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ice fishing at night does it work ?
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I know predator and skeeter tried it one time at pineview and I believe they had little success.
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I have night fished Strawberry and East Canyon. We did pretty well. East Canyon is my favorite to night fish, the fish keep biting almost all night.Talk about peaceful and quiet. It was great.
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[sly] Yeah. It works some places, and in others I can't buy a fish at night. In years past I have night fished one particular lake in northern Colorado with great success for nice 16-20" rainbow - lots of good fish all night long. Some mornings it's like flipping a switch, once the sun comes up the bite dies completely or tapers way off. Don't get me wrong, lots of times the daylight fishing is good, too. But it's almost always better at night. I never have figured out why. Other lakes, I can't get bit at night. Beats me why the differences between bodies of water. But it's sure worth a try. Good, bright, glow-in-the-dark jigs work wonders tipped with a waxworm.
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I have had great fishing at Strawberry at night and then nothing at all , all night . I like it with no moon , but it could of been I wasn't where the fish are . I got a ice shack for this reason so I can be warm on those cold nights . Strawberry can get a little cold at night . It has been a while since I done any night fishing but will be trying again this year . I have seen lots of fish come to the light of a lantern at night and the fish finder will show it too . I stayed one night and it was non stop action but it was snowing hard and with no moon . I forgot to pack some extra propane and was running out of propane for my lantern so I had to give up so I could find my truck . I hate it when I got to go when the fishing was hot . It's worth a try , but be prepared for anything .
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thanks for the info guys i was wondering about the light thing thanks randy
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[cool][size 2]In the "olden days", when there were decent populations of crappies in both Pineview and Willard, you could often do well under a lantern on the ice at night.[/size]

[size 2]Crappie are more of a stratifying and suspending fish than most, and would sometimes cruise right up to the lit hole and look back at you. A small icefly and waxworm dropped only a couple of feet down usually got the job done.[/size]

[size 2]The one kicker is that crappies are structure oriented. I always had my best success either next to docks or over trees or brush. Sometimes they would school over long underwater points in Pineview...often with small largemouth mixed in.[/size]

[size 2]With the current state of low water and changing ecology in those lakes, I would hate to suggest that anyone could do well going after crappies at night.[/size]

[size 2]Walleyes can be taken at night, through the ice, if you do not make too much noise. However, in Deer Creek, if it ever ices up, the fish will be very deep. Better in Utah Lake and Willard. Starvation is a good bet too.[/size]

[size 2]Even though the yellow perch are related to walleyes, they do not seem to be active after dark. Although, I have heard reports of folks getting them under lanterns in Deer Creek. Did not personally witness it.[/size]

[size 2]White bass will hit at night too. Around the pumps at Saratoga I have had some nonstop action when they were in there and conditions were right. Same for AFBH. Try using black jigs with crawler or waxies.[/size]
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I have an underwater light that I am looking forward to using at Strawberry an evening or two. I tried it at night during the summer up there, and it seemed to attract fish. I know a guy who has ice fished Strawberry at night lots of times. I would receive emails from him that would say things like the fishing was slow until 2:00 AM, and then was red hot until 5:00 AM. He would usually pack up and go home at first light. Be aware that it gets bitter cold at the higher elevation reservoirs (for example Strawberry) at night, and you should never fish alone or without being adequately prepared.
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Personally I think that it is just like any other fishing. It might be good and it might not. Some fish are more active in less light. Other fish are more active in the day. I don't think that anyone can make a generalization about whether fishing at night is better, or worse than fishing in the daytime. One day it might be good, the next it might not. There is only one way to find out!
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We did night ice fishing at Fish Lake last January. Fair success with a couple fish. We used glow anything especially ice flies and jigs and had quite a few hits. We want to try it again this year. Tried it out in the open near Twin Creeks.
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It's been a few years, but I used to night fish at Fish Lake a lot. We didn't use anything that glowed, just hammered brass Crocodiles tipped with sucker meat. Caught lots of splake and a few nice macs on the bottom with no artificial light. You could catch all the planter bows you wanted just under the ice. Actually went through the ice at midnight in the spring once, very scary. Closest I've ever come to being a popsicle.

Good Fishing, Kayote
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Ice fishing at night can be very good fishing at the first of the season. After a few weeks of cold water their metabolism will slow down and it can be alittle slower, and you have to be alittle more precise in where you fish.

Be prepared for sub zero temps, take plenty of fuel for your heater, fresh batterys for lights, maybe even a compass or G.P.S to find your way back if it snows or you get fogged in.

Crack your door or windows for alittle fresh air because the heaters and lanterns will use up all the oxygen inside your shelter pretty fast.

Find a good spot before it gets dark or know exactly where you want to be fishing and get ready for fast fishing. Some nights you have to take your pole out of the water and take a break from catching so many, especially early ice. Later in the season the fish are more scattered and not as agressive. The few slow trips we have had were later in the season.
I've caught some very big ones after dark that come in for an easy meal, mostly trout and a few crappie. Hit it at first ice and your chances for fast fishing will be alot better. Now I'm excited just thinking about it.
Slabs on ice!
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I don't think ice fishing at night is any different from day time. It's more of where you are fishing and what time the fish are biting. I've seen lakes that are hot early and late and figured the they feed all night. It didn't work all that great. I've fished other lakes that had non-stop action all day long and night time was no different.

I've tried night fishing at Fish Lake a couple times and caught some huge suckers and splake but I wouldn't say the fishing was better. A couple places I always seem to spend more time fishing at night but it just because I was looking for a longer biting time then first and light and dark for a hour.

If you haven't tried night ice fishing I'd give it a try and see what happens, you'll never know if you don't try it..
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