Using green magnet light

[Scarecrow]

I've just purchased a green magnet light and plan on trying it out this weekend. I've never used one or tried to crappie fish at night anyone got any advice? Thanks

[CrappiePappy]

Have a flashlight handy for use in the boat. Have all your gear organized for easy access. Wear your lifejacket. Remember, the more organized you are & the less noise you have to make to reach everything you need ... the less chance of accidents, or spooking the fish. Don't wear cologne/aftershave or use scented soap, and have some bug repellent handy. But, understand ... bug repellent is only going to keep most "biting" bugs away. The "other" bugs are drawn by the light, not you, so they're still going to be a nuisance at times.

Hang light over side of boat & set up your fishing equipment before dark, once you've reached the spot where you want to start. Anchor or tie off to a standing tree in deep water, or off a point, or near a well lighted dock, or in front of a logjam in a main lake pocket. If you haven't started getting any baitfish circling around the light or any bites within an hour after dark ... you probably need to move to another location. If the moon is up & visible, try to locate a spot where the surrounding hills/trees block it from shining on the bank/spot you're fishing.

Set your poles to fish mostly on the outer fringes of the light, but don't be afraid to fish some of them directly under the light. Set your baits at varying depths to start, then occasionally change them shallower/deeper until you start seeing a pattern of depth & location (in relation to the light). That is if you're using minnows. You can also cast jigs well out past the outer reach of the light, and slowly reel it back into the light. That also works when casting jigs around well lit docks, or docks with big lights hanging off the side & pointed towards the water.

Make sure you have a dedicated battery for the light to be hooked to, as some of them can draw a battery down over several hours of continuous use. If you don't have a marine grade jumper cable on board ... I'd consider using the trolling motor battery, rather than the starting battery, so you can at least get back to the ramp (without having to switch battery cables).

It may take you a few trips to iron out all the kinks & configure/reconfigure your setup to the conditions & to your liking ... but, once you get the hang of it, it's a good way to catch some fish & beat the heat, all at the same time.

It probably wouldn't hurt to have a lantern or some other light source to put between you & the rods, just to provide light enough to see your rod tips. A 9V battery operated lantern works fine, but if it's open 360deg .... open it up and put foil around one side, or tape foil around the outside of the globe to deflect the light from shining in your eyes. They also come in handy for seeing floats, if you happen to like using them. White styrofoam floats can be seen a fair distance from the boat, and more easily than the colored topped ones (and much cheaper than the lighted ones).

Have a good landing net handy & close ... as Crappie are not the only fish that may be attracted to your baitfish buffet !!

Crappie can be active all night long, but are usually more active right before dark & shortly after dark ... then again just before daylight. If you're set up & fishing before dark & not catching fish by midnight or so, even after moving around to several different spots, call it a night & try again another time.
And let me emphasize something important ... WEAR YOUR LIFE JACKET !! I can tell you from experience, that it only takes one false move & about 1.5 seconds to find yourself over the side of the boat & under/in the water !! Think SAFETY FIRST, even if it means messing up your fishing spot ... you can't "try it again, another day" if you drown !!

... cp

[Scarecrow]

Thanks! Gonna give it whirl Saturday night

[NIMROD]

Please post your results .

[Knot2Bad]

Wow Pappy that's a super response to his question. I read it with much interest and may give it a try once things warm up a bit. Not sure what a green magnet light is but do you think the LED lights that can be floated or submerged work as well as those large headlight types that people float on the water. I know they draw less power. Also is white light the best or other colors more effective. thx

[CrappiePappy]

Wow Pappy that's a super response to his question. I read it with much interest and may give it a try once things warm up a bit. Not sure what a green magnet light is but do you think the LED lights that can be floated or submerged work as well as those large headlight types that people float on the water. I know they draw less power. Also is white light the best or other colors more effective. thx

Any light will draw plankton ... plankton draws Shad ... Shad draw Crappie.

LED lights will definitely draw less power. And they come in a range of colors.

I've used gas lanterns, 12V headlights in styrofoam type lights, hi-intensity white lights, black lights, and the white fluorescent ones ... and they all draw plankton, even the "black lights". The area they "light up" depends on their size & strength. But, I've never used a submersible green light, so I have no way to compare.

I grew up night fishing for Crappie, using a 2 mantle Coleman gas lantern ... and probably have caught as many or more under it, as with any other form of light. I just haven't fished that much at night, in recent decades, but will likely start doing that a bit more in the coming years ... especially during the Summer months. I will also likely continue to use the "white" lights that are on the two "black light" systems that I already have.

... cp

[hays47]

Green Magnet Light at work Berlin Lake Ohio. We slayed crappie and walleye that night.

So yes they do work. But it is not magic. Especially effective if you anchor next but NOT in known crappie hangouts. Like a huge brushpile that is quite snaggy. No need to fight the brush, Anchor 20 ft away and let the light draw them out of the brush.



This night near bridge abutment same lake different spot. Attracted mostly shiner minnow that night instead of shad. Still did a great job of drawing them in. Was in 17 foot of water and minnow were schooled about 12 ft thick . Almost all crappie that night with a few white bass mixed in.

[Knot2Bad]

Thanks Hays. Makes we want to go out and try it tonight. but its too cold... haha

Thanks Pappy we use to use the old white Coleman lanterns at night also at night too' We would hang them off piers and off docks but were targeting other species...

[XtopwaterkingX]

Awesome response! I just picked up a hydro glow to try out. Always just used lanterns hung low to the water off the boat. Sometimes it was the bug slick on top of the water that attracted the fish in addition to the baitfish