Fishing Light Question

[jrbaldwin]

I'm looking to install some underwater lights on my boat for squid / bait fishing. What color would be best white, green or blue? Have always used a propane lantern hung from my shrimp davit along with my deck floods, but have found some really nice LED lights that I can attach to my transom with 5200. They are made by Coastal Night Lights. The double square 5-3/4" x 3-3/4" light would fit each side of my OB.

Jim

[IN2DEEP]

Hi Jim,
Sorry for the late reply, but after seeing the post by AMF Boats and the underwater LED lights, they look like they could work with a very low amp draw but high $$$
Down this way when we squid fish at night, I usually see the plain old white lights and in recent years, green lights on some of the commercial light boats but yet to see blue lights being used, but then again, it's been a couple of years since I've been on the squid grounds so things may have changed/evolved.

If you do go with the LED lights, might I suggest that you make them adjustable so you can angle them down if need be.
The cost seems a little steep for my taste, especially if they don't last for many years.
I personally use a couple of different 12v. underwater lights that just clip to the battery terminals and sometimes but not always a 500w. 110v. deck/flood lamp that is powered by a 1000w Honda generator.
Here are the "clip on" lights. I use both the Starfire and the bigger green fluorescent fishing light with good success.
http://www.brinkmann.net/Shop/Category. ... ing+Lights

Scott

[peterbo3]

Hi Jim,
I think I2D is on the right track. I would go for a light system that was both adjustable as far as down angle went & removable.
Those waterproof LEDs seem to be big $$$. Possibly a pair of brackets welded to the transom with a screw clamp onto an alloy pipe to which an LED is mounted. That way it is only on the boat when it is needed & hull integrity is not compromised.

[jrbaldwin]

Thanks, I like LED lights due to the low power draw, the bulb life and they can take a pounding, but I thing you are right that a portable fluorescent fishing light would work better. It would cover 360 instead of 180 and not draw much more than a LED light and only cost around $30. Can just plug into my down rigger power socket. I found several models of fishing lights, but none that I really liked, either because they were to small, required a power inverter, 120 volts or had halogen or sodium lamps drawing more amps than I wanted. Looked at the Brinkmann 22" light, Optronics Fish-N-Lite 18" light and the Optronics NightBlaster UW-300S light with beam magnifier which looked interesting but don't know about a light that rattles and bubbles. Was only $17. Of all the lights the Brinkmann 22" light looks the best at only $35, instead of a LED light at $180

[NUKE]

check out this thread on THT " My homemade under water lights" cost this guy 20 dollars in parts to make huge LED's jetty saw them

[jrbaldwin]

Thanks, Looks like I will be making a LED Cube with LEDs on the 4 sides and the bottom.

[JETTYWOLF]

Nuke's talkin about this place:

http://www.superbrightleds.com/other_bulbs.htm

EZ to build your own, if that's your druthers. Inside or outside the boat.

[IN2DEEP]

Jettywolf,
Thanks for the link to the LED lights
Read through the post that that guy put up about making the light set-up... Wow! Turned into a business with happy customers.
http://www.coastalnightlights.com
They look pretty good. I think they can get the squid up :roll: :lol:
Now that I've seen them, I think that I can assemble a unit like his 1st. gen. unit

Hmmm, now I just have to get ambitious :?

Scott

[JETTYWOLF]

Yeah..

Thats the fella from THT that Nuke was talking about. We watched him start building his own instead of buying them. He was in S. Florida, I remember.

Believe he had a "miami - vice" boat....ole wellcraft scarab in really nice condition with twin Etecs.

I even remember him possibly being the one posting a question, "how do I keep crapping ducks off my swim platform?".........that's about when many of us had enough.

Just like here with Welder, everyone pushed him to make some more and more. His design was simple but worked, I guess. I pushed Welder or someone to do a aluminum boat forum, along with other, alloyists on THT. Wish, I had done it. But back then had no clue the bottom of this big time Jacksonville florida charter industry (sarcasm) would go belly up and be only a part-time, weekend J-O-B, from now on.

Even had my dad (who's an ex-programmer) all geared up to help me, if needed.

So Scott, if ya get a good idea. And everyone gives ya good feed back, just do it. Ya never know.... :|

Wow, that's something. And a nice web site he has.