“LED boat lights:” Are they good for fishing?

The best LED boat lights for fishing?

In the past 3-5 years LED boat lighting has experienced a surge of interest within the fishing industry. In fact, we are beginning to see an influx of calls from fisherman asking about the benefits of LED lights for their fishing vessels. We made a list of the most frequently asked questions .

1. What makes LED lights better suited for my vessel?
2. What LED light color is best for fishing?
3. Will the LED lights help me attract bait fish around my boat?

We will attempt to answer each of these questions in this post. So, here we go.

1.       Why are LED lights better for my fishing vessel?

Whether you’re fishing on a quiet inland lake, or out on the open ocean there are a variety of different product features that make underwater LED boat lights better suited for any vessel. Here are some of the key features and benefits they give to boaters:

Longevity: Most high quality underwater LED boat lights have a lifespan of 40,000+ hours. This equates to 4.5 years of continual light output. This saves boaters time and money in the long run.

Efficiency: LED boat lights will convert 80% of electrical energy into light output. On the other hand, traditional light bulbs typically only convert 20% of electrical energy into light output, losing the other 80% as heat. This efficiency allows LEDs to stay cool and run longer.

Durability: This is a big one. LED lights are resistant to shock, vibrations and heavy impacts making them perfect for aquatic environments where they are exposed to weather and rough conditions.

Instant Output: Unlike other light bulbs, LEDs power up to full brightness instantly. Boaters can also turn our LED boat lights on and off as much as they like without fear of compromising the lifespan of their lights.

Power Draw: LED boat lights draw less power from your boat. This saves your battery, and allows you to stay out on the water longer.

2.       What LED light color is best for fishing?

The consensus tends to indicate that green and white lights will attract the most bait fish at night. Green is the best color for penetration (shorter wavelength) in fresh water inter coastal waterways and areas with poor visibility, green will make the water appear cleaner. However, it may not be the best for overall aesthetics. Blue and white win in this category.

Please note. Be careful if you are using both interior and exterior LED lighting for your boat. If you decide to put green and white LED lights within the interior of your vessel you will have thousands of bugs swarming you in seconds. I personally prefer to have green and white LEDs placed on the exterior of my boat boat, slightly submerged. This not only helps attract more bait fish, it also helps with overall visibility and keeps the bugs out of the boat. Red works best for interior lighting.

Also, make sure you boat is anchored when you begin to fish. This will allow the bait fish to stay close to the submerged LED lights. If the boat is moving the fish won’t be able to keep up, and you’ll lose a significant amount of the bait fish in the process. The more stationary the better.

3.       Will LED lights help me attract bait fish around my boat?

The quick answer, yes. LED boat lights are proven to attract swarms of bait fish and insects around the hull of the boat. As mentioned above, using white or green lights slightly submerged (about 3-6 inches) will generate a ton of bait fish activity.

How does it work?

Green LED lights have one of the shortest wavelengths in the color spectrum, meaning that it will penetrate (travel) further through the water before it scatters. In turn, zooplankton is attracted to this green light and will quickly swim to the surface to pursue the light source. Bait fish such as shrimp and squid will chase the zooplankton to the surface. Then, the predatory game fish that we’re after follow in pursuit. The LEDs set off a food chain reaction which delivers game fish right to the boat.

Take Away

Underwater LED boat lights are great for any fishing vessel. The best LED colors for attracting bugs and bait fish are green and white. Blue is also a nice color as well. It has a short wavelength, and generates a beautiful aesthetic in the water at night.

I hope this article sheds some light (no pun intended) on why LED lights are great for fishing vessels.

LED Lights: Why they are better for your boat

We have many boaters call and ask us about the advantages of using LEDs for boat lighting. There are many features that make LED lights superior for underwater boat and dock lighting. We have put together a list of the top advantages below:

Longevity:

This is one of the biggest reasons boaters around the world are starting to use LEDs for their boat lighting. Depending on the product, LED bulbs and diodes have an exceptionally long operational life span. For example, underwater LED boat lights typically have a lifespan between 40,000 – 50,000 hours. This equates to 4.5 years of continual light output.

Efficiency:

LED lights convert about 80% of electrical energy into light output. Traditional light bulbs will typically only convert 20% of electrical input into light output, losing the remaining 80% as heat. LEDs stay cool.

Durability:

LED lights are resistant to shock, vibrations and heavy impacts making them perfect for aquatic environments where they are exposed to weather and rough conditions. In fact, LED light technology has allowed LIFEFORM LED to manufacture underwater LED dock lights that are impact resistant, and perfectly suited for all dock settings.

Flexibility:

LED lights can accommodate a large variety of structural designs. These designs allow manufactures to create superior lighting arrays. In the case of underwater boat lights, beam angle and configuration can be altered to deliver tailored lighting that balances both saturation and diffusion. This balance is embodied in “halo”.

Instant Output:  

Unlike other light bulbs, LEDs power up to full brightness instantly. Boaters can also turn their LED boat lights on and off as much as they like without fear of compromising the lifespan of their lights.

Low Profile:

LEDs typically measure from 3 to 8mm. This low profile structure makes them perfect for underwater light products. The LEDs are able to be easily arranged in a variety of different arrays for the desired lighting effect.

Blending Capability:

LEDs are able to be blended together to create many colors. This is evident in our LIFEFORM 6 series where boaters have the option to blend the BLUE/WHITE, BLUE/GREEN, GREEN/RED colors.

Why LED boat lights?

There is a reason thousands of boaters across the US have adopted underwater LED boat and dock lighting technology. It provides greater efficiency, durability, and longevity. Its technological features allow boaters to experience spectacular underwater lighting while drawing less power from their boats. The LEDs have the potential to run for the useful life of the boat, and its durability makes it perfect for the turbulent underwater marine environment.

Now, companies are manufacturing LED boat lights that can be self-installed and seamlessly integrate with the boats structural integrity. As more and more people adopt this technology, LEDs are fast becoming the future of underwater LED marine lighting. 

What is the light’s beam angle?

In the past couple of months we have had several people call us asking about the “beam angle” on our underwater LED boat lights. Many people are unsure what we mean by “18-34 degree beam angle”. So, we are going to explain this product feature in more detail.

Without further ado.

Below, we have included a diagram to illustrate how the LEDs project light. The diagram is taken as if you were looking down on the lights.

From the center of each LED, there is an optical lens that focuses the light produced by each LED. On the LIFEFORM 9, the three center LEDs all use an 18 degree lens. This means that if there was a center line projected outward from the LEDs, it would produce an optical cone of nine degrees on either side of that center line (as shown from the top down view in the diagram).

The remaining six LEDs on the LIFEFORM 9 all use a 34 degree lens (17 degrees on either side of that center line) giving a “Wide Spread Light”.

The three inner 18 degree lenses produce a narrower concentrated beam which projects light further out from the boat. Another way to visualize this concept is to think about an adjustable flash light. When you turn the end of the flashlight, the light beams become either more concentrated or dispersed.

The three middle LEDs provide maximum outward light projection, while the other six LEDs provide a wider beam angle to ensure that boaters realize that stunning “halo” effect around their boat.

On the LIFEFORM 6, the middle two LEDs use the 18 degree lens, and the outer four all use the 34 degree lens.

Trevor Miller to Attempt a 24 Hour Wakesurf World Record

As part of the highly anticipated MyWake Global Challenge, Day 1 Wake’s Trevor Miller is going to attempt to become the first athlete to wakesurf for 24 consecutive hours. The ride will be overseen by Guinness World Record officials. The event is set to take place on October 1^st at Sparks Marina in Sparks, Nevada.

Trevor Miller, a professional wakesurfer, will be riding behind a Tigé Z3 boat. It’s reported that he has been training for this record-setting attempt for the past 5 months.

The Rules:

In accordance with Guinness World Record policies, in order to accomplish a world record, Miller will need to ride for at least 24 consecutive hours. However, he will accumulate a five minute break for every hour of riding, and falls are permitted. In the instance that Trevor does fall, he will need to resume riding as soon as possible, without delay for an additional break.

For more in depth information on the event and sponsors check out this post by WakeWorld.

Malibu Boats Launches All-New 2014 Wakesetter 23 LSV

Described as the best-selling 23-foot boat in the history of watersports, the Malibu Waksetter 23 LSV just got better. The new 2014 edition comes with a new hull design that promises to boost the wakeboarding and wakesurfing experience. It also comes equipped with ‘surf gate’, which features  a faster actuator for side-to-side wake transfers. This new feature is said to deliver the best out-of-the-box wakesurfing experience on the planet. The 23 LSV also comes with rear transom ‘WakeView’ seating, deeper storage, and other functional updates designed to deliver a superior boating experience.

Some quick specs:

• Length: 23 feet
• Seating Capacity: 15
• Fuel Capacity: 69 gallons
• Max HP: 555
• Max Ballast: 1,350 pounds + PNP 1,000 pounds + Power Wedge

The video below dives deeper into the boat’s design, as well as showcases some of the boats new features, including the revolutionary ‘surf gate’. Check it out!