Underwater Lights

[Heron]

i am interested in installing some sort of underwater light for squid, fish at night and see what is going on when drifting offshore overnight. I would appreciate knowing what you use and recommend.

[sharkwaters]

I have been interested in this as well. I think a good way is to use the led version mounted on the trim tab pointing down in the water. If you want squid, point down.
Bob

[Honeygirl]

The underwater lights are neat. Good ones are expensive. Just becarefull the squid will move to the light and if its near the intake thay will clog easy. Just FYI. Joe

[Heron]

Yea, The trim tab seems like a good approach. One can keep the wiring above water and there is some adjustment with the tabs. I have looked at several vendors on line. Some are real expensive. The differences seem to be the lens material (plastic vs glass), housing material (stainless or brass vs plastic) and number of LED's. Is white the best color for fishing squid etc?

Are there any good local suppliers for LED lights? billf

[Wa Mei]

Hi Bill,

I am in the business of manufacturing LEDs for a number of industries.
Boats not being one of them...

Personally, I fish with my family and the little knuckleheads so I hate
running the generator. I have tried numerous different high power LEDs
for squid. We are talking from 500 lumens to 3000 lumens in both white,
green and in combination above and below water with mix results. Then
again, with the seals trained to follow the lights, so it really doesn't matter
what you use nowadays.

I like the little green fluorescent tubes...

[Heron]

Why do you suppose the LED results were mixed? Did you have some kind of lens with your trials? LED's sure seem like a good match for energy saving and lifetime. There are some interesting products out there. http://www.oceanled.com/Product_Pages/Amphibians.php
http://www.abysslite.com/gallery.php
Most of the single lights seem to be 500 to 1000 lumens. You need anyone to do some additional product development and testing?

[Wa Mei]

LEDs do not put out any measureable amount of UV lights, even the high output 1W LEDs that are 120 lumens per watt. I can only guess that the squid is attracted to lights because of the UV output, but if that was the case, wouldn't they be out during the day time?

To answer your questions about lens...I have used an underwater swimming pool light housing and put my 2k lumen LED bulb in it. I was getting alot of
shadowing because of the pattern on the glass, so I then tried it with a diffuser which spread the light more evenly. Not the best results with squid
either way.

This is just my experience during the last 2 seasons. It doesn't mean that someone else haven't had better results than I have. It could just simply mean that the squid was not around during the time I tried. However, I have had situations where I cannot get the squid to show, but I do have them on the meter. When I switched from the LEDs to the green fluorescent tubes,
they started showing.


Why do you suppose the LED results were mixed? Did you have some kind of lens with your trials? LED's sure seem like a good match for energy saving and lifetime. There are some interesting products out there. http://www.oceanled.com/Product_Pages/Amphibians.php
http://www.abysslite.com/gallery.php
Most of the single lights seem to be 500 to 1000 lumens. You need anyone to do some additional product development and testing?

[Heron]

Your information is very helpful. I am going to hold off on LED's until more information is available. The critical issue you bring up is whether the spectrum of the LED's is attractive to squid. LED's are attractive from a power consumption and lifetime perspective, but if they are not squid attractive, then we fisherman just have pretty lights which are not useful. Well, they are still helpful for seeing in the water when fishing at night.

I wonder if anyone else out there has experience with LED's for squid?

[DOGHOUSE26]

I just use a simple 2-500W Halogen Lamps off a gunnel rod holder with a dimmer switch to get them to float closer. Some guys use those green lights to get them to gather on the boat; then use the dimmer on the other lights to bring them closer.

[Al Gagnon]

Were can I get some of these halogen lights and are they 12 v or 115 v. I would like to see what I can bring up to the boat over night. When I fished on the tuna sieners we had plenty of deck lighting and would always have loads of squid around the boat. Some guys would try to bring them in. They would light up red and white on deck. Skipper was pissed if the guys did not wash the black ink off of the decks after fishing for squid. Thinking about going after some Tuna this summer and spending the night drifting off the chute/sea anchor. I would like to be with some other boats so I do not get run over by a steamer. Not sure where the traffic lane is. Someone gave me a latitude but I do not remember if that was good info.

[Heron]

Jeff, explain more about the purpose of the dimmer. I sense there is a secret of squid behavior to learn. I presume that the halogen lights are 115 volt that can readily be purchased at Home Depot. You probably have to replace them every year or two, but they are relatively cheap. I always have trouble with the contacts arcing to the bulb and eventually they stop working even after repeated sanding. This is with my portable shop lights and no salt air/water.

Al, I have the same plan this summer to go out to the fishing grounds and stay the night on a chute. I just bought a chute this year for that purpose. I would be pleased to join you as a second boat on one of these adventures. It is unlikely that the tanker would take us both out. I am thinking about leaving around 10 AM or so, still have a little dusk fishing time and be able to wake up in the zone. bill

[NoSlack]

Here's a little info from when I made some a couple years ago. I think I gave one to Zack, Joe and kept one for myself. The other guys would have more hands on experience with the squid and LED lights so I'll let give some feed back on the effectiveness.

It's not a million candle power but it works as a compact bait light you can keep in the boat. Draw just over 1 amp on 12 volts.

32 super bright green LEDs in a 1 1/4" clear tube, potted with casting resin. I put 15' of cord on this one with a float so I can adjust how deep it hang under the boat.
http://www.bocaboard.com/data/500/baitlight3.jpg

http://www.bocaboard.com/data/512/baitlight.jpg

This is what it looked like 5 feet under the boat.
http://www.bocaboard.com/data/500/baitlight2.jpg

Mike

[Heron]

Mike, I should have known that you have tried something. That is really cool. Do the squid come up to the light?

[sharkwaters]

I try to buy the stuff when available. I have heard guys using this method. Meter around to find the marks. Turn on all lights, including the tower lights and put the deep lights in the water, deep. As soon as you get a few scouts zooming around, turn off the overhead spreader lights. They will start going up and circle the boat. Pull underwater light closer to the surface, squid will follow. if you have a dimmer, reduce light level. Squid sometimes stay at the outer edge of the light circle. use net or crowder to net and put into tanks. You will have trouble if the dogs are around. They will wait for the float and then scatter the squid.
Bob

[Freespool]

Mike, you gave one of those lights to me also. It is still going strong. I have had really good luck using it locally on fin bait. For squid I do pretty much what Bob said. I use the nickel metal halide (sp?) to bring them up and if they won’t come close I bring them to the boat with the smaller LED light. Then I try to keep them at the boat with the small light and use it as a living chum line.

Pat

[NoSlack]

Sorry Pat, I forgot all about putting one together for you. Glad to hear you're getting some use out of it.

Mine has only been in the water a few times for the fin bait as well. If I know we are after squid, I take a generator along and run a 500W MH street light.

Mike