Smelt (underwater) Light

[UltimateOutdoorsman]

Anyone know where to buy one or how to make one?

[neil duffey]

curiouse, what are they used for, when, and why? im going to try for em this year... would love to know if they are needed.

[naterade]

There was just a post the other day about making one with an LED automobile reverse lamp.

[naterade]

IH772 posted in the 'improvements/inventions' thread here:

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=120812&page=9

[Quack Wacker]

Gander Mountain sells them as well as Dicks Sporting Goods. Some guys use an actual car head light bulb and put it in a mason jar and then use GE Silicone to seal it up.

[wally-eye]

From Cabelas. Seen this one in use and it's pretty bright and seemed to work fine.........beats trying to jury rig one.......

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0002035011509a&type=product&cmCat=SEARCHFEAT_all&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&Ntt=underwater+light&Ntk=Products&sort=all&Go.y=7&_D%3AhasJS=+&N=0&_D%3Asort=+&Nty=1&hasJS=true&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jsp.form1&Go.x=19&_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1

[mdad]

they are used to attract fresh water shrimp at night. the smelt come to eat the shrimp. I come to eat the smelt. They are absolutely neccessary for smelt fishing at night. They also come in handy for fishing trout at night in the summer(hint).

[krt]

Gander Mountain sells them as well as Dicks Sporting Goods. Some guys use an actual car head light bulb and put it in a mason jar and then use GE Silicone to seal it up.

Better yet, you could use DAP silicone made by Dow Corning.;)

[Burksee]

From Wally-eye's post:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/content/Item/01/15/09/i011509sq02.jpg

I have the same one pictured in Cabelas above, but got it at Higgins Lake Sport and Party Store. Barnical Bill, M-S.com member and all around really nice guy! ;) :D

Neil, Using a light attracts the small planktin type erchins that the smelt feed on. I guess you could kinda consider it "baiting"! LOL! :yikes:

You gotta get up to Higgins the middle of Feb to the first week of March, or ice out. Thats when it really gets going good! ;)

[wally-eye]

curiouse, what are they used for, when, and why? im going to try for em this year... would love to know if they are needed.



Neil, they're used for enticing smelt up towards the surface so you can catch them. Crystal Lake smelt town is really funny looking after dark. ALL the ice in about a 3 to 4 acre area is glowing a greenish whiteish color.....funniest thing you ever seen.........what is remarkable is to be fishing 20 foot away from one of the lights for a couple of hours and then they turn the light off, its like WTH, unreal how much light comes up out of the hole.......:lol: Funny as heck when there's 50 lights blazing under water in a 4 or 5 acre area. I always wondered what it would look like flying overhead in a small plane, must be a sight.,..

The light attracts, to the top of the water column all the bugs and microbes etc that smelt eat and naturally all the herds of smelt follow..

Best one I seen was a guy that had a waterproof RV light on the end of a 10 ft pole.......hooked to a regular 12 volt car battery and dropped down the hole it lite up a 50 foot circle...........:dizzy::lol:

Oh ya it DOES bring in the smelt so you can catch them on hook and line, tiny jigs and wax worms or perch minnow heads work just fine.......


Dan

[Burksee]

Better yet, you could use DAP silicone made by Dow Corning.;)I've seen guys float an actual old style glass headlamp. Seal the terminals and make sure you put it in the water before you turn it on! Hot glass and cold water could make for some excitement in the shanty! :yikes:

[ih772]

IH772 posted in the 'improvements/inventions' thread here:

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=120812&page=9


One nice thing about using LED's is, you can run it for a couple nights off a 7 AH battery.

You can catch smelt without a light in the water. One of the best nights I ever had I was a few hundred yards away from anyone with a underwater light. The only light came off my lantern and went through a thick layer of white ice.

[Burksee]

Here's a "buy it already built" old style sealed beam headlamp style! ;)

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/content/Item/01/02/77/i010277sq02.jpg

Its also available from Cabelas!

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0002035010277a&type=product&cmCat=froogle&cm_ven=data_feed&cm_cat=froogle&cm_pla=0250709&cm_ite=0002035010277a

[paulywood]

Sometimes it's better if you're on the edge of the light. I like to keep the battery in the shanty and stretch the light out aways from the shanty and then drop it in the water there. I have 2 of the lights that were posted. One from Gander and one from Higgin's Lake Bait when I forgot mine.

[wally-eye]

Here's a "buy it already built" old style sealed beam headlamp style! ;)

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/content/Item/01/02/77/i010277sq02.jpg

Its also available from Cabelas!

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0002035010277a&type=product&cmCat=froogle&cm_ven=data_feed&cm_cat=froogle&cm_pla=0250709&cm_ite=0002035010277a



Burksee:

Those work but I think that one floats. I've always understood it that the farther down in the water column the light is the better the smelt will bite. Don't know for sure but that's what I heard.........that first link will drop the light about 14 ft or so..

Dan

[paulywood]

That's funny, I've always heard the opposite. Keep the light up toward the top of the water column to draw the smelt up.

[UltimateOutdoorsman]

From Wally-eye's post:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/content/Item/01/15/09/i011509sq02.jpg


Do you run that off a motorcycle battery or a car battery?

[wally-eye]

Do you run that off a motorcycle battery or a car battery?


All the ones I seen were run off a car battery.....guys hauled them out on their quads or sleds...

I plan on getting that same light although I'm going to try a garden tractor size battery first to see how long it lasts........

[jerryk]

Are those lights good for anything besides smelt?

I have one but never thought of using it in the winter.

[UltimateOutdoorsman]

going to try a garden tractor size battery first to see how long it lasts........

Yeah Id rather not have to drag out a car battery with all my gear. :D

[paulywood]

I have had good luck using the deep cycle from my boat. I tried using an old lawn mower battery last year but it didn't last long. However, the battery was pretty much junk. Plus, you can run rope lights for the shanty off the battery also.

[wally-eye]

I have had good luck using the deep cycle from my boat. I tried using an old lawn mower battery last year but it didn't last long. However, the battery was pretty much junk. Plus, you can run rope lights for the shanty off the battery also.


I have a quad that would haul a big battery no problem along with all my other junk....:lol: but I was thinking I could try a new garden tractor battery and if it didn't work too well I could just throw it on the John Deere in the spring........

Yummmmmmmmm love those Crystal lake smelt.......

[Ticketripper]

I have done well in the daytime at Higgins. Check my profile to see some pics.

[Burksee]

Do you run that off a motorcycle battery or a car battery?I've run mine off of 12 volt jump box, it lasted the night fine, just plugged it in to recharge when I got home. For the money I think a garden tractor battery would do the trick just fine! ;)

[ih772]

Car batteries, garden tractor batteris, or motorcycle batteries aren't a good choice to run something like that from. Those kids of batteries are designed to deliver a lot of current in a short amount of time, like when starting an engine. This type of battery isn't designed to be deeply discharged, like running a headlight until its dim, and then recharged very many times before its ruined.

Deep cycle batteries are designed to deliver a low amount of current over a long period of time, like running a light. They are the much better choice to use. The charge will last a lot longer on a deep cycle, than a starting type of battery. Deep cycle batteries are designed to be run down, then recharged many times.

[swampbuck]

Best one I seen was a guy that had a waterproof RV light on the end of a 10 ft pole.......hooked to a regular 12 volt car battery and dropped down the hole it lite up a 50 foot circle...........:dizzy::lol:

Dan

If that was an incandesent bulb, then it probably was THE BEST ONE YOU HAVE SEEN. different types of bulbs cast different types of light..As you have probably noticed at home or work.

Some of us have been fishing smelt since they first appeared in Higgins Lake almost 30 years ago. We used to sell them for trout bait back then. You probably saw a local guy who's been around a while. If you thought that was funny you should see my light.

[UltimateOutdoorsman]

The charge will last a lot longer on a deep cycle, than a starting type of battery. Deep cycle batteries are designed to be run down, then recharged many times.


Is a "deep cycle" a boat battery then?

[wally-eye]

Is a "deep cycle" a boat battery then?



Yep a deep cycle trolling motor battery.................most people remove their batteries out of the boat for storage........so it could serve double duty...

Dan

[nscrfrk]

Sometimes it's better if you're on the edge of the light. I like to keep the battery in the shanty and stretch the light out aways from the shanty and then drop it in the water there. I have 2 of the lights that were posted. One from Gander and one from Higgin's Lake Bait when I forgot mine.There was an article in IF mag. about running the lights out away from shanty,but did'nt mention why as opposed to right next to it as I've done in the past. ??? Also talked about using crumbled-up dog food in your holes as attractant. Think I'll give it a try; maybe I'll catch a bowfin:). As for the depth at running the lights, I run 1 just under the surface and the other about halfway down the water column,experimented, and this seemed to work the best for me. Used to use car headlights but drew too much juice as I run my shanty lights off it too(12v deep cell) and since going to the lights shown in this post,can run all night with no problem.

[Ferris_StateHunter]

Do you run that off a motorcycle battery or a car battery?


I'll run my light right off my vexillar battery, Runs both good all night long, then just charge it up again overnight and are good to go, no need for extra batteries.

[nscrfrk]

Do you run that off a motorcycle battery or a car battery?Deep cell for sure. Also make sure if you use these lights,hang them to dry when you get home as any water left in them will cause corrosion and "bye-buy" lights.

[rico1391]

From Wally-eye's post:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/content/Item/01/15/09/i011509sq02.jpg

I have the same one pictured in Cabelas above, but got it at Higgins Lake Sport and Party Store. Barnical Bill, M-S.com member and all around really nice guy! ;) :D

Neil, Using a light attracts the small planktin type erchins that the smelt feed on. I guess you could kinda consider it "baiting"! LOL! :yikes:

You gotta get up to Higgins the middle of Feb to the first week of March, or ice out. Thats when it really gets going good! ;)

I was just wondering how much you guys picked these up for? I got this same one at wal-mart on clearance this past spring for 5 dollars

[Ferris_StateHunter]

I was just wondering how much you guys picked these up for? I got this same one at wal-mart on clearance this past spring for 5 dollars

Fishing tackle grab bag in davison sells them for around 10-15 bucks. and 20 for a small "vex" type battery and charger. I bought on light last year, this year I am upping the scale to 3 or 4. I did notice a slight increase of fish coming up by the light.

[hammerfish]

i was thinking about getting one the lights but i use green and yellow glow sticks, i just clamp a weight on one end and string on the other and put it down at what ever depth i want.... I ended up with a **** load of military grade sticks that last for 12 hours before they dim in the slightest.... I've enen used them to catch other fish than smelt and they work great, plus i got them for free..... I think most dollar stores sell them too for cheap, they may not last as long but its not bad...... try them out, you'll be surprised

[ih772]

Is a "deep cycle" a boat battery then?


Depends, if its for starting the boat, then its a starting battery. If its for running electric trolling motors, then its most likely a deep cycle. Most starting batteries have a CCA rating, where deep cycles have an amp hour rating. It will say somewhere on the battery what kind it is.


I've seen people try to use a deep cycle battery to start their engines, big mistake. I towed a guy in to the launch one day because he used a deep cycle to start his boat. He couldn't understand why his month old battery wouldn't crank as well as when he first bought it, and then it wouldn't recharge when the engine was running. He didn't know the difference. He bought a "boat battery" and thought that's what he needed.

[jacktownhooker]

2-questions !! - anyone use lights for crappie and(or) catfish ? and i have a string light for boats that people use to light inside of shanties too .....can that be put down a hole ?

[Ferris_StateHunter]

2-questions !! - anyone use lights for crappie and(or) catfish ? and i have a string light for boats that people use to light inside of shanties too .....can that be put down a hole ?

First one yes, can improve chances if the crappies are around especially at night. A latern on the ice works well for this as well at dark

Second ? I have no idea

[fish_skeered]

So, the theory is: Light attracts the photosynthetic zooplankton (or shrimp, whatever you call em) and the smelt come to eat the zooplankton.

Well, as it turns out, we had to do an experiment in one of my bio labs involving them and my group decided to test which end of the spectrum they liked best. We put a red light on one side and a purple on the other. Ive heard many people using red lights which is what made me curious. Well, it was roughly 120 for purple and 10 for red. Just a nice lil tidbit, purple attracts 12 times the plankton as red.