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Post by cnot on Jul 28, 2007 11:30:28 GMT -5
Do lights on boats/docks attract inshore fish, or do the lights attract baitfish, which in turn attracts the game? Do fish like Trout and Reds head for the lights, or only show when the bait is attracted to the lights? Do submerged dock lights attract?
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Post by sandyharley on Jul 28, 2007 14:53:47 GMT -5
You have opened a can of worms this time!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lights on boats do attract inshore and, off shore fish.There have been several studies that prove this.Now to answer the question of whether they come to the light because the bait fish are there, I have to ask you a question.At what point dose a fish go from bait to predator? As you no we use bait fish that can be as larg as 5 lbs.
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Post by sandyharley on Jul 28, 2007 15:24:49 GMT -5
Another point to question while we are talking about this is , we use light sticks hung close to the bait at night when fishing for sword fish.Do the sword fish come to the light because bait is drawn to the light or because they are drawn to the light them selfs.Take in to consideration that sword fish live way off shore and, don't come into contact with artificial light that often
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Post by cnot on Jul 28, 2007 16:29:26 GMT -5
Sandy, we're on the same page. (I think)
Swords are my point of reference because they don't see much artificial light.
Inshore fish do see them, briges and docks and such. But, but a new light on at the dock, or on a boat where there is't normally light, and you're getting fish around THAT light.
On the nights when there is phosphourecent stuff in the water, a lure that bumps it gets the attention.
That all being said... Some years ago, along with things like the "Pocket Fisherman" there were lures with artificial light being sold on the late night infomercials... Truly a lure to cath fishermen, or not? Ok, I'm not trying to bring those back, just wanted to make a point. Those lures kind of set the idea on the back burner... But now we're getting more research on what fish see and how they react to it.
So, should we light the bait, light to attract the bait, some combination of the two, or sit in the dark?
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Post by sandyharley on Jul 28, 2007 16:53:18 GMT -5
As you already no I use a florescent material in the body of some of my flies and, some of the heads on off shore trolling skirts had a small strobe light in side them.I have had some very interesting evenings using these flies and, trolling skirts.Another thing that I have observed is that when fishing around a dock with lights on it at night a dark fly or, plug will produce more strikes than a natural color.
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Post by cnot on Jul 28, 2007 17:23:32 GMT -5
Was just talking to someone fishing nights off docks down south... Got him into tying his own jigs one trip down there. He got a hold of some flourecent stuff. Tied it into some dark hair, added a dark grub... WHAM.
Also started adding a portable floating light to a chum bag anchored a short bit off the dock. Started using my throwing sandballs idea (not much current there...) BAIT GALORE
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Post by sandyharley on Jul 28, 2007 17:29:57 GMT -5
We use a lite green floating light here at night and, slam the specks ,blue fish and, lady fish.The lite green light works better than a white light.The only fish that I havent seen come to a light is a flounder.
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Post by cnot on Jul 28, 2007 18:15:31 GMT -5
I was going to ask you about color and your thoughts on it. Since you are a diver, I was wondering if you use a different color light when night diving. (if they have different color lights for divers.) I know that since floating lights started becoming poular offshore, that research has been done on it, and green and blue seem to be the colors. Colors and UV lighting are a part to kick around, what is sen underwater.
When the boys ddwn there go giggin' for flounder, something I haven't done, do they use lights to spot them like dippn' fro shrimp?
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Post by sandyharley on Jul 28, 2007 19:53:04 GMT -5
We use a brite white lite when flounder gigging.The trick to it is to have a good bright lite in a clear glass globe so, the light can be kept unter the surface of the water to eliminate reflection.The big problem with the bright white light is that when the flounder are up in the creeks ,the shrimp are still up in the creeks and, that white light draws the shrimp to the point that you have to move because they muddy the water. As far as night diving ,I use a standard white dive light. To answer the color question chartreuse is the last color that fades.
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Post by cnot on Jul 28, 2007 20:28:21 GMT -5
Hmmm.... Ok, do you think amount of light makes a difference? I'm thinkng about rigging a submersed light for night yak fishing. Of course I'm going to have to go portable, so was thinking of a not too ecpensive dive flash light figged to a pole, or making up some LED lights into a waterproove case and floating it. I have a light pole that I'm working on for sighted people, but I'm thinking of making up a yak version of what is used by big boats . Think it will be worth a try? With all the LED's available cheap, I thought this might be a fun project.
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Post by sandyharley on Jul 28, 2007 20:42:30 GMT -5
A floating light can me had cheep and, very easy to use.Another way to go is a clamp on water proof light that runs on 12 volt power.In the clamp on light I use a 25 wat 12 volt bulb.
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Post by cnot on Jul 28, 2007 20:54:48 GMT -5
Ok, now, if the light is going to attract the fish, do you like the idea of letting it drift away from the boat a bit (floating light, like the chum bag light I mentioned my friend down south is trying out.) Or, the clamp on. I think the clamp on would make it easier for sighted partner too. Or, a third chooice would be to combine the two and go with both.
And for more questions about alights attracting fish... Do you think sharks are attracted to the light, or the bait that is attraced? Night time the sharks I used to see hung out away from the light, only coming into it when seeing something was really struggling and was an easy meal. Think I have to worry about some toother going after the light?
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Post by sandyharley on Jul 28, 2007 21:04:37 GMT -5
They wont bother the light I have watched them off shore at night when we fished for squid.We used very bright lights that shined over board at a slight angle and, the squid would come to the lights in schools that were so large it was hard to explain.The sharks would hang out at the edge of the light and, grab the squid when they ventured out to them.I never saw the sharks come into the lighted areas.
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Post by cnot on Jul 28, 2007 21:17:27 GMT -5
That's been like my experiences. I never heard of one going into the lights for anything but an easy meal. But the lights attract the food... Which is what I'm interested in too, and they can eat in the dark outside of my lights if they don't scare the fish so much that the bite dies. (Yeah right, they seem to shut a party down faster than cops at the Frat house)
So, my main thoughtis to go with some white light clamped to the boat, and maybe float a green light just outside that light perimeter. What do you think?
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Post by sandyharley on Jul 29, 2007 9:08:51 GMT -5
I think you are o the rite track.Fishing at night from a yak will be a challenge and, a light spread has got to help.At the least it will keep you fishing partner/navigator involved and,entertained.
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Post by cnot on Jul 29, 2007 10:55:00 GMT -5
LOL, yeah, they may be swatting at the bugs the lights attract if the fish aren't attracted to them! LOL I'll post how I do with the construction of my lights in the Boat section as I work on them. For now, we'll keep this thread going as to lights and attraction of fish. It is still an area worth talking about some more. (Who knows maybe someone else out there will chime in with their two cents worth on the subject... But, I'm not holding my breath!)
I haven't done the Sword thing. How close to the baits do the lights go?
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Post by sandyharley on Jul 29, 2007 12:43:39 GMT -5
I would think that if you have the light s under the water surface the bug problem would not be a problem. I put the light sticks about a foot above the bait on my rigs but, like every thing else some folks do it different form me .
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Post by cnot on Jul 29, 2007 13:44:25 GMT -5
Oh, I don't think the bugs will be too big of a problem, more of a joke because of the light pole I'm making for the yak is considered overkill by the war department. LOL
Sword giys are a gunny breed... They don't like any way but their own, and hate kicking around the pros and cons of things. How they work bugs out of their ways other than a long period of trial and error is beyond me!
Have you ever done the light stick thing on deep water baits for say Tuna during the day?
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Post by sandyharley on Jul 29, 2007 13:58:43 GMT -5
I have only used the light sticks for swords.I have found that tuna will take the same bait 24/7 and, never had to change.
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Post by cnot on Jul 29, 2007 19:00:42 GMT -5
I was curious because tuna seem to have some pretty keen eysight.
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