Is ice fishing your favorite hobby? Now you don’t have to wait for the weekend–or for the light of day–to have fun!
If you live near frozen bodies of water–and you have your fishing gear in the car or SUV–you can go ice fishing any night of the week!
Why would you partake of your favorite hobby at night, you ask? Well, if the sun has started to set by the time you wrap up your work day, and you don’t feel like driving straight home, that’s the perfect time to pitch a tent, poke a hole in the ice and kick back for a few hours of fishing.
What’s The Lure?
It doesn’t matter that the sky has turned dark. As long as you know a good ice fishing hole, you can ice fish. In fact, ice fishing at night is considered a mini-getaway-a great, natural antidote to a stressful day.
Ice fishing during the night time-especially when the days are short-is a calmer, more laid-back sort of fishing experience, but it’s still the sport you know and love.
Fish are usually looking for something to eat as the sun sets. If you pick the right spot, say veterans of the sport, the fish will come to you!
But you do have to plan ahead.
Special Night Time Concerns
If you are not adequately prepared for your night time outing, the activity won’t be nearly as rewarding.
How do you prepare? To begin with, you will want to make sure you have enough artificial light before you hunker down to a few hours of night time fishing.
One way to do this is to string an LED lighting system especially constructed for night time fishing. These systems usually have light bulbs imbedded in the flexible marine grade rope.
The brand name “Clam Corp.” puts out an LED lighting system with thirty bulbs in its rope. This should be more than enough light for you to be able to tie small knots, as well as to catch up on some reading during the lull in the action.
Your lights should be strung around the frame of a “Fish Trap”.
Most “Fish Traps” or “Clams” are also fitted with reflective lights. This is good from a safety point of view, since they’re easy to spot from a distance.
Another safety measure might be to use “Fish Traps” in only the white color. This way, you will be spotted at night by drivers of snowmobiles as they whoosh by.
Finally, don’t forget to bring a favorite book (preferably with large type), for those stretches of time when the fish aren’t biting!
Spots to Stake Out
There are certain areas that will naturally hold more fish, whether it’s night or day time. For instance, if you settle near places that have lots of weeds and position your bait above the weeds, you will be certain to bring in more of a haul.
Or, go for the very end of major points, where fish congregate at night.
Also, shallower sections are better for ice fishing at night. So are narrow sections, in deeper regions of the lake. (But don’t go to narrow sections if they also happen to be shallow!)
Species to Be Found At Night
Crappies and walleyes are two species of fish that hunt for food after dark in the ice realm. Crappies will be especially plentiful; they feed all night. You’ll see them near the water’s surface opening their mouths to feed on zooplankton.
Note: crappies don’t just suddenly disappear, although they may appear to. A school of crappies will only slip about thirty yards away, at the most, but they’ll still be in the vicinity!
Although crappies feed on microscopic fish and plants, they have been known to feed on larger items, so it’s a good idea to use “Techni-glow” type bait. The fish will see the bait from far away.
Walleyes will be swimming around, also. These fish have the low-light vision which is so efficient when seeking out their prey at night.
Use your glow-in-the dark bait for them, too, so that these fish can see your jig from a distance.
Bait to Use
Walleyes and crappies respond to the same bait. For instance, they are triggered by “Genz Worms”, “Genz Bugs” and “Fat Boys”-to name three popular styles. Also pile on maggots or wax worms, or place a plastic glow tail on the hook.
Other baits you might try are small-to-medium size “Frostees” or “Frostee Jigging Spoons”. Flyers will also attract walleyes and crappies.
Additionally, you might want to have the anglers inside the shelter jigging with a variety of bait options. In the meantime, set up your rod and reel combo at the edge of the shelter, using a tip-up device. Attach reflective tape so you can periodically check on the spot with flashlights.
Brrr! Reaching Into The Water
If you fancy the chilling proposition of reaching into ice cold water and pulling out a fish, make sure you’re properly outfitted to do so.
Slip on an ice fishing suit and fishing gloves and you’ll be fine.
The suit and gloves should be waterproof, warm and lightweight.
For the suit, some sort of closed-cell foam padding around the knees and in the seat area would be ideal, and will keep you dry as you wrestle with the fish.
As for the gloves, “Ice Armor” has put out a thin, flexible glove with a grip style palm surface which keeps the fish from slipping away.
Slim But Delicious Pickings
Other than walleyes and crappies, you might spot other species that usually aren’t as plentiful.
Depending on the locale, you might catch an occasional smelt or catfish.
Also, bluegills, perch and trout sometimes put in appearances at night in frozen lake areas. Finally, pike and muskies have been spotted under certain conditions. For these two species, you definitely need glow-in-the-dark bait.
Happy fishing!
