Lights for ice fishing? Have any of you used lights, other than lanterns, to attract fish while ice fishing? I was thinking about drilling a couple extra holes and suspending some 12v...

6482bodean Loc: Northern Indiana

Have any of you used lights, other than lanterns, to attract fish while ice fishing? I was thinking about drilling a couple extra holes and suspending some 12v or battery powered lights to draw in crappies. Thoughts?

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

6482bodean wrote:

Have any of you used lights, other than lanterns, to attract fish while ice fishing? I was thinking about drilling a couple extra holes and suspending some 12v or battery powered lights to draw in crappies. Thoughts?

Who knows, it just might work.
Let us all know the results.

1Oldboat42 Loc: Kearney, Nebraska

6482bodean wrote:

Have any of you used lights, other than lanterns, to attract fish while ice fishing? I was thinking about drilling a couple extra holes and suspending some 12v or battery powered lights to draw in crappies. Thoughts?

That technique is used a lot around here for all types of fishing. Even Jimmy Huston talked about it. The light draws bugs that draw small fish that draw bigger and bigger fish. But make sure you check your state laws.

6482bodean Loc: Northern Indiana

Will do. Just waiting on the ice!

6482bodean Loc: Northern Indiana

Fishing Couple wrote:

That technique is used a lot around here for all types of fishing. Even Jimmy Huston talked about it. The light draws bugs that draw small fish that draw bigger and bigger fish. But make sure you check your state laws.

I never saw Jimmy Huston ice fish, but I’ll give it a try!

1Oldboat42 Loc: Kearney, Nebraska

6482bodean wrote:

I never saw Jimmy Huston ice fish, but I’ll give it a try!

I was referring to his comments on using lights at night, especially the use of lights around docks. Yes, Jimmy Huston was a southern boy like me. The only "ice fishing" I do is through the plank cracks on a dock until that water freezes over.

Ne. fisherman Loc: Central Nebraska Arnold

When I was a youngster we would cut both ends out on a large coffee can, the tape an auto headlight to the can so it was shining through can, attach to battery. It worked very well, we would harvest a couple burlap sacks of crappie!

6482bodean Loc: Northern Indiana

Ne. fisherman wrote:

When I was a youngster we would cut both ends out on a large coffee can, the tape an auto headlight to the can so it was shining through can, attach to battery. It worked very well, we would harvest a couple burlap sacks of crappie!

Were you ice fishing?

Ne. fisherman Loc: Central Nebraska Arnold

At the time it was Branched Oak Lake in Ne. … but that was 50 years ago…

Will Beachy Loc: Middlebury,In

I tried that years ago, took a crappie lite and a heavy battery out on the ice. The only bite my buddy and I got was 20mim after we turned the light off, lol. Good luck give it a try

6482bodean Loc: Northern Indiana

If we ever get ice, I think I will. Can’t hurt, right?!

ShortorderCook62 Loc: Grand Junction, Colorado

6482bodean wrote:

Have any of you used lights, other than lanterns, to attract fish while ice fishing? I was thinking about drilling a couple extra holes and suspending some 12v or battery powered lights to draw in crappies. Thoughts?

A buddy and I used to fish Lake Powell in January. Not frozen but snowing. Put out a green crappie light. Chummed with cut frozen anchovies. Tied up in a vacant houseboat slip at Bullfrog Marina. Light draws bugs and later bait fish. After about an hour the Stripers show up. Filled the live well stacked like cordwood in four hours. 6:30 to 10:30 pm. Filleted next morning and had 42 stripers. Don't see why it wouldn't work in hard water.

Jayzer Loc: Indy

6482bodean wrote:

Have any of you used lights, other than lanterns, to attract fish while ice fishing? I was thinking about drilling a couple extra holes and suspending some 12v or battery powered lights to draw in crappies. Thoughts?

Yes, we used that technique on a 500 acre lake in Ohio. Also try dropping ground up egg shells through the same hole. They are very reflective. Works well at night which seemed to be better crappie fishing anyway.

6482bodean Loc: Northern Indiana

Thanks for the tip. I've heard of putting eggshells down the hole, but never tried it.

NJ219bands Loc: New Jersey

Squid fishermen use green lights in Manasquan Inlet at night.