night ice fishing

[sconceptor]

How's ice fishing at night? I'm looking at a trip to Simcoe and they offer night fishing and might consider it. Other ice fishing trips at night, it's usually just a party, but they tell stories of pike moving through and taking jigs(but that's on Nipissing), so we keep our lines down, but end up with nothing.

 

Do the whities bite well at night? Do perch bite at night?

 

For the cost of a hotel rental, dining out, staying sober, it might be worth while to switch from the perch grounds to deeper water for the night. Bring steaks for the bbq, drink beers without added costs, pass out on the benches, wake up and fish for the next day, and head home.

 

Anybody have good experiences doing trips like this or do you prefer to just fish the day, and head back to the motel(and a stop an AA meeting in Atherly).

[Fishnwire]

I've had horrible luck ice fishing at night. My buddy has a shack that we've spent the night in from time to time and never caught fish after dark. This is in a spot were the crappie and pike fishing is pretty good during the day.

 

 

It's still kind of fun though. Especially if you like drinking. Also, that way you have no excuse for not fishing first and last light.

[bottombouncer]

ive experimented this year with night fishing on the ice and we slammed some decent slabs,no perch and no pike at night..we set up around 4 and fish till the wee hours of the night.if you are prepared it can be a fun and enjoyable little adventure..

[misfish]

When we fished at night,we rented from Chubbs. Last part of the daylight hours was the best. There was this time when all the tip ups went crazy but no hook ups. Turned out the light and put the flash light down the hole.It was a school of herring 20 ft down,very cool to see.Of all the night trips we made,that was the only real good night.

 

Iwould think it best to rent the hut for the weekend.Still cheaper then a motel.IMO

[skeeter]

perch cannot see at night.

when then sun goes down so do the perch.

you might get lucky with the odd one if he runs into your minnow .

as for whities, im not in the know yet!

[Spiel]

In the late 70's and early 80's I used to fish exclusively at night on Simcoe. Always managed to to leave the ice with a mess of perch, herring, a limit of whities and occasionally a trout or two, so yes thay are active at night but it comes in waves with long periods of boredom inbetween. Also note all these fish were taken in the same area in depth of 30'.

[2advanced]

Has anyone caught ling at night?

[Spiel]

Has anyone caught ling at night?

 

Yep, used to get them as well at night on Simcoe, don't think I've ever caught one there in the day.

[2advanced]

If you don't mind me asking whereabouts? Are these guys in deep water?

[canadadude]

I fished Simcoe at night aswell, I would do a similiar outing as you're talking about get there Friday at around 4pm and stay in the hut till 4pm on Saturday.I would catch perch at night, like Speil mentioned they would come in waves, back then though I would target smelt mostly at night Simcoe had a great smelt fishery. The nice thing about staying in the hut overnight is you grab a great bite late in the day and again early morning.

[Spiel]

If you don't mind me asking whereabouts? Are these guys in deep water?

 

The huts I rented were always in 30 or so feet of water and we'd get the occasional Ling, mind you the Ling population in Simcoe is not what it used to be. On occasion I have taken the odd one in as little as 10 FOW at night.

[LucG]

I've done a bit of night fishing on nipissing this year. On every occasion we caught several ling.

 

The most succesful lure was a glow in the dark buck shot, tipped with minnows. Bouncing it on the bottom a few time, then just letting it rest.