Night fishing on the Ice

[addicted2fishin]

Well in the past i always slayed fish at night in the spring summer and fall. Not untill this year did my gear start becomming sufficent enough to try threw the ice. Anyone have any luck at this and if so u got any tips im open for suggestions. I know in the summer a lattern will work just fine. Will it also over the ice or am i going to have to carry a bulky marine battery out on 2 the ice ?

[oyler]

what do you plan on going after?   No matter the species, I would think that a latern would work just fine.  we have used those foam floating lights for crappies, and what we do is use a smaller motorcycle or atv battery for it, that way it's not so heavy to haul out.

[addicted2fishin]

Lake trout, Brownies and maybe pikes, but really anything that'll bite ill be happy with it  So while using a lattern do i need to hang it someway over the hole or will it  reflect enough light into the hole just sitting next to it? Also ive had some luck in the past years with those floating lights, does the atv battery hold enough charge for u though? and will it produce time and time again. I know those things die fairly quickly thats why i was always used deep cycle batteries. Hold a charge better and can reuse it time and time again

[oyler]

Yah, I thought of that after I typed it, I guess I'm not positive it was an ATV battery, because it lasted quite a while.  Must have been a smaller deep cycle or something.  We've only done it a few times, so I didn't pay too much attention to the battery (wasn't mine)    As far as using a lantern, we would shovel out a 4ft by 4ft square, and drill a hole in each corner, and then set the lantern in the middle, and then jig or set tip ups in the 4 holes. It worked good on trout!    Hope that helps

[slipperybob]

Some places it's just daybite, some other places, it's night bite.  Sometimes a bright light in the shelter helps to attract fishes, sometimes the fish tend to shy more away.

I usually rely on the use of my kerosene lantern, but for short trips, a flashlight or two works for me.  If only wiring for lights will withstand subfreezing temps and won't crack, then I would use more of it.  More like I will have to splice heavy duty wires.

[james]

Well in the past i always slayed fish at night in the spring summer and fall. Not untill this year did my gear start becomming sufficent enough to try threw the ice. Anyone have any luck at this and if so u got any tips im open for suggestions. I know in the summer a lattern will work just fine. Will it also over the ice or am i going to have to carry a bulky marine battery out on 2 the ice ?

with a lantern and a few of these Arctic fire tip up lights, you wont have to sit on top of your traps.
they're a bit pricey, around ten bucks apeice, but well worth it for night fishing.

[surflizard]

When we night fish for cusk, I have a round LED light that I hang from the center roof brace in the Frabil. We have better luck jigging than using tip ups
I have a 1.5 million candle power rechargeable light and between that and the Halogens on the wheeler, we are in good shape for night crawling !

[ImAJigginFool]

Last winter we would fish right before dawn and kill 'em.  Then we'd hit a lull, then get bored and leave.  At the end of January we started going out around 3-4 pm and around 5ish, it turned on and turned on hard.  Never caught so many crappies and fishing at night is now our thing. 

[mealworm]

with my work schedule its hard to get out at night.we just started night fishing for crappies 2 years ago, couldn't believe how good the night bite was for those tasty little guys. all we do is set up a lantern and fish right next to it

[jasond37]

Depends on what kind of shack, if any, you are in.  Usually a lantern placed right on the ice in between holes will work if no shack.  I wouldn't hang a lantern in a portable though, lots of heat close to the canvas.  Last year we used headlamps in my portables, and those things work awesome.  No gear to lug, just strap it on.  It's nice too for the walk back to shore.  In my 4x8 I hang my gas lantern, and in my 6x8 I have 6 lights that run off a deep cycle marine battery.  Around here the night bite can be really good, depends on what lake.  Crappies will have their spurts, but not worth fishing all night for.  Maybe until 10 or so.  If we are in a sleeper we'll set up our rattle reels and hit the sack (or play some cards and drink some beer)...nothing like waking up to that slow, steady bell going off!!     

[ImAJigginFool]

Mealworm - Let me tell ya, we had so much fun catching crappies at night.  I wish I had video...me and my wife's uncle had an Fl 20 set up, we found crappy about 5' off the bottom...It was nearly 7pm and we were alternating in the same hole.  As I was unhooking and re-baiting, he was hooked up by the time I was ready to drop my jig back down and vice versa.  We had our limit in 20 mins.  So much fun.

[RLWagner]

I use a sealed beam headlight and float it in a hole between us. Penetrates to the bottom even in deep water. Within 15-20 min the entire light beam will be filled with trillions of micro-organisms. If you are able to scvrape away the snow cover from the ice there will be enough illumination to shut off the glaring lanterns.

[slipperybob]

I wish I could do the bright light down into the hole, but our state's laws prevents me from such actions. 

[addicted2fishin]

what state is that? I always thought it was just considered a fishing aid

[jasond37]

I wish I could do the bright light down into the hole, but our state's laws prevents me from such actions. 

I'm pretty sure it's illegal in a lot of states, summer too.

[Woodsman]

A lite down the hole is definitely illegal in Ontario.

[lindenborn]

Ive never used a light down the hole just loaded with glojigs tipped with spikes and caught tons on many nights!  My fav time is at night to fish.

[jopes]

use of any light to attract fish in Wyoming is illegal as well.  but it is legal to use light to aid your sight to fish at night. 

[AdamT]

I'm pretty sure that a light down the hole is illegal in Colorado too, but then again night fishing is only legal until 9 p.m. or so on most of the lakes here.

[J_Edwards]

I never bother with the lantern, I used to but I just think it's a pain anymore.  I always use a my headlamp, a princeton tec in the shack and now my PIAA lights on my quad to check my tip ups. 

[capedeer/fish]

Gonna try this for big brownies this year!

[jvanhees]

I use a sealed beam headlight and float it in a hole between us. Penetrates to the bottom even in deep water. Within 15-20 min the entire light beam will be filled with trillions of micro-organisms. If you are able to scvrape away the snow cover from the ice there will be enough illumination to shut off the glaring lanterns.

no chit! Does that work awesome or what?  What type of headlight, powersource, cost are you lookin at?  Sounds awesome

[gulp]

If you look with a underwater camera light from a lantern hardly gets through the ice. Cant see where it would help attract fish.

[RLWagner]

Go to the junkyard and nab an old sealed beam for a buck. Scrap wire with leads and a tractor or car battery. Cheap, real cheap.

[addicted2fishin]

Thanks good idea RLWagner! Ill have to give it a shot.

Go to the junkyard and nab an old sealed beam for a buck. Scrap wire with leads and a tractor or car battery. Cheap, real cheap.

[fishslayerX]

I think the lantern reminds catfish of moon light and works catfishing is always best at night.

[hounds]

Berkley makes a very small light that will work for hard water or soft water fishing.  comes with a 20 ft. string and runs un AA bateries.  Picked mine up at Wal-Mart.   On the cheap, take a Mason Jar put a halogen flashlight in it tighten the lid, tie a string around the neck and drop it down the hole.  As long as you keep the Flash light dry you'll have light for several hours, and AA batteries are easier than lugging that trolling motor battery.