Shad Catching

[Buchy1210]

I am looking to purchase a bright but dimmable light to draw in shad. Does anyone have any recommendations? I would prefer a light that is waterproof. I have been looking at hydro glow lights, but would prefer a something dimmable.

[peter]

How come one you want dim-able?

[Duayne]

I can't think of anything worth while that would be dmmable. I used a Hydroglow, an off brand that is brighter than the hydroglow (same style) and a 500 watt Halogen this morning in a slip and did OK.

With the Hydroglow type lights, all the light is down in the water. Very little reason to worry about bugs.

[kstonich]

I also am not sure why you want dimmable but if you cant find one with a built in dimmer putting an inline dimmer switch is very simple.
I don't use a dimer switch on mine but right before I throw I turn them of so the light doesn't spook the fish.
My net isn't that heavy so it sinks slow. I find turning off the light works best for me.

[Duayne]

I usually turn mine off as well. I may let it fall a certain depth before turning it off. This morning I let it fall about 15' before turning it off, then back on right before the pull. A lighter net isn't a bad thing, especially the deeper you go. It seems like it would be the other way around but a lighter net will stay more open than a heavier net.

[kstonich]

Thanks Duayne for the insight

[Buchy1210]

I prefer dimmable because I have a net that sits in the water on a pulley and I pull the net out of the water. If the light is dimmable it raises the shad closer to the surface (especially larger shad) so it makes it easier to net more.

[stripernut1]

i know exactly what you are wanting as i know 2 elderly gentlemen that cant/dont want to throw a cast net. they have a covered slip and have a pulley attached to the top and a very thin cable that goes down to and upside down umbrella style net. for years they used a white light attached to the side of the slip that shined down in the water, they turned it off and counted to 5 when they started raising the net and caught all the shad they needed until the heat of summer usually august and sept and the pickings would get slim. 2 years ago i gave them a green pool light bulb that they replaced the white light with. it is much dimmer than the white light, however i dont see much improvement in the numbers of shad they catch, but it attracts a lot fewer bugs so thats a big plus

[walleyemaniac]

I prefer dimmable because I have a net that sits in the water on a pulley and I pull the net out of the water. If the light is dimmable it raises the shad closer to the surface (especially larger shad) so it makes it easier to net more.

Houseboater friends of mine had the same kind of set up at Dale Hollow. Their light hung over the water, was not sumbersible, I think it was just a regular 120 spot lamp they rigged to a standard dimmer switch. The more they dimmed it, the tighter the bait school got. Then, like you, they just cranked the net up out of the water, and boom, bait for tomorrow! I think the TVA made them take it down though.

[bluegrass]

I made several different types of green led lights. A few submersible and a few to float or just hang over the side. I took a stainless mixing bowl from wal mart. Drilled a hole in the bottom to attach the pvc to. I bought a 12v dimmer switch off eBay for a couple bucks apiece. They worked great. I could just dip the shad up.

[houseboatjoe]

bluegrass,how deep to you have your light.

[bluegrass]

I start by lowering a light down in the water 1-2' until I get a lot of shad around. I switch to a floating light I built and that draws them in tighter. I start dimming and that makes them tighter. Turn off light and with a long handle fine mesh dip net I dip through them quick and repeat until I have all I want.
I done this at Dale this past summer and after a lot of trial and error got my technique down.
I built the floating light with a 8-10" stainless mixing bowl, a 3/4" piece of plywood to mount the bowl in to give it weight. Attached an oversized piece of 1-1.5" blue foam to plywood so it would float. I drilled a hole in the bottom of bowl so the threaded adapter on my 4-5" piece of pvc would fit then put the nut on it. Wrapped green led's around pvc. I put the 12v dimmer on and it worked pretty well. Makes it almost like a headlight. The submersible lights gave off a lot of light, like a 60' circle.
Hope this helps.