Catfish77 and I were going to try to target some Crappie tonight in the dark. (Call us Crazy) We’ll be starting around 5pm and fishing until we decided that its a bust or get too cold.
I went and bought a bunch of glow in the dark jigs and lures. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to make this successful? This is our first time trying it on the ice. We just got up the guts to try it.
Only one suggestion, if the lures that you bought, require a light source (UV or otherwise), make sure that you have one.
Good luck, look forward to your report.
Unless you were planning on using one, I would suggest using a tent or hut, it makes it a lot easier to fish after dark, especially if the wind comes up. Good luck, will be looking forward to your post. WH2
Check and Check. We have a power Auger, 2 Vexilar Depth Finders, Propane Lantern, Propane heater, battery lantern, Ice tent. All I am really concerned about is finding the fish! 
I suppose thats part of fishing and trying new things though.
Have you ever used those “Glow Sticks” that come in a package of 2 or 3? You snap them to mix the chemicals and they glow for hours. Yellow, green, pink, blue and other colors are available.
Anyway, I attach them above the leader hanging beside a small Kastmaster to help reflect, and hopefully attract, fish to the jig hanging below. I’ve done well at night and in the dark, cloudy hours of the morning through the ice.
But like is always mentioned, finding them is all important. Yet a good spot and the right stuff below the ice will help bring them in.
Good luck! Hope you post a report.
The narrows would be your best bet from what I’ve been reading, you might have to move around until you find suspended fish. WH2
I hadn’t thought of the glowsticks. I bought a couple of really bright glow in the dark lures to tie in. I’ll see if I can find those glow sticks.
You can find them in the camping section of sportsmans, target and if you have to wal-mart…I hate that store.
FF462
Be sure that you have ventilation in the ice tent. Bring several flash lights or similar.
Sound like you are prepared and ready to go. Have fun and report. Good luck.
Im taking my camera for a change and plan to let you guys know how it went. Thanks for all the tips.
-Rob
I could be wrong but using an artificial light source to take or atract fish is ilegal in utah.
You are wrong…only for spearfishing.
Check the proclamation.
A few years ago I had my best crappie day ever through the ice at Pineview fishing in the dark. Glow in the dark ice flies were the ticket. Just hold them by the lantern for 30 seconds and down the hole they go. You will be able to tell when to “recharge” the glow. Even though you probably know, be careful with your line next to the lantern. One touch on the top of the lantern will melt the mono.
Good luck!
Im happy to report: We are alive. This was also one of the best crappie fishing trips we’ve ever had! We got on the ice and got set up around 6:30pm. Dropped down and immediately fish on. This was a good sign of things to come.
We caught a bunch of crappie and released the smaller ones and only kept the real hogs. We fished from 6:30pm to 1:00am. Iced plenty of fish, it was very exciting and non stop action until about 12:30.
They took just about anything smaller than a 1 inch tube jig. Glowing or non glowing ice flies tipped with wax worms worked the best. I did catch several on a red and white tube jig. I noticed that if you hold the glowing jigs up to the light to where they glow really bright the fish wouldnt hit them until they dimmed down.
The heater in the sled kept us plenty warm I stripped down to a single sweatshirt and jeans. We opened the tent up occasionally to avoid CO2 inhalation. We normally don’t keep fish but did this time because the fishing was so hot and the crappie were good size. I took home about 25 pounds of fish.
Pictures will be attached later (if I can figure it out).
-Rob
Grteat report! How deep of water were you fishing?
Great report. Was it still real slushy or has a froze up a little?
FF462
did you guys end up using any artifical light?
Nice job! Can’t wait to see the pictures.
i have been wanting to do night crappies for a while. glad you nailed them. but the secret about night crappies is out now.[;)] hwo deep and where were ya fishing? thanx ken