The last hour

I used to think the last hour was better by far than any other time of the day on the ice. The results seemed to prove it.

Now, I catch more fish mid day and the last hour is usually unproductive. Now, granted I fish Pike primarily. And many of the lakes I fish are somewhat stained, so I wonder if it’s just too dark the last hour and the fish feed mid day?  What do you guys think about the last hour of sunlight and ice fishing?

clearwater lakes - first and last hour of light is the best by far.  Stained lakes like the Wisconsin River flowages fish mid day for best success. Now that's not to say clear lakes won't produce in the middle of the day.  Just this past weekend I had my best bite in clear water, 4 feet deep, from noon until 12:30.  "They gotta eat sometime" is the old saying and it comes true!

I was out last Saturday for the first time this year,  I just tip up fish for walleyes, got out early, was set up by 2:00, I fish stained water, never had a flag till 4:00, but from then till dark, I had 8 flags, landed 3 walleyes, all under 15", had a northern cut me off coming out of the hole. The other flags had just a bit of line out, possibly perch, I try and use big shiners, 4" to keep them at bay, right now, there's no big shiners at the bait shops here.

At the tavern - last hour

On the ice - first hour

Blatz Light - any hour

I once read an article that said "don't pick up your tip ups until you can just barely see them." 

I really think a stained lake vs. a clear one makes a difference. On a stained lake, that "last hour" seems to be 3:00-4:00 right now....

Through the ice I only fish the last 2 hrs of daylight and the first hr of dark. CARPIO 

The last hour can be great for pike, and is the best for walleye. I’ve also had slow days where panfish turn on in the last hour too. 

On average though, I would say I’ve run for more pike flags mid-morning through mid-afternoon. 

I call it the witching hour,and is my favorite time.Very few times has it been unproductive.Even on the Miss river backwaters.