4 Types of Lights for Night Fishing

Anglers across the hemisphere are seeking solice from the summer heat. The best way to do that is night fishing.

More and more folks want to try night fishing and I don't blame them. During your adventures in the dark you will need a few things to make it easier.

1. Head Lamps for Night Fishing

The first recommendation for night fishing is a head lamp. When you are loading or unloading your boat, tying knots or trying to see in a certain direction, a headlamp can help a ton.

The next decision is which one. If you look at different packages, you'll see a rating called a lumen. Some lights are 40 lumens, some 200+ lumens. Lumens are the measure of light produced. That $15 special that has 25 lumens, you should leave it alone. A match would almost produce that much light.

Look for something in the 80+ lumen range. The Quarrow 80 Lumen Headlamp is ideal for nightfishing, camping, hiking, biking and hunting.

Headlamps also come with optional strobes and colors in some of the higher end models. I like a red light for tying and it doesn't attract as many bugs.

2. Hands Free Lights for Night Fishing

Another great little light to keep in your boat and your hands free while rigging your rods in the darkness is a hands-free iPROTEC Pocket WorkBrite LED Flashlight. The light's eight powerful LEDs provide 100 lumens of bright white light, it's crazy bright and perfect for clipping on your fishing vest or shirt pocket.

Another option is a LED neck light like the Quarrow HandsFree LED Neck Light. This light is super bright and keeps your hands free for everything from tying a line to de-hooking the big one. Just remeber to clip them to your shirt or fishing vest so you don't loose them. Each light works independently from each other, which gives you more battery life.

3. Lights for Attracting Fish at Night

LED lights come in a variety of colors as well. You might be wondering, how do lights attract fish to boats and docks? Green attracts more bugs which also attract more bait. Because of the bait swarming your lights the predatory fish you are really after will come to play.

The Quarrow 180-LED Fishing Light: produces a bright green glow directly into the water. This bright green fishing light sets up a natural food-chain reaction by attracting small microscopic plankton. Baitfish are drawn to the light to feed on the plankton. This process will attract the larger game fish.

Submersible Lights: are a bait magnet attracting hundreds of baitfish such as minnows to the light. One example is the Green Magnet Fishing Light that

works in both freshwater and saltwater environments. Fish it off a boat or dock - you can even use it for ice fishing!

BONUS TIP: A Guide to Choosing a Fishing Light Attractor: Exciting? Definitely. Memorable? Night fishing is a pursuit like no other. 

4. Lights to Light up Your Boat for Night Fishing

If the headlamp is not going to cut it you might think about installing some LED lights on your boat. Make sure to get IP68 rated lights (which means they can get wet and stay submerged for 30 minutes without ruining). To do a full install you'll need a battery, some silicone, a drill, a soldering iron and some other miscellaneous connections. Also, lay it all out above the deck before you start drilling holes.

Blue boat lights like the ITC Marine LED Underwater light will allow you to see colors a little more realistically and are visible from quite a way off. Not many dock owners have blue lights so you will stand out to oncoming watercraft. They do a decent job of bug attracting.

Amber lights are much more effective as deck lights rather than lights on the outside of the boat. They attract very few bugs but don't offer much assistance to see much past 10 feet or so. White lights are bright for navigation but don't seem to gather as many bugs as green lights. That in turn means fewer fish.

Regardless of what you choose, don't forget to check local regulations to see if you need red and green navigational lights and maybe a 360 degree light. Each state is a little different so know the law for where you are.

Stay safe and legal, get you some lights, pack a cooler and get out on the water while the night fishing is hot. Hearing a bass suck down a frog in the dark is something to be experienced. Give it a shot!