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Old 10-18-2018, 11:44 AM
lds lds is offline
 
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Default Do pike bite in the dark

Hit the glenmore reservoir 2 Mornings this week and no luck. Had to leave to get to work just before the sun comes up. Never done that before but are pike inactive that early?
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Old 10-18-2018, 12:47 PM
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Ive caught lots through the ice after dark on bait. I did notice that walleye would only bite after dark when I used to fish pigeon in the summer when I was casting spoons.
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Old 10-18-2018, 12:51 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lds View Post
Hit the glenmore reservoir 2 Mornings this week and no luck. Had to leave to get to work just before the sun comes up. Never done that before but are pike inactive that early?
I've caught pike at all times of the day, including the middle of the night. I certainly wouldn't target them at very low light periods, though. Best caught during daylight.
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Old 10-18-2018, 01:28 PM
stob stob is offline
 
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i've caught them at last light, but not in the dark personally ... burbot and walleye in the dark have been much better
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Old 10-18-2018, 02:09 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lds View Post
Hit the glenmore reservoir 2 Mornings this week and no luck. Had to leave to get to work just before the sun comes up. Never done that before but are pike inactive that early?
If you look up the telemetry studies on pike you will find the vast majority of pike are inactive in the dark.
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Old 10-18-2018, 07:50 PM
anthony5 anthony5 is offline
 
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Default Pike after dark

Big pike will hunt in the dark in 3-5 ft of water, not easy to catch, pretty much luck of the draw on any given water body. Fishing hard water is usually better in the dark.
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Old 10-18-2018, 08:07 PM
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WayneChristie WayneChristie is offline
 
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I agree with Anthony, Ive had some massive pike bite in the first hours after dark through the ice, they are less gear shy since its dark, also caught pike at 1 am on the flyrod. that was a rush since I was expecting a walleye
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Old 10-18-2018, 08:34 PM
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Pike bite in the dark is very slow. First thing in the morning just as the sun is coming up can be good.

I can't even count the number of time I have stayed out into dusk/dark conditions and it is like someone flips a switch on the pike bite. There have been times I have caught 50 pike in an evening after work and soon as the sun disappears you struggle to catch one.
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Old 10-18-2018, 08:52 PM
lds lds is offline
 
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Thanks guys. That kinda what I thought from experience and reading as well but figured hey if I’m awake why not fish
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Old 10-18-2018, 09:23 PM
Bush Critter Bush Critter is offline
 
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Pike are more of a sight predator, in 20 years of fishing only caught one at dark and that was through the ice.
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Old 10-18-2018, 09:34 PM
calgarygringo calgarygringo is online now
 
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I have fished for them all hours of the day and later night on the ice too. In my experience first light as mentioned seems to be the best time when they are actively feeding.

I have seen next best action at last hours or so of light in the day too.

Ice fishing after dark targeting walleye and burbs and is what we always caught mostly. Only the odd pike would show up after dark but we did manage some.

Afternoons for pike we always find are pretty much a snoozer most days.
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Old 10-22-2018, 09:54 PM
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Old 10-28-2018, 12:52 PM
dmcbride dmcbride is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by anthony5 View Post
Big pike will hunt in the dark in 3-5 ft of water, not easy to catch, pretty much luck of the draw on any given water body. Fishing hard water is usually better in the dark.
I used to troll big floating lures (8-14”) along drop offs adjacent to shallow water in Ontario at nite for Muskie and Pike. Usually good for 1 big fish a trip.
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Old 10-28-2018, 02:27 PM
Imagehunter Imagehunter is offline
 
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I grew up in Europe and night fishing is allowed and popular for pike as well, especially in areas with a lot of fishing pressure during the day you often caught the bigger ones at night. I caught a few at night when fishing for eel as a kid.
You need a good bite indicator though, I used my electric one I used for carp fishing, as the bites at night were not as hard/wild like with spin fishing or during the day. If you didn't hook the fish fast and early they were often lost.
Other people I fished with used big bobbers with a tiny glowstick as indicator.
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Old 10-31-2018, 04:11 AM
smartduoduo smartduoduo is offline
 
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i have seen pike bite all time of the day.
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Old 10-31-2018, 06:54 AM
Pikebreath Pikebreath is offline
 
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Pike are certainly visual feeders which explains why the day time hours tend to produce better than night time. That said they do have other senses such as smell and hearing (lateral line) which enable them to find prey in low light and turbid water as well.

Pike feeding activity is also very much controlled by body metabolism where water temp plays a huge roll in determining pike activity. During the open water season, the pleasant time of day theory seems to fit,,, that is whatever time of day is most comfortable for the angler tends to have water temps most conducive to active pike feeding. That is why in the heat of the summer, early mornings and late afternoons often produce best,,,, and in springtime and autumn, sees the hottest bite occurring in the afternoons.

Hard water season of course throws most of the above out the window as the ice keeps a rather sealed environment below the ice not subject to a wide daily fluctuations in temp.

Last edited by Pikebreath; 10-31-2018 at 07:14 AM.
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Old 10-31-2018, 07:09 PM
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Biggest pike we usually catch during ice season seem to come at low light periods of the day and as its getting dark in evening. Once it gets too dark the bite seems to die. They probably still will eat something during night but I stop fishing.
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