Snook light questions (Port Charlotte: houses, schools, live)

[1dobiedude]

Now that my dock and lift are almost finished I am thinking about fish lights. One of my neighbors several houses up has what looks like one of those lights that people mount on a pole for area lights in say a parking area, probably on a light sensor. At high tide it is about 1 foot from the water. I have seen these at Sam's Club for about $60 and come with a plug attached. I am thinking about having the electrician install a extra waterproof outlet for these when he wires up the lift.

I have knocked on my neighbors door but I think he is a snowbird. I also looked at night and it is turned off.

One of the men putting the lift in says he fishes the canals a lot at night and he made the comment that the underwater light seems to make the fish spookier that ones mounted close to the top of the water.

So I am asking for your thoughts on this. I like the idea of a top water light as it may last longer, not get snagged by hooks and lures and will be off during the day and not cost a fortune to operate and replace when it starts rusting.

I think the best place to mount it is on one of the outside lift piles closest to the deeper water, but out of the way for easy use of the lift, maybe even put it on bracket so it can be raised or lowered depending on the season. I can make a sliding bracket out of starboard or other material that is adjustable, may even make a shroud out of plastic or aluminum flashing and let the shroud extend into the water some of the time.

Am I making this too complicated?

In your travels thru the canals what have you seen people do or what have you thought about doing?

Any ideas or thoughts will really help, as well as pictures of what you have installed on your dock.

thanks

Clint

[HarborRat]

I'd go underwater. The above water lights "might" be better to fish, but that is about it. The below water lights attract so many snook that you can easily catch one if wanted, but It would be like fishing in your own aquarium. Feels like cheating, and you'll start to feel like you are catching your "pets" . I don't think they are spookier except for the fish directly in the lights. The biggest snook will stay in the shadows surrounding the light, and they are ready to eat your hook.

Just sitting on the dock and watching the fish is fun, and you can't do that with an above water. Plus think of the bugs the above water lights attract and you won't want to be sitting there.

There is a big price difference though.....

[MartyGras]

Originally Posted by HarborRat

I'd go underwater. The above water lights "might" be better to fish, but that is about it. The below water lights attract so many snook that you can easily catch one if wanted, but It would be like fishing in your own aquarium. Feels like cheating, and you'll start to feel like you are catching your "pets" . I don't think they are spookier except for the fish directly in the lights. The biggest snook will stay in the shadows surrounding the light, and they are ready to eat your hook.

Just sitting on the dock and watching the fish is fun, and you can't do that with an above water. Plus think of the bugs the above water lights attract and you won't want to be sitting there.

There is a big price difference though.....

I second the underwater light. It's amazing how many fish I get every night.

Gary

[Harbor Hopper]

The underwater lights have a photo sensor on them, so they're dusk-to-dawn. Tons of brands out there. Underwaterfishlight.com is a local mfg in Port Charlotte. I have one of their lights. Not cheap, but they last a long time. You just need to take it out and clean the barnacles off the base 1x per year. Mine costs about $8/month to operate. Love it. Wouldn't think about an above-water light.

[Dukenyc]

I have underwater lights for my boat, and it is amazing how many fish you can see around them when anchored night. I put them out at dusk when I put in the chum bags. Within an hour, swirling schools of bait fish surround the lights,

I like the shore lights and am considering mounting a couple myself. The new dock and lift are going in this coming week, and I did have extra power run. I have heard positives and negatives about both the LED and HID versions. As far as overhead lighting, it will attract bugs, which will attract baitfish, an that could bring in the predators.

As far as the fish being spookier, I fished every night for 3 weeks the last time I was in Florida. Each time, on the way back to my dock, I stopped at a neighbors with under water lights.

Every night there were dozens of large snook all just staring at the underwater light.

Despite stopping each night, throwing plastics, <****>, cut bait and live shrimp, I never caught a fish. There was no whitebait around so I didn't get to try that.

I never got a strike, or a even a look.

They just sat there, staring at that damn light.

[MartyGras]

Originally Posted by Harbor Hopper

The underwater lights have a photo sensor on them, so they're dusk-to-dawn. Tons of brands out there. Underwaterfishlight.com is a local mfg in Port Charlotte. I have one of their lights. Not cheap, but they last a long time. You just need to take it out and clean the barnacles off the base 1x per year. Mine costs about $8/month to operate. Love it. Wouldn't think about an above-water light.

I got mine from from underwaterlights.com also, it has been in about a year...I guess I should pull it out and clean it.

What do you use to get the barnacles off?

Gary

[Dukenyc]

Apparently, you cant say ***, so picture a lead head attached to a hook on which you can place live or artificial lures, lol.

[Harbor Hopper]

Originally Posted by MartyGras

I got mine from from underwaterlights.com also, it has been in about a year...I guess I should pull it out and clean it.

What do you use to get the barnacles off?

Gary

You have to chip them off (being careful not to break the bulb). I use a curved electric cable knife to whack them away. It's a very messy job! Barnacle & worm pieces all over you, lol

[HarborRat]

Originally Posted by MartyGras

I got mine from from underwaterlights.com also, it has been in about a year...I guess I should pull it out and clean it.

What do you use to get the barnacles off?

Gary

Do yourself a huge favor. Put some anti-fouling boat bottom paint on it. A few coats should last a year or two.

[1dobiedude]

Thanks, anyone else have any thoughts on this?

Clint