best LED Flashlight for fishing/crabbing?

[lawreaga]

hi guys I'm new here. I tried to do a search on the question but it just got overwhelming for me.

I am looking for a flashlight that will help me do some fishing/crabbing in the dark. I need something that can provide me with an intense light that will shoot through muddy water for me to see/attract fish/crabs but I also need light to be wide so I can look at a big area... something that is durable and waterproof would be great.

my budget is around $100 and looking for a rechargeable light or something that will last me a long time on a battery because I'll be out using the flashlight for 5-6 hours.

I previously owned a energizer hard case spotlight and it just broke after 1 year of usage. but I also found that thing to be too big for me.

any suggestions guys? greatly appreciated.

 

[SR.GRINGO]

I would take a hard look at a good headlamp that uses RCR123 Li-ion rechargeables. With this route you can bring a few spare batteries. You can get a cheap Nano charger from lighthound.com, along with the AW RCR123's. Check out this head lamp from Zebralight.

http://www.zebralight.com/H31-Headlamp-CR123-220Lm_p_25.html

Link for batteries and charger

http://www.lighthound.com/AW-RCR123a-Protected-750-mAh-Battery_p_114.html


http://www.lighthound.com/Nano-Charger_p_1283.html

 

[Dances with Flashlight]

Those of us who seldom see fish, and hope never to see crabs, are not likely to be of much help... but :welcome:

 

[Captain Spaulding]

I second the Zebralight, but I like the SC30 better. It is very comfortable in the hand to use as a standard flashlight, but comes with a headband for use as a headlamp as well.

Both are great lights.

If you prefer headlamp first with the option to hand cary second, go with the H31.

If you prefer hand cary first with the option to use as headlamp second, go with the SC30.

http://www.zebralight.com/SC30-Flashlight-CR123-193Lm_p_18.html

my 2cents!

 

[vudoo]

Depending on how deep the water is, you should looke at getting alight wigh lots of throw to penetrate the water

If you need both hands free then go for a light that comes with a head band for hand free use such as a Zebralight

You would also want to make sure it is waterproof in case you drop it. Most lights are rated as water resistant but not waterproof but you could seal it up with lots of grease.

I have a Xstar D30 that is rates for 2000 lumens, has a long run time (not 5-6 hours though) and is water proof. I was thinking fo using this light when I go crabbing/fishing. ON the negative side it is a bit heap buy it does have a strap.

What about using 2 lights. A floody Zebralight and something smaller such as a Olight M20 for throw to penetrate the water?

 

[Fusion_m8]

Well, there are only 2 alternatives in situations like these: OLIGHT SR90 or the LED LENSER X21. They could also be used to cook your catch...:naughty:

Jokes aside: I reckon the Olight M21 is the go.

When I go prawning at Lakes Entance in Victoria's Gippsland Region, I only use incandescents because I find the 3000K beam useful in spotting the prawns swimming at the surface or crawling on the seabed. I find the cool white beams of most LED lights to have poor colour rendition in these conditions and I catch far less prawns because spotting them is more difficult than using an incand light. A good compromise will be using a Cree Q2/Q3 with a 5A/B tint which is around 4000-4500K.

 

[Sgt. LED]

Wouldn't an Incan penetrate the water better though?

 

[Zook2001]

I using a 4D MAGLITE + TerraLUX TLE-6EX for my squid fishing, 150 lumens for 20 hrs, It's a bit big though and my next light will be a MAG 3D.

 

[tron]

I used to do this kind of thing for work (finding protected species in manky ponds).

Clulites were pretty much the reference lamp - basically a car headlamp type bulb (50W Halogen) with an SLA battery pack. However, they'd always start to go flat, and halogen's brightness drops very quickly with voltage (I think brightness / voltage is an exponential curve on Halogens). As a result, you'd often find a 3W CREE lamp would do as good a job. However, to do a proper job, I think you'd be looking for double that kind of power.

I'm not too up on the technicalities, lumens etc. So hopefully someone will come along and tell you what kind of lamp would hit that kind of output.

 

[vudoo]

Well, there are only 2 alternatives in situations like these: OLIGHT SR90 or the LED LENSER X21. They could also be used to cook your catch...:naughty:

Jokes aside: I reckon the Olight M21 is the go.

When I go prawning at Lakes Entance in Victoria's Gippsland Region, I only use incandescents because I find the 3000K beam useful in spotting the prawns swimming at the surface or crawling on the seabed. I find the cool white beams of most LED lights to have poor colour rendition in these conditions and I catch far less prawns because spotting them is more difficult than using an incand light. A good compromise will be using a Cree Q2/Q3 with a 5A/B tint which is around 4000-4500K.

Care to share where you go prawning? :naughty:

 

[Mr Floppy]

I dont know about you but I found that using my white LED lights, including my TK20 which is a warmer white tends to scare off fish when the light hits the surface. The TK20 is pretty good for lighting up a croc's eye though.

I mostly have a simple headlight for fishing, a red one, just to help with sorting knots and that. Last ages with the red led.

That said, I've never been crabbing but I've seen some other guys use lights in a crab pot. It was an amber coloured light which they hung in the pot with some bait.

Some other fishermen I've noticed use flashing led light lures. They are these fish shaped lures with a led in the tail. This was sea fishing though and they were after big fish.

Anyway, I fish around dawn and dusk. Well, dusk. Dawn is too early for me. Dusk is full of mozzies but the red light helps to keep them from swarming you.

 

[jacktheclipper]

I use a submersible 100W halogen light to attract fish and or shrimp

No, it's not an led light but the goal here is to optimize your catch

I bought my light from fishinglightsetc.com and I can say that the customer service is great and the products are very durable and effective
and guaranteed.

 

[Fusion_m8]

Usually go in Feb/Mar when there's a new moon. Won't catch anything if there's a full moon.

 

[vudoo]

Now that's just teasing!!!!

Usually go in Feb/Mar when there's a new moon. Won't catch anything if there's a full moon.

 

[jacktheclipper]

Yeah Man !

 

[unclevit]

hi guys I'm new here. I tried to do a search on the question but it just got overwhelming for me.

I am looking for a flashlight that will help me do some fishing/crabbing in the dark. I need something that can provide me with an intense light that will shoot through muddy water for me to see/attract fish/crabs but I also need light to be wide so I can look at a big area... something that is durable and waterproof would be great.

my budget is around $100 and looking for a rechargeable light or something that will last me a long time on a battery because I'll be out using the flashlight for 5-6 hours.

I previously owned a energizer hard case spotlight and it just broke after 1 year of usage. but I also found that thing to be too big for me.

any suggestions guys? greatly appreciated.

I use flashlight in my fishing too. Xenon will give a much better penetrating beam than LED. Clear and Muddy water. The downside of using xenon bulb is that it has short life (my G2 only last some 30 hours, or less) and you need to bring with you more spare cells. I use AW 3v rechargeables, so the cost is fixed. Hope this helps

 

[skyfire]

im not big into fishing, i dont really like the idea of killing them unless i plan on eating them. but a good friend of mine loves it, and i go along with him, for me it a relaxing social event ive been deep ocean fishing, fish off lakes and piers, and even tried to catch lobster using traps.

i would say a headlamp is a MUST! zebralight, princeton tec, and surefire make some exceptional headlamps. depending on your budget and needs, these companies will cover it. i for one favor zebralight for its lightweight, beam, and interface.



and, those shrimps are huge!!! and looks very juicey. some nice fishing down under.

 

[lawreaga]

thanks for the suggestions guys. those shrimps looks sweet!!! makes me hungry! I think I'll give the Olight M21 a try. any recommandations on where to buy it and the AW protected 18650 batteries + charger?

 

[Fusion_m8]

AW cells + charger from AW of course:
http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=176076
http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=230876

Olight M21 from Battery junction:
http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=202616

This light would be a fantastic alternative as it allows you to swap out P60 style modules to suit your lighting needs. Like if you want a LED with warmer tint:
http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=224961

Also don't forget to check out Lumens Factory before you make a final decision.
http://lumensfactory.com/cart.php?cat_id=11&sub_cat_id=10

 

[ricepower]

Based on my crabbing experience:
*look for a light with a narrow beam that can penetrate the water
*cool white performs better on crabs