Time of day?

[Icephishnphreek]

I was just wondering what time of day do you find most productive for northerns? And should you use live bait or dead bait on tip ups for them? 

[grumpymoe]

i've found that there is no one part of the day thats more productive than others, as long as there's light. do use dead bait and LARGE  when fishing with tipups. (keeps the small ones from hitting).

[Bob_D]

Anytime of day...and I use both. Somedays they prefer live, some days dead.....the closer to ice out, the more dead bait I use. Little pike will eat bait 1/3 it's size....so in my book, super big bait is a waste of money. JMO

[WVBoy]

Anytime is good time, but I have been paying attention for the last couple of years and I do notice that late morning 10:00, 2:00, and 4:30 are hot times for multiple flags.

[Tip-Up]

I get 90% of my big pike between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and all on big dead bait. The bait I use is too big too use live. It would set off the tip-up if it were.

[Master Angler]

 I would say about 75% of my big pike have come within 15-30 minutes either side 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. with scattered activity between 10:30-2:30.  I have also picked up a few just before dark.  As with tip-up and grumpmoe, I also use large dead bait.

[wny angler]

ive caught some of my biggest pike 1/2 hour before sunset
- had days where id have a flag or 2 all day then the last hour of light  all my flags woulds start  poppin

[Germ]

Well don't know about big arse fish but to be honest first light i get the most hits on my Minnows and they arnt dead either just a lil hurt and i dont fish deep just like 8-12 feet and i hang the minnow whihc is usually like 6 inches long over the weed bed by about a foot...i also use other things as i posted in big pike not moving some really helpful hints! TIght lines!

[Ice Troll]

I catch all my northern on medium to large shiners, suckers or chubs fished live about 18 inches off bottom. Usually fish between 8 and 24 feet deep and catch more fish between sunrise and 10am than any other time.

Ice Troll

[Icephishnphreek]

Thanks for all the info guys. I cant wait to put your tips to work next season

[Jimmy The Jigger]

Sunrise-10:00am are best for me,and also1:00pm-sunset is pretty good also.