josh – in your example, the light you linked to specifically mentions not to use it with CR 123A Lithium rechargeables – is there a reason for that?
Just noticed that after you mentioned using lithium rechargeables. I have an LED spotlight and only use rechargeables in it – last forever but not ultrabright. Beats my usual mode, which was light free (except running lights).
I still like to run without a spotlight whenever I can, and just use it for corners and tight channels.
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I still like to run without a spotlight whenever I can, and just use it for corners and tight channels.
This is the way I run also.
I can see better in the dark on the water with out lights (using required nav. lights of course).
The light is just for pin pointing the landing,lighting up the jerk with out lights and making sure the dead head or rock isn’t sticking above the water.
That’s where the streamlight I use works great. It’s small and still has the light beam of a large spot light. It is always clipped to my pfd,easy on easy off,with gloves on or not. No cords to trip over and no worry of draining the boat batteries. Heck even if I find my self in the dark drink some night I will have my light and it will work!
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People wonder why I have a 24 volt trolling motor.
Forgot all about the trolling motor…
Shawn
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I still like to run without a spotlight whenever I can, and just use it for corners and tight channels.
I can see better in the dark on the water with out lights
Don’t take this the wrong way — I certainly don’t have any problem with people not using headlights. In fact, I believe they are actually illegal to use while motoring on the water, according to the coast guard. However, I will respectfully disagree with your assessment that you can see BETTER in the dark than you can with proper lighting. You very likely can see “good enough” for navigation on a waterway where one can expect most other obstructions to be lit or highly reflective (e.g. mississippi river), but you most certainly cannot see BETTER than you could if the way was well lit with automotive quality headlights.
If you don’t believe me, imagine the response you would get if you said you could see BETTER in a car on a highway without headlights that you can with headlights. Neither scenario (boat/river or car/highway) would allow the driver to see BETTER with less light.
To be honest, I’d rather drive in my car without headlights than drive on the MN river without them, considering the circumstances and potential repurcussions from an accident. A crash in the river means my mates and I may be swimming in the dark, in potentially heavy current, with snags and other hazards to worry about….not a fun scenario compared to a crash in my car where we have seatbelts, airbags, etc.
Safety Post:
For folks new to the rivers or waterways and to fishing in the dark…the above posts are made by experienced night fisherman. They have become very familiar with the waters they are boating on.
For the first time cat fisherman that would like to try the dark side, my best advice is to go with someone that has experience first. Watch them closely, not only fishing, but when they are moving from spot to spot and when going home for the morning. There are many things that can be done to avoid “problems” and many more things that can be done to improve your odds if “problems” do arise.
There are way too many variables that come into play and not all can be covered here.
Fishing at night opens new doors in fun and excitement. Our rivers are such beautiful areas…but please remember Mother Nature has a very dark side (pun intended)and she can get ugly and very unforgiving very fast.
Safety Post Completed. 
Josh…
Tuck had a flash light the came with a targeting system for his AR-15. It was awesome…and sold for $69.
I wanted to see if it lasted more than a couple months before I checked into them a bit closer. Battery prices ect.
I’ve checked out the torch lights. My concern with them was if it cooks an egg on the lens wouldn’t it burn carpeting or seats. You know those darn lights end up everyplace I don’t want them to.
I do believe that if a company came out with a “fishing light” they would be in high demand not only by cat guys but there are some walleye guys that fish at night too…believe it or not! 
MY perfect light would be:
Less than $100.00
Bright enough to see logs in the water 100 feet out (min)
If rechargeable, not too heavy to hold with one hand.
If rechargeable last no less than 2 hours.
Won’t melt seats/carpeting.
If it takes batteries…doesn’t break the bank
(keeping head lamps in batteries is expensive enough)
Floats would be nice…. 
What am I missing?
Hi Matt, the batteries I’m talking about are like this link Rechargable lithium is different than like the photo lithium AA. They’re the same size as the cells in laptop battery packs and some cordless tools. Two cr123 batts are the same size as one rechargable 18650. Some flashlights take either. This one wasn’t designed to.
I bought a new headlamp that uses these batteries too. Quite a bit of OOmph without a lot of weight. LINK It’s kinda cool and I don’t have a boat payment.
Thanks for the safety post Brian – I didn’t mean to imply that people should do it the way I do it. I’ve been running my stretch of the river since I was 14, and as often at night as during the day. I get a better feel for the big picture (i.e. how far until I need to turn, how far am I from the shoreline/weedline) without a spotlight because without it I can see more of my surroundings that way. But I have a very good sense of where any potential problem areas are, and I’m running a 20hp on a 16′ flat – not too fast even wide open. I find the spotlight eliminates my view of anything other than what is directly lit up, so I run without it, but if you don’t know your water like the back of your hand, you need to light it up.
Nice looking headlamp josh, but those cat-eyes are now $10.00 at Wally World and have plenty of light for inside the boat. They’re also so light you don’t know they’re on an they clip to the hat rather than needing a headband. They come in blacklight, green light, and regular white now too, although I won’t need anything but the white one.
I can see pretty well in the dark after my eyes have adjusted, provided there’s a little moonlight. However, I always have a good light to navigate by (6v halogen headlamp, or 6v xenon lantern). And there’s relatively few midstream objects where I fish (not to mention, with a 10hp motor you don’t worry as much about overdriving the headlights). 
Safety first, always is the best rule. 
Shawn
I’ll take a video of our ride after dark the next time I’m out with Aanderud or WWG, the HID lights are amazing.
I would like to point out that the Minnesota River is a significantly narrower body of water than the Mississippi P3,4,5,etc,etc. You get a lot of light reflection off of the banks & trees of the river which helps, rather than having the light disappear into the blackness of the wide Mississippi.
Best lights I’ve ever seen are on Kyle_B’s boat from Mankato. He’s got Hella Rallye 4000s with the HID kits in them and the light up the night, its unbelievable!
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Josh…
Tuck had a flash light the came with a targeting system for his AR-15. It was awesome…and sold for $69.
I wanted to see if it lasted more than a couple months before I checked into them a bit closer. Battery prices ect.
I’ve checked out the torch lights. My concern with them was if it cooks an egg on the lens wouldn’t it burn carpeting or seats. You know those darn lights end up everyplace I don’t want them to.
I do believe that if a company came out with a “fishing light” they would be in high demand not only by cat guys but there are some walleye guys that fish at night too…believe it or not!
MY perfect light would be:
Less than $100.00
Bright enough to see logs in the water 100 feet out (min)
If rechargeable, not too heavy to hold with one hand.
If rechargeable last no less than 2 hours.
Won’t melt seats/carpeting.
If it takes batteries…doesn’t break the bank
(keeping head lamps in batteries is expensive enough)
Floats would be nice….What am I missing?
Brian, the bulb in that light is a brand new spankin LED. They do get warm but I can’t imagine it melting plastic. I don’t think there will be a floating version for a while. The stuff is new enough that it’s just made in little shops for now. 100 feet is not a problem though.
No an LED wouldn’t melt anything…I was referring to the Torch Light.
Let me know how yours works after about 5 to ten trips…that generally will do them in. 
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Josh…
Tuck had a flash light the came with a targeting system for his AR-15. It was awesome…and sold for $69.
It is a Mini 14! 
and it is a Streamlight with two of the 3.5 volt batteries in it. It is 120 lumens and it is an LED bulb which makes it robust and uses less juice. This little bugger is THE brightest light I have had the pleasure of using. At 120 lumens, it carries a long way as well! All this from a light that fits into your shirt pocket! 
This is the light in question. You can get it at Streichers in Plymouth if you cannot wait for it to ship. Plus they have extra batteries at a good price.
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It is a Mini 14!
What ever.
THAT was an LED??? If it holds up…I want one! ‘ell TWO! One for the FW so she doesn’t mistake me for you and shoot me in the dark!
Don’t be so sure it’d be a mistake, Brian
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It is a Mini 14!
What ever.
Hmmm…it is her birthday. 
I will bring it with Friday night.
(Oh, and by the way…the way I have it mounted…if you see the white light…it will be followed by another white light that you would be passing through shortly thereafter on the way to “The Other Side”! So you best be ducking!)
Light Up The Sky… 
So, where’s Van Halen when we need them? 
Shawn
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I still like to run without a spotlight whenever I can, and just use it for corners and tight channels.
I can see better in the dark on the water with out lights
Don’t take this the wrong way — I certainly don’t have any problem with people not using headlights. In fact, I believe they are actually illegal to use while motoring on the water, according to the coast guard. However, I will respectfully disagree with your assessment that you can see BETTER in the dark than you can with proper lighting. You very likely can see “good enough” for navigation on a waterway where one can expect most other obstructions to be lit or highly reflective (e.g. mississippi river), but you most certainly cannot see BETTER than you could if the way was well lit with automotive quality headlights.
If you don’t believe me, imagine the response you would get if you said you could see BETTER in a car on a highway without headlights that you can with headlights. Neither scenario (boat/river or car/highway) would allow the driver to see BETTER with less light.
What you are saying would seem to make sense.
But I found myself pretty disappointed after spending $100 on KC off-road racing lights, several hours wiring and fabricating mounts that would make the lights easily removable and then spending another $100 on a Pelican case to protect the lights when stowed in the boat, only to find out that I could see better with the lights off and just use a $10 cheapo corded spotlight to check for shoreline, turns and deadheads.
I may look into switching to HID headlights to see if they would be an improvement.
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