How many of you catch walleye and crappie after dark ice fishing?

[buick14]

Hey guys,

 

I was just curious on when people call it quits for walleye and crappie

 

I find that (and im sure MANY will agree) theres a short period 20mns before and 20mns after sundown, and it seems like thats it call her quits.

 

Theres been many times I had been out, and there are people just starting to come on the ice (say 5:30) to fish.

 

So, do many of you actually consistently catch, and actively fish for crappie and walleye (at say 7pm-10pm) or are you like me, and pack up shortly after dark (lol as the bite seems to shut down and never starts back up for me)

 

Interested in hearing if many walleye and crappie fisherman quit when I do, or still fish when "the big fish lurk"(supposidly)

[buick14]

I never catch walleye more than 1 hour after sundown, or 30min after sunrise.

 

This year...I just don't catch walleye lol!

hour after 30 mn before seems pretty standard IMO....

[Terry]

all day and all night

at one time I would start fishing for walleye at 12 midnight on opening day, we always go our limit and back home before the sun came out

[buick14]

all day and all night

at one time I would start fishing for walleye at 12 midnight on opening day, we always go our limit and back home before the sun came out

Is that a GIN-clear water thing though?

[Terry]

no could see about 5ft down

[discophish]

I fish a very stained lake through the ice, and the pickerel can be caught hours after dark. In fact, I'm heading north this weekend to fish the day, in for dinner, then back out after dark a few hours after sunset. Might not catch anything, but it beats sitting in a cottage all night wishing you were out fishing! A few pointers. Noise, Glow, Scent. Definitely not consistent - but we like to try. Softwater ... well, that's when I do the majority of my fishing ... after dark. Good luck!

[jedimaster]

Softwater after dark for walleye for me have been good. During the hardwater season, I think the only things I have caught after dark have been ling and mud puppies.

Edited February 5, 2013 by jedimaster

[capt bruce]

I'm with Terry , I fish the bog all winter ,have for many many years , had 10 huts at one time , too too much work now I'm old and just have 2 huts now ,one for me ,one for guests , and I very seldom get there before 9-10 o'clock , if you get there early maybe pick up a few at sundown , 5-7 oclock BUT the best bite comes around midnight to three . We hook up the truck battery with jumpers to the hut run a few lights and the tunes , wood stove going , we shovel out a ice rink for the kids ,good friends some cold ones , I can not think of a better thing to be doing on a weekend in FEB... Believe me BEST TIME is after midnight ...B.

[buick14]

I'm hearing alot of new and interesting opinions! I agree with the glow scent and sound bit, best bite happens at or after midnight?? Really? If you legitimately mean that, my fishing trips should be a lot longer (lol and more value for my gas money to my spots also!!!!!...)....don't know if my fiancé will like that...

 

Keep it coming guys....it's weird I caught my biggest pike at 10pm (seemed incredibly rare to me!)...

[Slop]

Some bodies of water I fish, you'd be lucky to catch Crappie during the day. One lake in particular is strickly night bite.

 

Some victims from this past Sunday night.

 

[Rich]

I have a few ponds that are strictly night bite crappies.

[buick14]

Some bodies of water I fish, you'd be lucky to catch Crappie during the day. One lake in particular is strickly night bite.

 

Some victims from this past Sunday night.

 

Thatta boy Slop! Some incredible discus sized papermouths! I never understood why they choose to feed after dark , it's not like they have a tapetum like a walleye for low light conditions...guess the same question/answer applies to summer night time murdering OL' red-eyes, location. Be on top of them, they hit ...

[mbac31]

Let you know tomorrow morning. Headin to quinte now.

[RJackson]

I'm up in Eastern Ontario and like Slop mentioned you are hard pressed to catch a Crappie in the daytime. The few exceptions are in areas where the water clarity is poor, then it is mainly a daytime bite.

 

Tiny glow jigs and fresh maggots lured these ladies to snack.

 

 

I could go on and on about Crappies, to me the toughest fish to consistently catch under ice.

 

RJ

[buick14]

Im seeing some really nice crappie here!

 

Smalliefisher, good luck in quinte.....

[Lip-ripper]

I usually pop out to the hut after work during the week and fish until 9-10 pm. Last week we got 8 walleye between 7-9pm.

[buick14]

Wow 8 that's a great number!

[mike rousseau]

I'm usually that last one off the ice when walleye fishing....

 

The bite does slow down but there are plenty of fish to catch..... I figured this out once I got my sonar.... The "run" came through like normal... But then with the sonar I kept seeing a walleye every 10-20 minutes come in... Then I kept going through different presentations till I could get these less active fish to bite....

 

Some nights I would be on the ice till after 10pm when everyone else went in at 6pm....

[mike rousseau]

all day and all night

at one time I would start fishing for walleye at 12 midnight on opening day, we always go our limit and back home before the sun came out

 

We do that too Terry....

 

I didn't make it out due to work last year but the year before we boated 13 walleye between 12-1am....

 

And usually nobody else out there....