Need help on Bow lights

[fish_detective]

Some of you old night stalkers I need some help on selecting a set of bow lights... I have been night fishing for the last couple of years and I have noticed that I need some help in navigating threw some tall timbers. Also I think this would help me late at night when I trailer my boat... "Please", help is needed as there are so many styles out there and I know someone here on this Forum has found a good product. THANKS!!!!

[CatFan]

You are way better off to have a portable light. Running with lights on is illegal in Indiana, and it would serve to tick everybody else off.

[Wiskers]

You are way better off to have a portable light. Running with lights on is illegal in Indiana, and it would serve to tick everybody else off.

Hey Catfan, Wiskers from western ky. here. This may sound like a stupid question but here goes. I am a Towboat pilot and if running with your lights on is illegal, am I breaking the law when I running up the river in Ind. with my search lights on? Just wondering, cause if I am I'm go'n to jail!:D

[fish_detective]

CatFan, Thanks for the info I will invest on a handheld light!!!

[CatFan]

Hey Catfan, Wiskers from western ky. here. This may sound like a stupid question but here goes. I am a Towboat pilot and if running with your lights on is illegal, am I breaking the law when I running up the river in Ind. with my search lights on? Just wondering, cause if I am I'm go'n to jail!:D

The lights on a tow aren't fixed are they? From what I remember, they swivel. I believe those are allowed. Of course the river is CG regulated, not DNR. I was on Patoka several years ago following a guy who was stopped by the DNR for fixed "docking lights". It may be the fact that you can't divert them from shining in the other guy's face. Since you can only run 10mph at night in Indiana, I never saw much need for them anyway.

As an aside, you can't believe how unnerving it is to be out on the river at night in a small boat and have a big tow come around the bend and pick you out with the light. Makes you feel really small. We used to fish for catfish at Louisville, and when the tows came upstream with a load, the cats would start biting after they passed. Apparently they learned that the thrust from the prop shook stuff loose from the bottom and they started feeding.

[Sandman]

Fish Detective, I recently bought a used boat in Tennessee that had lights on the bow. As a matter of fact, all the used boats on the lot had them...must be a Tennessee thang! Anyway, one of them had the lens cover off so I started looking to replace them since the wiring was already there. I found similar lights at Bass Pro shop as well as at Cabela's. I bought the ones from Cabela's for $19.99. They are Optronics Docking Lights, 55 watt Halogen, 12 volt. They are relatively small and very bright. I can readily recommend them and the price. I would post a pic but I'm sure if you are interested you'll go on line and look at them anyway. Good luck shopping...it's always fun buying things for our boats, and recreation!!!

[Sandman]

Fish Det...I forgot to mention...as for the hand help light, I also bought one of those from Cabela's as well. It, too, is an Optronics rechargeable 2 million candlepower. I think it is on sale for about $24.00. It comes with a wall charger and a cigarette plug in charger. It is extremely bright and seems to be well built.

[crappiechaser2]

I used to have an old Bomber boat and it had sealed beam headlights just like a car and they were put in when the boat was build. I loved them. On plane at night, you could see anything on the water at night.