Fishing Light

I want to start doing some night fishing on Texas lakes and rivers, and need to find a cheap light for now. Submersible or not is fine. Money is tight, so I want to go low cost for now. Any advice as to color/battery/anything?

Thanks
Jim

 

An LED head lamp is probably a good idea...it allows hands free for baiting and unsnagging lines.



Ultra Bright LED Cap Lights | LED Cap Lights Australia | Hat Clip On Lights

A red light filter is probably a good option: it allows one to have enough illumination to see things without ruining one's night vision when the light is switched off.

It might help if you gave some clues as what you want the light to do for you and how you expect to use it....a light for seeing what you're doing, and finding stuff in you're tackle box?, searchlight? navigation lights? light for attracting fish? SAR beacon? A light sabre to protect one from angry Sith Lords? Mood lighting for romancing fishing buddies? there are many possibilities, with differing solutions for each need.

Fishing light attractor - Wikipedia

 

You can get a 2000 lume head lamp for 12 to 14 $ in Amazon they work great also there is a inflatable color light that works like a lantern that really good also

 

Thanks gents, I'm primarily interested in attracting fish. I hadn't considered a head lamp, so now I need one of these too. {:^)

Jim

 

LED are the way to go, what you get depends on use, can't beat cap light for hands free, can't beat focused beam for finding dock, etc. Can buy a decent flashlight now for $20 that is much better than those I paid over $100 for a few years ago and have 5 times the battery life for the same amount of light output. For bug out bag, etc, never store batteries in light etc. Lost a few things over the years and once the juice and corrosion gets into it, they are ruined.

 

Check your laws, but up here we can buy 12v styrofoam floating lights for about $20.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Berkley-Floating-Light/16880484

 

Here is a inflatable light runs 9to14$ and it's bright I have 1 I pack for camping

 

Ever thought of Lighted Lures? Up in the PNW you can get lighted Wigglewarts, lighted KwikFish, and other types of lighted lures, they can also use glow in the dark ( give the lure a quick flash) with a strobe or a really strong head lamp each cast! These all are Deadly. I found a bunch of tiny led lights ( sort of like tee lights) and after breaking them down to a super small size I found you could stuff one inside a couple of different "plastics" lures like rubber worms! Have a look around the dollar stores for L.E.D. light options, and for lighted lures Just look on line for LurJenson and Brads brand lures, they do the most lighted lures!

 

Real world question? If I ever have to depend on fish in a survival situation, I will be using a gill net or trot lines, not legal now and not sporting, but very stealthy and very productive if SHTF. If using them at night, and I would, you would need a light to remove fish, re bait the hooks, etc and I know that you can see a white cap light for a mile or so , what has anyone's experience been using the red light that is on a lot of caps? Does it stand out as badly or does it blend in? Never have tried it out to see, know the old barn lamps are harder to see then a LED, but the rail road used oil signal lamps in different colors and they were all very visible. Old Guard jeeps, WWII vintage, had "blackout lights" that as far as I know were fairly effective in keeping an aircraft from spotting you by using a slit that was basicly aimed down at the road.

 

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Berkley-Floating-Light/16880484

 

I presume, using light as a fish attractant is the no no.

 

Like most things America, depends on which state. Legal in SC and really cool to gig flounder. Fun sometimes just to paddle around and look at the creatures at night too.

 

Well, I just checked the Texas laws regarding using fishing likgts. The State says the light may not be a hazard to boat or other traffic, and that is all they're worried about. Evidently, a lot of folks fish at night using lights.

Thanks for the advice.

jim

 

I use road kill for fishing they frown on that too.

 

Well, it was a learning experience. Attracted a dozen or so small fish, but the ones worth keeping kept away from us. We did have to deal with a couple of water moccasins, and they seemed very unimpressed with my artful rendition of a Samuri flailing about with a fishing rod. I did manage to drive them underwater for short periods of time, but they always surfaced and tried to drive us off. We finally decided that their nest must be just under the bank we were standing on. Fishing with one hand and flashlighting with the other to avoid snakes was a bit problematic so we left it to them. I did notice that the largest moccasin nudged the light pushing into it aggressively, (looking for something to attack?). Being in a state park I couldn't have a gun or I would have shot them.

jim

 

sling shot

 

The simplicity of genius.

Jim

 

If torching is your intent, pretty much any light would do. Even a torch. Waterproof is always a plus though. If you dive, your dive light can serve double duty.