{"id":2133,"date":"2022-08-16T18:56:10","date_gmt":"2022-08-16T18:56:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.outdoorsniagara.com\/?p=2133"},"modified":"2022-08-16T20:45:03","modified_gmt":"2022-08-16T20:45:03","slug":"ice-fishing-crappie-at-night","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.outdoorsniagara.com\/ice-fishing-crappie-at-night\/","title":{"rendered":"Ice Fishing Crappie at Night"},"content":{"rendered":"
Contents<\/p>
Ice fishing for crappie at night is fairly easy.<\/p>\n
Crappie is a night-feeding fish, and you will find the best times to fish them is at dusk and again at dawn.<\/p>\n
The technique to catch crappie at night is to jig for them using silver minnow patterns or brightly colored jigs that are easy for the fish to see in reduced lighting.<\/p>\n
If you are stocking up on jigs for night fishing, reach for those that are chartreuse, orange, silver, and yellow.<\/p>\n
These four colors are top options for targeting crappie, especially for ice fishing at night<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Shallow water under ice is brighter than is deeper water.<\/p>\n During the day, crappie hide in the depths and as the sun sets, they move into the shallows.<\/p>\n Crappie are forage feeders meaning that they will browse the available water for anything they can consume.<\/p>\n Unlike other species of fish you will find under the ice, you can actually attract crappie using a light.<\/p>\n The best places to fish crappy under the ice at night is near the shore.<\/p>\n Stay in water that is 5-10 feet deep for larger crappie and even shallower spots for smaller fish.<\/p>\n They will come into weedy beds looking for aquatic insects, small minnows and shads, and crustaceans.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n You can fish crappie during the day or night but the times that crappie are most active is just as the sun sets and again just before the sun rises.<\/p>\n The reason why dawn and dusk are the most active times to fish for crappie is likely that both times are when aquatic insects are also the most active.<\/p>\n That includes terrestrial insects, such as mosquitos, midges, and mayflies, that “dot” the water as they lay their eggs on the surface or on exposed weeds.<\/p>\n Another reason why crappie love to hunt in shallow water is that shallow water is often warmer.<\/p>\n Even in ice-covered lakes, the sun will warm the shallow water faster than the deeper water.<\/p>\n During the night, the shallow water will chill, and the deeper water will remain slightly warmer.<\/p>\n Fish are cold-blooded, and they react slower in colder water.<\/p>\n At dusk, crappie will move to the shallows to take advantage of the warmer water and then recede into the depths after feeding.<\/p>\n Crappie are more active at night making nighttime fishing a better time to target crappie and not so much trout<\/a>.<\/p>\n You can catch crappie during the daytime if you learn how to take advantage of their opportunistic feeding behaviors, but at night, crappie emerge to feed. Walleye is another great fish<\/a> for ice fishing at night.<\/p>\n Crappie are the most active during the hours just before sunset and then again just at sunrise.<\/p>\n You can target them all night long, but you will find the better fishing is at the end of daylight and just before sun rise.<\/p>\n Crappie are very active feeders at night.<\/p>\n You will find them in the shallow areas of an ice-capped lake where they will forage through the cover and open waters for food.<\/p>\n If you are new to ice fishing crappie, you will set yourself up for successful fishing adventures if you stock up on jigs that are brightly colored.<\/p>\n The best option for colors remains chartreuse, orange, yellow and silver.<\/p>\n You can fish for crappie all night long, but the best times are just before sun set and the next two or three hours, and again just before sunrise for the next several hours.<\/p>\n Crappie can see a full spectrum of colors and at night they focus on bright colors along with high-contrast colors such as white and black.<\/p>\n If you are ice fishing crappie with colorful jigs and not having much luck, switch to jigs that are either silver, white, black or a combination.<\/p>\n Under the ice, the brightest areas are nearer the surface.<\/p>\n The ice can collect moonlight and starlight to create a small amount of illumination that ranges from the surface and diffuses as the water gets deeper.<\/p>\n For a fish that is looking upwards, it will see the brighter ice as a backlight and will spot white and black more easily.<\/p>\n In shallow water, where you are jigging horizontally, brighter colors will stand out from the drab and natural colors of weeds, cover, and structures. A lovely chartreuse jig will draw crappie all night long.<\/p>\n Come prepared with a variety of colorful jigs in yellows, oranges, and bright colors.<\/p>\n Green lights while ice fishing do not attract crappie.<\/p>\n They do; however, attract smaller fish and small organisms that the crappie will feed on during the night.<\/p>\n In that way, green lights will eventually attract crappie to your plug.<\/p>\n If you are fishing crappie and looking at using a light to attract them, green is a good bet.<\/p>\n You can also try a white light with low intensity, which may attract crappie and walleye if walleye are present. Like crappie, walleye are more active at night.<\/p>\n We also, recommend learning how to fizz crappie<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Where Can I Find Crappie Ice Fishing at Night?<\/span><\/h2>\n
What Is the Best Time to Ice Fish for Crappie?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Is It Better to Fish for Crappie at Night?<\/span><\/h3>\n
Crappie More Active at Night<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n
Crappies Bite at Night Ice Fishing<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n
\u00a0Best Time of Night for Crappie Fishing<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n
What Colors Do Crappie See at Night?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Do Green Lights Attract Crappie?<\/span><\/h2>\n
Tips for Ice Fishing Crappie at Night<\/span><\/h2>\n
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