How LED lights can help with night fishing or squid fishing
There's something incredibly serene about being on the water at night, so it's no wonder that night fishing has become an increasingly popular pastime for Australians. Not only can it be a cathartic experience for the solo fisherman (or woman), but many times this overnight activity is a great adventure for the entire family.
Night fishing can help you achieve a larger haul, but there's a lot of preparation and equipment needed to reap the benefits from a late night excursion. While fishing rods, safety gear and bait are a must, many people often overlook another essential accessory; LED lighting.
Having proper lighting when night fishing and squid fishing can make your adventure safer and overall more productive. LED lights do a lot more than just brighten up the situation during a nighttime expedition, they can also be used to stay safe and attract more fish to catch, specifically squid.
Stay safe
One of the top concerns when it comes to night fishing is safety. Investing in battery-powered, light-emitting diodes (LED) can help you keep track of things in the dark. Many of these fixtures can be clamped to different parts of a craft, so bright light can be available where it's needed the most.
It's best practise to always organise your boat in the hours before heading out to open water. This will help you to easily find equipment in the dark and avoid any tripping hazards. These battery-powered lights are a great tool for helping you navigate around your vessel safely in the dark.
Having clamp-on LED lights also helps in avoiding injuries from wrangling a fish. From cutting lines and casting a rod, there needs to be a decent amount of light to accomplish these functions without getting accidently cut.
Finally, most boats are required to have navigation lights on from sunset to sunrise per the Maritime Safety Queensland. These red and green battery powered LED lights indicate the size of the boat, the direction it's travelling, if it's anchored and the angle to which others see it. These waterproof lights are essential at night to alert others to your location and avoiding accidents.
Catch more fish
The hours just before sunset to just after sunrise are actually the best time to catch fish, and using LED flood lights can further improve your chances of reeling in a big one. As Fishing Magazine explains, fish are usually more dormant during the day because of biology and their external environment.
Rough waters due to stormy weather, human presence and water clarity can all contribute to fish laying low during the day. Survival instincts and eyesight draw some fish, like mulloway, pearl perch and barramundi, out to hunt at night.
It's all about finding a balance with light to attract these fish without scaring them off. Flood lights are a great way to attract larger fish closer to your vessel as long as you are being quiet about your presence. Projecting light on the water will attract small prey, like plankton, which will then attract minnows to feed and so on until large game fish begin to accumulate deeper in the water.
Underwater LED lights can also be used for the same purpose, but make sure they're not super bright or they may scare some fish away. And always, brush up on your local fishing licence rules to make sure you're in compliance.
Squid fishing
Squid fishing has been growing in popularity along the Australian coast, and the midnight hours are some of the best times to take to the salt water and try your luck. Squid are especially fond of super bright light, so utilising a battery powered waterproof LED light to attract them is the way to go.
The Fisheries Research and Development Corporation of Australia recommends the squid jigging technique that is popular in southeastern Australia. By positioning super bright lights along the vessel, you will attract squid who are eager to feed. Using a line with barbless lures under the water and a spool, squid will be caught and fall into netting on the side of the boat.
Blue and bright green LED lights are ideal for squid fishing. They are bright enough to penetrate the water and considering they are battery powered, can have a long life span.
Find affordable LED lights
Investing in battery powered and waterproof LED lights can enhance your entire night or squid fishing experience and doesn't cost a fortune. Not only will you have safer travels, but proper use of LED lights on or in the water can help you achieve a bigger haul. With many affordable styles and applications available, there's no reason not to improve your boat with LED lights.
If you're interested in more fishing accessories, take a look at the offerings in our online store, or call us to find out about discounted products.
