Lights effect walleye bite at night?

[Sturge1]

I am wondering if any of you that fish for Walter at night have noticed that the light from a lantern or flashlight will scare them off a bite in 12' to 16' of water. A friend used the red filter on his flashlights with success. I usually use a flex light myself.
Sturge

[Rick]

Here is something I've noticed with respect to what I believe is a lighting effect. It can actually be used to your advantage.

When someone has a light on and I get out to the edges of that light and it seems the walleyes like to hang on those edges. At least that's where I catch them often enough.

It has been a good night pattern and producer for me while the person in the light sits skunked more often than not.

I believe it's because the walleyes sit in the dark edge waiting to ambush minnows attracted by the light as they stray into those dark edges.

What do you think?

[Sturge1]

Rick it makes sense to me. Might try putting the lantern outside of the shack and get in the shadows. Thanks!

[Guest]

Good Question! There are a lot of variables to this answer. The easiest answer is Yes, light effects walleye.

Now you have to consider:
-The clarity of the water
-The Kind of lake you are fishing
-The Depth you are fishing
-The Size of fish you are after
-The Time of year
-The Time of Day
-The ice thickness
-How big of Hole are you using

I consider all those factors when it comes to how much light I allow in my fishhouse when fishing walleye. The idea is to allow as little light as possible to penetrate to the depth I am fishing. Scott Steil

[upnorth]

Do you really think that having a light in the ice house would make that much difference?

I usually don't have anything right over the holes. Do you think just off to the side would be an impact?

[Mankato-Ice-Man]

Using small tea light candles on the ice near your hole can provide just enought light for you to see what is going on, but not enought light to scare everything off near you.