Ice fishing at night

[professionaloverride]

Can anyone give me any tips on ice fishing at night. I’m working 2nd shift and am new to Wisconsin. I would think Walleye should be the main target, what about perch? Thanks

[sparky88]

I have caught some very nice eyes, perch, and crappies at night. However, it was early evening (5 till 8). Never tried late night fishing. It's usually cocktail hour then! Good luck.

[beretta]

Most people will tell you that prime time for the evening is about one hour before sunset to one hour after sunset. This may be true for the most part, but on certain lakes, mainly clear ones, I have had extremely good luck fishing well into the night and then again a couple hours before sunrise. Of course a lantern or light are necessary. I have found a L.E.D. head lamp to be very handy. I have never fished WI lakes but I normally find the walleyes here to be in shallow or on the edge of a drop off during the night. I have also done very well on crappies during the middle of the night. Glow lures have been productive for me too.

I like your attitude. Gotta fish when you can! Good luck out there!

[john.wells]

The biggest walleye of my life (30" and FAT) I caught at night on a tip-up in 5 FOW at around midnight. I have also caught a great deal of crappies in the dead of the night, not to mention a lot of walleye. I would have to agree that shallower is the key. Work the weed edges or the tops or slopes of hard structure (rock, gravel, sand). I would have to say that the fish I get are generally bigger when out in the night, and sometimes the bite can be fast and furious. I believe Matt Johnson had a post or a story about a phenomenal all night bull sunfish frenzy last winter. It would be worth trying to find that post, or maybe he will see this thread and throw his 2 cents in

[berke99]

The best thing that I have found for night walleye fishing is to use glow lures. I recharge them after every fish or about every 20 min. if I'm not catching any thing. Good luck.

[double_dog]

From what I understand, in stained water fish will bite most anytime. But in really clear water, some of the best fishing is done at night. Can anyone confirm that?

[Farley]

Most of the bigger walleyes Ive caught have been between 12 and 5 a.m. in both the summer and winter. But be prepared to go hours without a bite. They defenitly are few and far between. The best way to do this is with a sleeper house and rattle reels. Then you can catch up on some sleep or read a book or whatever.

Last year up on Pelican we got into a little bit of a bite around 3:30 a.m, but it still wasnt as good as sundown. Glow jigs are good.

[Orlip]

I know for certain that on a popular metro lake last winter the big sunny's did not bite until 9:00pm. I would assume it had to do with all the traffic on the lake during the day. Once the lake calmed down they were there. I have also pulled some good sized Northerns up at night.