3 Headlights for bass fishing
Headlights? Blimey, lighting up our fishing trips has come a long way since I first started fishing. You may laugh but I remember my first-night fishing session, using a paraffin lamp with a string wick. It wasn’t exactly floodlighting but still gave us a slight window of light to fish.
This was back in the late 70s when the Tilley lamp had just come out I think? These were the bomb back then and really made our paraffin lamp (and us) look pretty dim.
Old Tilley Lamps
I can remember that plunger thing on the side of the tank that you’d vigorously pump to get the pressure up.
Then there was that cork clip thing that you soaked in paraffin in a jar. Then clipped it just under the mantle. Then you would light it until the mantle started to glow, then release the pressure. Then hopefully it would light(what a palaver). Sometimes the Tilley lamp would just go up in flames then it was back to the drawing board. You would go through the whole process again.
Anchor Lamps
My next lamp was the Anchor lamp. But this was a lot better not only for light but for the ease in lighting. This had an ignition button on it, and not only that it seemed to light straight off the bat. This was a breakthrough to mankind lol. The ignition was like one of the parts of an electric lighter that you would take out and zap four friends with.
Let’s be honest with ourselves, none of the previous lights would be any good for us lure fishermen, not unless you were fishing off the prom or jetty. After all, we could be standing in the water at night.
Spooking The Fish
The other problem would be the bass would get spooked from the light anyway ( according to the Bassman) so that would be out of the window.
When fishing with the Bassman, at night, we only ever use our headlights to unhook a fish or if the line tangles or something. However, wading across the rocks in waist-high water is not a good idea, so don’t do it unless you have your light on and can see what you’re doing. I go through this in the waders page about falling over ‘it’s not that much fun’.
Nigh Time Fishing
As for spooking the fish, I reckon this is open for debate because some people think it doesn’t make any difference. Remember one thing fishing in the pitch black at 12 o’clock at night is just how we fish. That’s how it works for us fishing the big high tides just all fall after midnight. Yes, you can fish any state of the tide that’s just what we’ve found is best for us
Nowadays I would only ever use a headlamp; those old Tilley and Anchor lamps seem primitive. And the other bonus is there is no fuel to bring so little chance of catching your car on fire.
Batteries for Headlamps
Yes, no fuel, just battery life couldn’t get any easier. And another bonus with some of the headlights now, is they don’t have batteries at all. You can charge them with a charger from the main or with a USB lead, happy days.
Best Headlights For Bass Fishing With Lures
Recommended Headlights
Princeton Tec Apex LED Headlamp
<Click here to view the Princeton Tec Apex LED Headlamp>
- I’ve had one of these headlamps for years and can honestly say the main beam is blinding.
- The unit at the back takes four AA Batteries and can last for ages, depending on what setting you have it on.
- There are four light settings to choose from.
- Use rechargeable batteries
Probably not my number-one choice for lure fishing in the pitch-black darkness of the night. The reason is that we fish in ultra stealth mode especially if we are wading in the water at nighttime. This light is probably too bright.
But it’s still a great light to have for lure fishing; it just depends on how you’re fishing. The Bassman insists on turning our car lights off and driving towards the venue. I have to take his word for it, he seems to catch a lot of bass.
For general sea fishing though it is an amazing headlight. In fact, I found this light by asking on the forums to see what people thought was the best headlamp for sea fishing, and the ‘Princeton Tech’ was right up there.
<Click here to view the Led Lensor>
Led Lenser H7.2 Head Torch
- Lightweight
- Comfortable
- Zoom Lens
- Two Setting
- Fade Switch(This is great for night fishing with lures)
Led Lenser is a firm favourite with a multitude of different anglers around the UK. For me personally, it’s a definite winner. I have the 4 AAA battery type but the Bassman has the rechargeable unit. The unit is a comfortable fit and lighter than our Princeton Tech.
Bad Experience
The reason I have both the Led Lenser and the Princeton Tech is down to a mishap. I was walking in the water at waist height along this concrete slipway when I accidentally did a little dunk. To say I was annoyed is an understatement, that little soaking cost me around £600.
As I was walking along, casting out my lure on the dropping tide I stepped off a drop. This was in the daylight and although I didn’t fall right over the water went over the top of my waders.
Ultimately, I recovered quite well and carried on fishing. The thing is either side of the slim slipway I would have been out of my depth. SO DO NOT TAKE RISKS IN THE WATER IT’S NOT WORTH IT.
When we eventually finished fishing we went back to the car. This is when I realised my brand spanking new iPhone was in my wader pocket, bugger. And to cap that off my new Led Lenser was to. Shit, they were both finished.
So now what? I needed another light. So I chose the Princeton Tec to take its place. Well, to cut a long story short I had sent the Led Lenser back to the manufacturers. To my amazement they repaired it and sent it back free of charge so now, I had 3 head torches.
Best Headlights For Bass Fishing With Lures
Petzel headtorches
<Click here to view the Petzel Headtorch>
Best Headlights For Bass Fishing With Lures
My favourite head torch for lure fishing just has to be the Petzel. There are so many different types and styles I wouldn’t know where to start. Now I have to be honest: my Tikka Plus 2 seems to be obsolete. So I am still using mine and there are still tons for you to choose from.
Why I prefer the Petzel type headtorch for lure fishing:
- Very Lightweight
- Comfortable
- Cheaper
- Easy Storage
- Less Hassle
So really, what are the best headlights for bass fishing with lures?
And the answer is simple: It’s entirely up to you and how you fish. If you’re going to be standing there watching your rod tip all night the Princeton Tech or the Led Lenser.
But if you are lure fishing in the pitch black (stealth mode) then I would definitely just use Petzel.
There are literally hundreds of headlights to choose from. Just remember to always take spare batteries. To be even more organised, have a spare light as well.
Bass in the tide run