Do lanterns attract fish?

[Alex = #1]

Fishing crappie in about 15 fow, at night, with a lantern in the house. The lantern burned out and the fish seemed to immediatly dissapate... didn't stick around long enough to see if it was a coincidence.

Does the light that shines down the holes attract fish?

[Craigums]

Crappies have a vision advantage over there prey in low light situations, it's possible that the little amount of light that the lantern produced recreated a low light situation but that would have to be one bright lantern. my guess is it was coincidental if anything but it would be something to expirement with.

[STEVENS1920]

I have a brother that swears by lantern light when fishing crappies at night. He says the light from lanterns attract zoo plankton, witch I guess crappies feed on. I don't know how accurate this is, but one of my brothers nicknames is "crappie geek", and he always, I mean always catches em'.

[opsirc]

I have a brother that swears by lantern light when fishing crappies at night. He says the light from lanterns attract zoo plankton, witch I guess crappies feed on. I don't know how accurate this is, but one of my brothers nicknames is "crappie geek", and he always, I mean always catches em'.

the light will attract the small plankton, which in turns attracts the bait fish which attract the game fish. However, here in Minnesota it is illegal to use any type of light to attract fish.

[sticknstring]

Nothing illegal about having a lantern on the ice. Try the Coleman light direction shield, those babies will shoot some light down through the ice

[timk]

i like to night fish for spring time Crappies from shore. i use a lantern and i think it helps not sure if it works all the time but i get enough fish to know it don't hurt just my 2 cents

[Blainebob]

From what I've read in fishing books, yes,the light does attract the plankton,which attracts minnows,and so on. I'm sure it works when there is no snow cover on the ice,the light reflects through the layers of ice?

[walleyematt]

i think so cause yesrerday did not mark a fish until i it got dark and i tured it on

[Twins 57 Fan]

I found just the opposite on Prior Lake this year during early ice. It was only 8 feet of water, but any light that we used, whether a lantern or a headlamp made the fish dissapear. It was amazing that as soon as you turned it off they would come back.

[Jethro80]

I have had mixed results through out the season. Had to shut down lights and even the heater during 1st ice.

[blackdog1101]

I also think light help attract crappies. Yesterday afternoon when it was dusk, the fishing was slow and there were few fish on the flasher. Shortly after the sun was down and I put the light on in my porty, the flasher was full of fish. It was still a tough bite, but the fish were down there.

[KTapper]

I don't like to use a lantern. If I need light I just use my headlamp then turn it off when I'm done. My buddy believes in the lantern thing and everytime we go out we test it, and he has never won I always out fish him by a lot.

[acman2u]

Yes using artificial light to attract fish or baitfish IS ILLEGAL in MN. Yes it draws in the plankton and baitfish and Crappie will follow in the shadows around lit area.

So yes, your lantern may draw in more fish, I think that if it is being used for light and not set into a partially drilled hole showing intent you would be ok though.

[KTapper]

I believe the rule states It is only illegal when the light is submerged under the water.

[south_metro_fish]

I have wondered the same thing after walking out side and seeing the lights shinning through the ice. There was one night earlier this year that I seen a guy with a green lantern in his shack. I though it was kinda weird and thought it might do something to help attract fish. Then when I found my spot later in the season and found a weird murky layer near the bottom with my camera, I started researching plankton and realized it was a plankton cloud. I ended up reading a little more about how lights attract plankton and bait fish and how green and blue light seem to work the best. So I would assume that guy was trying to attract plankton. But that brings up a good question. Would it be considered illegal to put a green light in your lantern? A thread a couple of weeks ago also brought up a good question too. Would it be illegal to switch out your white led bulb for a green or blue one on a underwater camera.

[acman2u]

Sixth point down under 2008 General Regulations=

Using an artificial light to lure or attract fish is unlawful. Exception:

While angling, a person may affix to the end of a fishing line a lighted

artificial bait with hooks attached. Any battery that is used in lighted

fishing lures cannot contain any intentionally introduced mercury.

Sorry

[Quackaddict9]

Yes, true but you can use a latern on top of ice. If it attracts fish, cool...its not Illegal. Only underwater like KTapper says.

[acman2u]

Yes, I already agreed with that 2 posts ago, lantern for light=OK, lantern in hole or by itself on ice not illuminating anything that you can legitamize=may have some explaining.

[pushbutton]

i fish off off of a resort dock system in the spring and fall that is lit all night and no doubt it attracts the zoo plankton which the fish eat directly or the minnows which feed on it. been checked by co's numerous times and he is not there to shut the lights off, just to make sure i have my license and proper number and size of fish.

actually best spot to catch the fish is just outside where the light shines directly, the eyes and crappies seem to hang in the dark and ambush right on the edge.

[KTapper]

Would it be illegal to switch out your white led bulb for a green or blue one on a underwater camera.

I know that some marcum cameras have a blue led light. I wouldn't push it by changing out your lights.

[south_metro_fish]

Well I am glad I have inferred anyway it works great. But any ways we have determine that yes lights on the surface probably affect the fish and that it is legal to use a lantern above water. But I am curious as to whether you could use a colored light above water. The regs talk about no use of artificial light to attract or lure fish in, and does not state in or out of the water. So the question remains could you use a colored light above water? Its all in interpretation I guess like all the other laws but I would almost have to guess that it would be illegal. Just wondering what others thought.

[KTapper]

That should be fine as long as the cord or rope light is not sumbmerged at anytime. When I night fish I use a ropelight and I hate to use light in my portable but if I need some light for some reason I have my led ropelight haven't noticed and difference with it on. I prefer to fish in darkness.

[FishinChad]

Alot of these post mention that as soon as it gets dark and you turn on your lanteren you start seeing more fish. Most likely its not the lantern, its the fact that it just got dark. Crappies on most lakes around here turn on right when it gets completley dark, coincidentally the same time you are turning on your lantern.

I agree it may help a little over time, but I dont think it would be enough to even notice. I think most of it is just the fact your turning your lantern on right when crappie time starts!

[KTapper]

Agreed

[grab the net]

Several years ago I came across a group of guys out on the ice that had drilled a couple of extra holes about halfway through. Each hole had a coleman in it. Not very much light above the ice but it lit up the ice and the holes used for fishing. It actually glowed. They were fishing crappies on a well known spot. They swore by it. They were catching fish. It was in deep water, a 40 foot hole.I fished aways from them and did not have much luck. They invited me over and we all filled out. I later told some friends about the laterns in hole and they advised it is illegal. Down south, they have lighted piers all over specifically for night time crappie fishing. So I tend to believe it sets off a series of events that attract fish.