46_jpe-1408029.JPG I have a PVS14 still in the boat from last week, but my marker lights quit so I didn’t get a chance to try it out. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Red_SC: Originally Posted By Leftover_Salmon: Originally Posted By Johnny_C: What about bow fishing? With a laser maybe? I can barely draw my bow back properly and hit anchor point with a hat on. I wouldn't dare try it with $1,000's worth of nods on my head. If you did catch the NODS with the string there might be enough force to make the nods go flying off the boat/bridge even with bungees. Hard pass. Sure you could draw your bow and not use proper form but then you'll be ruining your form. It can be done. Optic on left eye, red laser on the stabilizer. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/51718/27A13266-9FA0-4F9D-A472-9B1574B95959_jpe-1408027.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/51718/2B044299-8542-42B4-B64B-9E6034F40C46_jpe-1408029.JPG I have a PVS14 still in the boat from last week, but my marker lights quit so I didn’t get a chance to try it out. Holy shit, haha. |
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Posted: 5/19/2020 2:52:55 AM EDT
[#42]
Success, somewhat!
I actually got a trout to bite on a 10’ fixed line on an 8’ pole. I didn’t set the hook well and after a dozen seconds of struggle he jumped off while I tried to net him. But that’s a problem with my fishing skill, not my gear. Next time I’m landing him and smoking him. I have their night behavior narrowed down now and know the eddies they hang out in to feed. Also saw a muskrat but didn’t feel like drawing down. Beautiful stars tonight, and finally warm. |
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Posted: 5/19/2020 3:54:15 PM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Red_SC: It can be done. Optic on left eye, red laser on the stabilizer. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/51718/27A13266-9FA0-4F9D-A472-9B1574B95959_jpe-1408027.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/51718/2B044299-8542-42B4-B64B-9E6034F40C46_jpe-1408029.JPG I have a PVS14 still in the boat from last week, but my marker lights quit so I didn’t get a chance to try it out. Well... Dang |
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Posted: 5/21/2020 9:14:40 AM EDT
[#44]
Neat
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