Ice Fishing For Perch At Night

So, you want to go ice fishing for perch at night? Perhaps you’ve never been before. Or perhaps you are looking for some pointers to have a more successful fishing trip next time. 

Whatever your reason for coming to this article, we’ve got your back!

In this article, we are going to be exploring all of the considerations you should keep in mind when you are ice fishing for perch at night. 

Are perch active at night?

Yes! Many people are often surprised to find that perch are indeed active at night.

Many anglers do not choose to fish for them tonight, assuming that they will be far more difficult to find and that they may not bite. However, this could not be further from the truth!

You will be happy to learn that euro perch and yellow perch, among some others, are all active at night. They are hungry little creatures, and so when they are on the hunt for food (often around 1 am to 3 am) anglers can strike! 

This means that they are most suited to those anglers who are keen to do overnighters since it will require staying awake through the night on the boat or at the shore to reel out at the right time.  

How do you catch white perch at night?

In order to catch white perch at night, you need to ensure that you have the correct set up and that you are properly prepared. Research the times that white perch are most likely to appear in your particular area. 

As we mentioned in the previous section, perch often come on the hunt for food from around 1 am to 3 am. This means that you will need to be set up well before this. 

You should also ensure that you have the correct baits and lures for them. They are fans of maggots, and may also like colorful artificial soft baits, which will allow them to see the bait better in the dark. 

You also need to ensure that you get your location correct. Look into the habits of the perch in the body of water in which you plan to fish. See where they tend to hang out (more on this later) and ensure that you are positioned correctly to reach them. 

Where do perches like to hang out?

Perch will always be in fresh water, and they especially like to hang out in areas where they can easily hunt for food. This may mean that they hang around close to natural or artificial structures. 

For example, it is not uncommon to find them hanging around near dams, piers, submerged objects, inlets, and islands. They are also found near plants, weeds, and other natural pieces of land. 

You should also look near wooden structures and rocks for perches as they like to hide. Likewise, check near downed trees and even beaver dams! All of these places are well worth checking out if you want to catch yourself some perch! 

How deep do perch go in winter?

In the winter, and when temperatures begin to plummet, you can expect your perch to go down to depths from 19 feet, all the way down to 36 feet. If the vegetation is still green. Then you may find them in shallow mudflats with depths of around 8 to 12 feet. 

When the plants begin to die out, they will once again seek the deeper depths. They may venture closer to the surface when they are hunting for food, especially between the times of 1 am and 3 am, even in winter! 

When the weather begins to get warmer then they may make their way back to their spawning sites which will be a little closer to the shallow flats and the surface. Be prepared to go deep if you are ice fishing for perch in the winter! 

Can you catch perch at night ice fishing?

Yes! You may well be able to successfully catch some perch if you are ice fishing for them at night. They almost exclusively feed during the night, although the peak times for their feeding are around dawn, and then again at dusk. 

This means you should spend a whole night out there looking for them, from the time before the sun sets and until just after it comes up. You may also see them throughout the night, especially closer to the shallow mud flats and flat beds whilst they are looking for food. 

That being said, if your crappie is actually a hot weather type of perch, then it will be far more difficult to catch them during ice fishing, especially at night, since they prefer daylight hours, especially when it is cloudy or the water is muddy. 

Is it good to go ice fishing at night?

Yes! Ice fishing at night can prove very successful. The reason for this is not actually as much to do with the fish as you might have thought. Many anglers actually much prefer to go ice fishing during the day. 

The reason for this is because ice fishing is cold enough as it is. They tend to prefer the day because it is marginally warmer than the icy nights.

This means that if you do choose to partake in some nighttime ice fishing, then there is likely to be far fewer anglers out on the water with you.   

As well as this, it means that there will be less competition when you are fishing. This also means that you will have more chance at catching some of the fish that often come out at both dusk and dawn. 

If you do decide to partake in your ice fishing through the night, this will be beneficial as it means that you will experience the waters at both of these times.

Of course, this is desirable because they just so happen to be peak times for catching many ice fishing favorites such as perch and crappies.