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IceShanty Main => General Ice Fishing Chit Chat => Topic started by: fisherman_chuck on Jan 10, 2011, 12:34 PM

Title: underwater lights for ice fishing
Post by: fisherman_chuck on Jan 10, 2011, 12:34 PM
has anyone tried this or have any good ideas?
Title: Re: underwater lights for ice fishing
Post by: hnd on Jan 10, 2011, 01:15 PM
its illegal everywhere around here.
Title: Re: underwater lights for ice fishing
Post by: eriksat1 on Jan 10, 2011, 01:16 PM
Some states it is illegal, I have thought about trying it for crappie but never have yet, just don't get scammed into buying those lights for over $100 the evening secret or something like that. Google underwater fishing lights you can get them for around $30-$40
Title: Re: underwater lights for ice fishing
Post by: jopes on Jan 10, 2011, 01:46 PM
only if it is legal in your state.  I know They are illegal in Wyoming.
Title: Re: underwater lights for ice fishing
Post by: eriksat1 on Jan 10, 2011, 02:38 PM
They are legal in WI. and illegal in MN.
Title: Re: underwater lights for ice fishing
Post by: Jim F on Jan 10, 2011, 07:19 PM
Here in Montana, its legal to use lights and it works very well for salmon
Title: Re: underwater lights for ice fishing
Post by: capedeer/fish on Jan 10, 2011, 07:21 PM
its illegal everywhere around here.
Same here
Title: Re: underwater lights for ice fishing
Post by: strikequeen34 on Jan 10, 2011, 08:51 PM
Ive seen people trying those green bait light tubes..but do they really work?
Title: Re: underwater lights for ice fishing
Post by: newincudahy on Jan 10, 2011, 08:53 PM
Im thinking about doing another overnighter on a known crappie lake. Traditionally the bite shuts down an hour after dark. I was thinking about dropping an underwater light down a hole to do two things, try to attract the whole food chain and provide indirect lighting for my underwater cam.
I have had some success in open water with underwater lights in the past but havent tried thru ice.
niC
Title: Re: underwater lights for ice fishing
Post by: mdrobny on Jan 10, 2011, 08:58 PM
thought about using green snap lights,the chemical ones,and clipping a weight on one end and string on the other but never have. I think it would work/help?
Title: Re: underwater lights for ice fishing
Post by: newincudahy on Jan 10, 2011, 09:04 PM
Worth a try!
Title: Re: underwater lights for ice fishing
Post by: Trooper Bri on Jan 10, 2011, 09:43 PM
Ive seen people trying those green bait light tubes..but do they really work?

Yes they do.
We also experimented with homemade green LED's on a strip. They were cheap, and I'm pretty sure the cathode lighting outdid them as far as attracting fish. The cathode lighting still seemed to emit a whitish light as well as the green that penetrated the water farther.
Next stop would be more intense LED's from Oznium. They sell waterproof puck lights for hull/pond/vehicle use.

Title: Re: underwater lights for ice fishing
Post by: strikequeen34 on Jan 10, 2011, 09:52 PM
thanks trooper, ill have to look into those.
Title: Re: underwater lights for ice fishing
Post by: fisherman_chuck on Jan 10, 2011, 10:26 PM
I just bought some green chem lights hope they help on walleye at night.
Title: Re: underwater lights for ice fishing
Post by: Slipperys on Jan 10, 2011, 11:01 PM
I have heard of flashlights in weighted mason jars working well... going down a closely drilled hole.
Title: Re: underwater lights for ice fishing
Post by: Fontona19 on Jan 10, 2011, 11:47 PM
Does anyone know if they are legal in NY?
Title: Re: underwater lights for ice fishing
Post by: mealworm on Jan 11, 2011, 09:32 AM
I'V HAD PRETTY GOOD LUCK WITH THOSE CRAPPIE CANDLES.SO FAR I'V CAUGHT SALMON TROUT PIKE PERCH AND CRAPPIE WITH THEM
Title: Re: underwater lights for ice fishing
Post by: eriksat1 on Jan 11, 2011, 09:51 AM
There is some good info here to look at. And the prices aren't to bad.
]http://www.fishinglightsetc.com/index.html] (http://www.fishinglightsetc.com/index.html)
Title: Re: underwater lights for ice fishing
Post by: Slipperys on Jan 11, 2011, 02:32 PM
Do you guys have a bright light on a string deep in the water and fish next to it--or do you have a bright light set up as an attractor on your actual fishing line?
Title: Re: underwater lights for ice fishing
Post by: jfkro on Jan 11, 2011, 06:56 PM
I have heard of flashlights in weighted mason jars working well... going down a closely drilled hole.
That sounds like a clever invention.  I have green weighted light and the other float light and tried them on open water at night and never got a bite.   Perhaps that is what I needed last Sunday at night when I got skunked.  Since we were in a snow storm and even if there was any moonlight the snow and ice would defuse most of it.
Title: Re: underwater lights for ice fishing
Post by: Jim F on Jan 11, 2011, 07:17 PM
On the boat, we just toss 'em over the side, Ice fishing we us a light about 10-15 feet away from the hole with the line in it.
Fish like the "edges"of the light the best, where they can easily dart into the darkness if they feel threatened.
Title: Re: underwater lights for ice fishing
Post by: chicknwsl on Jan 11, 2011, 08:16 PM
White or Green??? What color would you go with if you fish less than 20 fow and usually clear...
Title: Re: underwater lights for ice fishing
Post by: Slipperys on Jan 14, 2011, 07:46 PM
So it sounds like you would drill 15-20 feet away from the shanty and drop the fishing lights.  How deep do you go with the light??
Title: Re: underwater lights for ice fishing
Post by: hounds on Jan 15, 2011, 12:41 AM
Just bought a green underwater Light made by Berkley at the Local wall Mart for under $20, runs on 3 AA batteries.  I really like the mason jar Idea though, that sounds like it would work.  I also have a light that connects to a battery that I have used form my boat but have note used it much.
Title: Re: underwater lights for ice fishing
Post by: CheapTrix on Jan 15, 2011, 08:13 AM
Haven't tried it yet, but an old timer told me to try this after dark, and he said it works great.

Drill several holes around your shanty, or fishing area, that do not break through the ice.  Leave about a 1/2-1 inch of ice.  Then take candles (flashlights, glowsticks, etc.) and place in each hole.  The light will travel though the Ice around the hole and "glow".  He said he did this for several years and it attracted fish like crazy.  He said he would stock up on cheap candles all summer from garage sales, flea markets, etc. so his cost was basically nothing.

Just a thought.....worth a try!
Title: Re: underwater lights for ice fishing
Post by: GCD on Jan 15, 2011, 08:22 AM
On the boat, we just toss 'em over the side, Ice fishing we us a light about 10-15 feet away from the hole with the line in it.
Fish like the "edges"of the light the best, where they can easily dart into the darkness if they feel threatened.

^^^^ this ^^^^
Title: Re: underwater lights for ice fishing
Post by: hounds on Jan 15, 2011, 10:49 AM
I've tried the candle thing and had a heck of a time keeping it lit during the wind.  I also had a hard time drilling a hole that did not leak, we don't get 2 feet of Ice around here, so that one may be more of a regional thing for far northerners.
Title: Re: underwater lights for ice fishing
Post by: bearbgone on Jan 15, 2011, 10:55 AM
Didn't need any lights last night. We slayed the slab crappie all night. Brought back about 30 - 12" and a few 12" + between two of us. let a bunch go and lost a bunch of them as well. We fished a clear water lake it really makes a difference when going out for the night bite. I tried the underwater lights with little luck in the past.