Night Lights For Fishing
Bob McNally 08.06.15
One obvious and negative part to night fishing for many anglers is they can’t see what they’re doing very well. So lines, leaders, hooks, and other angling gear get fouled, and fishermen get frustrated quickly–often giving up in disgust even before giving after-hours fishing a fair chance. This is true for spin and plug fishermen, especially for fly-rodders who get particularly disgruntled when slack line tangles their feet and seemingly everything else in a boat.
The way to combat such nighttime blues, of course, is with a light or lights of some sort. Many veteran fishermen use a portable, battery-operated head lamp, which allows for freedom of both hands for ease in tying knots, unhooking fish, etc.
A small, powerful flashlight that fits in a pants pocket also is a handy nighttime item, and everyone on board should have one. It can be turned on easily and held between teeth for bright, focused light when both hands are needed, as when unsnarling a backlash.
By far the best I’ve used are ones made by SureFire, whose lights are prized by police departments and the military. The company makes a wide variety of small, powerful, rugged, and waterproof flashlights, some of which come with small clips that easily attach to shirt or pants pockets when two-hands work is required.
My favorite SureFire is their best-selling “G2 Nitrolon.” While only 6-inches long and powered by two small lithium batteries, its light is so bright it can be used to navigate inlet channel markers while skimming along at night in a boat on full plane!
SureFire makes flashlight lens covers in red or blue that are not as spooky to fish (or game) as a bright white light, yet still offer plenty of illumination for tying knots, unhooking fish, and other night angling necessities.
