Fishing at night can be a peaceful and productive experience, but it requires the right tools to make it work. One of the most important aspects of night fishing is having the proper lighting & tools. Not only does it help you see what you’re doing, but it also plays a crucial role in triggering a fish strike. In this guide, we’ll break down five essential tips for finding the best lights for night fishing, ensuring you make the most of your time on the water.
Why Night Fishing Requires Special Lights
Night fishing isn’t like daytime fishing where natural light guides your way. You need specialized lights to illuminate your surroundings without offending the fish. Regular household lights won’t cut it when you’re out on a boat or by the shore, and that’s where night fishing lights come in. These lights are designed to be durable, bright, and waterproof to survive the elements.
Benefits of Using the Right Lights for Night Fishing
The right lights can increase your catch rate, improve visibility, and keep you safe on the water. Fish are often drawn to the bait fish around the light or drawn towards the outer perimeter of the light field for ambusing smaller fish. Understanding the features that are needed in a fishing light will help you make a more informed purchase. The circular light field produced by the vertical light attracts small bait which attracts predator fish. Those species that do not like light will hover above or below the light source. A light source does not always make for a great fishing or shrimping light.
If you follow the science, you’re essentially creating a environment that can produce a fish strike. Remember, we the anglers need the light to see. The fish thrive in unlit water. So introducing light into an environment must not be offensive to the marine life.
Tip #1: Orientation of the Fishing Light In The Water Column
Vertical orientation of light vs. Light Bobbling On Water Surface: What’s the Difference?
LED fishing lights dominate the market and are the current technology light source. We no longer use glass components and prefer PVC or acrylic sealed LED housings. These type fishing lights can be buoyant and do not have enough weight to sink unless they are leaded or in a metal housing.
Your light must be able to float in a vertical upright position. The top of the light should be facing the sky. Vertical orientation emits a 360 degree light field in the shape of a pancake.
The light field does not point to the top water nor does the light field point to the river bottom. The light emits light only at the depth of the light. The total thickness of this pancake is about 5 foot thick due to the directional LEDs. When marine life swim above your 5 foot pancake of light it back lights them so you can see all the action. The brilliance is the water above the fishing light is unlit so the marine life are calm and do not sense a threat. You see them and they do not sense you.
A fishing light must have at least a 7 lb anchor attached with proper fittings to prevent damage to the cord and the lamp. A fishing LED fishing light must be set to a proper depth set forth by the manufacture. Ensure the fishing light has a vertical orientation in the water column. All these necessary features will set your light to the perfect LED fishing light vertical orientation, location and depth necessary to trigger a fish strike.
Underwater vs. Above Water Lights
Underwater fishing lights are submerged in water to attract bait fish and small junk fish to lure in larger predator fish. Above water lights usually are found on bridge fenders. This top down lighting illuminates the water to some degree allowing large predator fish to lurk outside of the light field waiting to see fish swim through.
Tip #2: Consider Light Brightness and Color
lumens Explained: How Bright Should Your Light Be?
Lumen measure the total light output, and the higher the lumens, the brighter the light. For night fishing, you’ll want a light with at least 3000 lumens to ensure sufficient brightness. But, once a fishing light is built it loses about 35-50% of its lumens due to the waterproof housing of the light.
Retailers give you the lumens from the LED strip BEFORE the light was built. Many manufacturers do not have access to testing their lumens after their light is built. So when you are given the lumens deduct 40% and that will be the actual lumens you are firing when the light is powered.
Does it matter? No. The lumen conversation is not relevant and it originated from manufacturers trying to market, “More lumens is better”. Actually, the fish do not care what lumens you purchased. There are far more “toy” like lights on the market than pro angler type lights. Take your time and research.
Retailers have convinced anglers lumens is the most important feature of the light. Actually, lumens is the only feature with most retailers lights. Brightness is not in the top 3 most important consideration for purchasing a LED fishing light.
- The fishing light you purchase must have mounting hardware for adding a max of 7lb weight anchor. Strong tidal water demands an anchor to dig into the bottom to hold.
- The fishing light needs to have a vertical orientation in the water column. The top of light must face the sky when deployed. It needs to self correct and maintain a vertical posture to endure a strong moving tide.
- The light must have a depth setting system in place so you can set the light at the perfect depth.
The Importance of Light Color for Attracting Fish
Myth.
Saltwater fish do not care what color light you use. Science has proven white and green to be the best. Some prefer blue for squid but I do not believe it has any real significance compared to green and white. It is HOW you present the light and not the color of the light you deployed. Fishing requires a little more thought than the color of an LED light to be successful.
Tip #3: Opt for Durable and Waterproof Lights
Why Durability Matters in Night Fishing Gear
Your night fishing gear needs to withstand harsh conditions, including saltwater exposure, drops, and heavy handling. This is why choosing durable, robust lights is essential.
MacDaddy Fishing Lights™ changed the role fishing lights play in this sport. To most anglers fishing lights were a “toy” and not a tool. Retail lights for decades were fishing failures in Florida. Capt Lee Noga took years of her research and innovated a fishing light to do the work necessary to be with successful night fishing.
Don’t shop for fishing lights based on price. Shop a fishing light based on the tools it provides. Metal frame lights are very resilient. Acrylic glue LEDs in metal frames eliminate the tubes used to house the LEDs. They will not leak if the end caps are solid filled with acrylic glue.
Tip #4: Battery Life and Power Source
Rechargeable vs. Disposable Batteries
One important aspect of night fishing lights is their power source. Rechargeable batteries are the industry standard. Manufacturers disclose amps and watts and this will help you shop the right size battery.
We recommend a tractor battery (675 cranks) or marine or auto battery (1000 cranks)
Tip #5: Portability and Ease of Use
Lightweight vs. Heavier Lights: Which is Better?
Decades of fishing lights were epic fails when fished in tidal moving water. Ponds are calm and a toy type light would work great. Anglers like to fish salt and freshwater and if you own a saltwater type light it will work in any water where a 33 foot cord is long enough. It is best to buy the best light you can afford so you can travel and fish any kind of water.
Conclusion
Finding the best lights for night fishing can enhance your overall experience and increase your catch rate. By considering factors like light vertical orientation, anchoring systems, depth set mechanism , brightness, durability, battery life, warranty and portability, you can choose lights that suit your specific fishing needs. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced angler, having the right night fishing lights and strategies will make lead you to success.