Best Bowfishing Lights in 2023 [Top 5 Reviews]

Your choice of bowfishing lights could actually make or mar your nighttime bowfishing trip. We personally prefer warm white LEDs for stained water and if you use halogens, you actually won’t find any difference other than no gas bill and quiet operation.

But we considered every night angler’s need in mind and reviewed today’s most popular LED, hellogen and high-pressure sodium lights. See which one works for you.

Best Bowfihsing Lights Reviews

01 Nilight NI06A-72W (Best Overall)

Why It Stands Out to Us

Bowfishing lights are supposed to be able to take some beating, but we didn’t know Nilight NI06A could’ve pushed it to an extreme level. Its overall construction is hard to tear apart under the protection of durable material. The brightness is also incomparable as that’s simply top-notch.

Along with that, it comes with a good working lifespan which we think is higher than any low-end lights out there. It’s compatible with a wider range of boats and vehicles. Besides, it’s highly convenient to install.

Our Experience with the Nilight NI06A

• After seeing the level of illumination, we’re sure that it’s one of the brightest lights you can have for your next bowfishing trip. It’s capable of lighting up a significant area in the water and gives you a clear view of your prey. We think its cone-shaped beam helped the most with it.
• The installation doesn’t ask for any major technical knowledge and is quite easy to pull off. Its movable mounting bracket makes it easy to put on different types of boat setups. This makes the light compatible with spots like bumper, roof, and side railing.
• Unlike any other power-hungry lighting option, this light doesn’t suck much power, and that makes it among the most energy-efficient ones.
• We’ve never seen a light being able to take a beating like the NI06A. No matter how much harshness went over it, we saw no major downgrading in its performance. So, if you’re thinking about taking it for a rough ride, we’re pretty much sure that it won’t let you down.
• There was no sign of overheating. Looks like the heat dissipation system is doing a great job down there. The best part of this is, it has made the light last longer by saving the mechanism from getting cooked inside.
• There was no dust slipping into the light compartment. Clearly, the IP67 rating wasn’t a bluff. But we couldn’t call it waterproof entirely as there was a sign of water intrusion.

What We Didn’t Like

• Though it has silicone sealing, moisture under the lens was detected.

Who Is It Great for

• Anglers that take the light through rough usage and want the maximum brightness level at the same time can count it among the best bowfishing lights with closed eyes.

What Could Be Improved and Why

• Improving the sealing is essential in order to make it more waterproof.

Our Recommendations

Use 40 Amps wiring kits for the light as lower than this might not be able to keep up.

Specifications

Pros

• Durable construction
• Superb brightness
• Huge lifespan
• Impressive IP rating
• Efficient cooling
• Exquisite size
• Wider compatibility
• Easy to install

Cons

• Has no wiring harness

02 Nilight – 60001F-B (For Wide Illumination)

Why It Stands Out to Us

It’s nothing new for the LEDs to rock the world of bow fishers by lighting up the water world. But Nilight – 60001F-B has taken that excellence to a whole other level with the superb illumination, sturdy construction, and amazing heat dissipation.

These lights are also IP67 rated, which has made them immune to water, dust, and quakes. Besides, by adding anti-corrosive and rustproof brackets to the package, the makers have made these lights worth grabbing in every way.

Our Experience with the Nilight – 60001F-B

• The construction is capable of taking a massive beating. Looks like the makers have put extra attention on that part alone. This is a clear sign that you won’t have to throw them away any sooner for some external damage.
• Interestingly, we’ve come to know that even after dragging these lights for 100 km accidentally, they were still working fine. That proves these lights are going to be hard to get rid of.
• There’s nothing to complain about the brightness. The manufacturers said the lumen is 1260. Thankfully, the performance wasn’t anything less than the mentioned number. The flood beam was giving visibility to a bigger area which is more than enough to track down fish and take a clear shot.
• As the lights don’t use a ton of power, nothing will be stopping you from calling it power efficient. No rule says you can’t use just one of them if you need to. This way, it’s easy to cut the power usage in half.
• We know you’re asking for lights to use for your bowfishing. But these lights are so versatile that even if you ever think about putting them in your ride, they’ll work like they were made for the job.
• With a high IP rating, the lights were holding up against dust and quakes pretty well. But we couldn’t be so sure about the waterproofness as there were chances of water leakage. Later on, we found out that this issue can be solved by tightening the light’s Allens screws.
• The working lifespan of the lights is also good enough. This means, if you’re planning for longtime fishing for hours, they’re not going to stand in your way.

What We Didn’t Like

• It’s hard to stop the moisture from slipping in sometimes.

Who Is It Great for

• If you’re planning to attain better visibility through brighter illumination without sacrificing too much power, then these can be the best bowfishing lights for you.

What Could Be Improved and Why

• The design needs some improvement on the sealing part.

Our Recommendations

As the lights can’t always keep the moisture away from the beams, using multipurpose coating sprays over them can help in keeping the frequency to the minimum for a certain period of time.

Specifications

Pros

• Power-efficient
• High brightness level
• Solid construction
• Convenient installation
• Versatile
• Tolerable working temperature
• Long working lifespan

Cons

• Not entirely free of leakage

03 AMBOTHER LED Pods Light Bar 4-Inch 120-watt 12800-lumen (For SUV Boats)

Why It Stands Out to Us

If you love taking your SUV boat for bowfishing, then we bet you’ll love the AMBOTHER LED Pods as well. We wouldn’t have said that if it didn’t have features like Triple Row light-bar design to deliver incredible brightness. But that would’ve been impossible without its Spot-Flood Combo Beam.

On top of that, its faster cooling system has perfected it in every way. But what makes these pods more of a reliable lighting option is the certification from CE, FCC, and RoHs.

Our Experience with the AMBOTHER LED Pods

• It seems the makers have tried their best to fill these lights with maximum brightness, and they’ve surely been able to pull that off. The combo beam is capable of making the water clear as day for bowfishing. We loved how they brighten up a huge area so effortlessly.
• In most of the lights we’ve seen earlier, we’ve missed a feature of adjustable direction but not in these. Thanks to their adjustable bracket, you won’t have to stick to the same direction all the time.

For fishing, a feature like this matters a lot as you try to hunt down objects that can change their position instantly.

• The installation was simpler than we expected. And the package includes the required mounting kits, and they all are quite well built. Putting the lights on any rod doesn’t take more than a few minutes with the right setup. But having longer wires would’ve made the process easier.
• Their rugged construction withstood some massive impact without receiving any major damage, which we think is impressive enough. They might not be indestructible, but the external solidness has definitely pushed their durability higher.
• In the case of preventing dust, we’ve seen no issue worth mentioning. But for water, there is scope for improvement as the presence of condensation gets hard to ignore at times.
• We loved the heatsinking. It wasn’t letting the lights get hot like any small oven, and for making the light run longer, this feature surely helps a ton.

What We Didn’t Like

• The length of the wires is unexpectedly short.

Who Is It Great for

• These are simply the best bowfishing lights for those who like hunting fish in SUV boats.

What Could Be Improved and Why

• The spot and floodlight don’t work separately. But making them operational individually could’ve made the lights more versatile with the applications.

Our Recommendations

Siliconing around the light can help a lot with preventing condensation.

Specifications

Pros

• Incredible brightness
• Efficient combo beam
• Faster installation
• Trustworthy certifications
• Rapid cooling
• Universal fit
• Better versatility

Cons

• Short wire

04 LEPOWER 150W (Best for Murky Water)

Why It Stands Out to Us

Indeed bowfishing turns into a tougher job when it’s asked to be done in murky water unless you’ve got something like the LEPOWER 150W LED Flood Light. It’s an energy-saver light that is made to deliver enormous brightness instantly.

Along with that, its sturdy construction makes it a long-lasting lighting tech. But that’s not the only thing to love about it, as its wider beam angle allows it to light up bigger areas. And yes, this FCC-certified light is safe to use as well.

Our Experience with the LEPOWER 150W LED Flood Light

• There’s nothing exaggerating about the design – plain and simple, like any other regular fishing lights. But the brightness indeed got an impressive edge.

It’s got the highest lumens we’ve seen so far in any bowfishing lights. So, there’s no way to question its level of brightness as that’s extremely high.

• Using it is as easy as using a table lamp. There’s a plug you need to connect to the power and hit the on/off switch – that’s it. The cord length didn’t disappoint us too, as it’s decently long, unlike some of the other lights we’ve checked out before.
• It does get a bit hot, but we can’t call that overheating as it’s nothing intense. Looks like the heat sink fins back there aren’t doing a bad job after all. Even after keeping it on for a long time, it didn’t show any major changes in the temperature. But that’s not applicable on its metal backing.
• The area its beam can cover is huge, and we’d give credit to the beam angle. Rather than suffocating it, the makers have made it wide enough to light up a bigger water surface and make the fish movement more visible.
• Its water resistance was up to the mark. We’ve seen no unwanted water intrusion. But if you’re expecting it to be waterproof under the water, then probably that’s going to be a bad idea.
• We didn’t see any way to have a complicated installation process here. Probably this is one of the easiest among the bowfishing lights from the installation perspective.

What We Didn’t Like

• There’s no option to make the light dim. You can only turn it on or off.
• The glass is irreplaceable once it’s broken.

Who Is It Great for

• If you’re planning to light up a huge area and want an instant on/off option, then this light can be one of the best bowfishing lights for you.

What Could Be Improved and Why

• Adding the dimming option can make it more useful in different bowfishing scenarios.

Our Recommendations

If the cord length is short for you, don’t go for any alteration on that without professional help.

Specifications

Pros

• Durable material
• Safe to use
• Good IP rating
• FCC certified
• Wide-angle of beam
• Budget-friendly
• Perfect cord length
• Instant-on/off system

Cons

• Irreplaceable glass

05 LEPOWER 50W LED Flood Light 2 Pack, Super Bright Outdoor Light (For High Energy Efficiency)

Why It Stands Out to Us

We all know how powerful Halogen lights are. But LEPOWER 50W LED Flood Lights are made to leave them behind with brighter waves of light. They’re not good with the brightness alone but with construction as well.

With the superior cooling system, they don’t even get overheated. Also, the IP rating indicates how good they are in keeping water away from slipping in. With the convenient installation and usage process, anyone with zero experience in bowfishing lights can make them useful.

Our Experience with the LEPOWER 50W LED Flood Light

• These lights don’t come with maximum lumens, unlike their earlier model. But they still can shine up a big plot on the water and maximize the visibility of the spot. Compared to the traditional lights, these have been able to push the brightness a few times higher
• Seeing the brightness, it’s normal for lights like these to be a bit more energy sucker. But by proving us wrong, they were drawing significantly less power than we expected.
• The installation asked for nearly zero effort, and the best part is, you don’t even need to install both of the lights if you don’t want to. If you’re planning to cover a comparatively smaller area, one will be more than enough.
• There was no sign of water intrusion. It seems the IP rating is pleasantly accurate. With proper sealing in all the way, they didn’t allow any room dust or dirt to get in as well.
• Thankfully, the makers didn’t show any miserliness in making the cord decently long. Besides, with the on/off switch on the cord, operating the lights has become a breeze.
• The metal brackets they’ve come with are adjustable. This means you won’t have to stick to a single direction the whole time while staring at the water with your bow. But the way their light beam has been angled, we don’t think you’re going to need any adjustments that often.

What We Didn’t Like

• There’s no protection on the glass, which might cause damage to the glass under heavier impacts.

Who Is It Great for

• If you don’t want your lights to suck a big pile of energy during your bowfishing, feel free to take these lights in as the best bowfishing lights for you.

What Could Be Improved and Why

• Comes with no dusk-till-dawn light sensors. Having a feature like these would’ve made them useful in more places along with boats and houses.

Our Recommendations

Try using glass protectors on the light’s glass in order to maximize their safety against all kinds of impact.

Specifications

Pros

• Energy efficient
• Waterproof
• FCC, CE, RoHS Certified
• Adjustable direction
• Wide light beam
• Dust-proof
• Durable construction
• Easy installation

Cons

• Improvable kickstand quality

Best Bowfishing Lights [Buying Guide]

1. Easy On and Off Switch

Leaving the light on unnecessarily for sucking energy will do nothing but push you towards some extra cost – whether you’re running it on battery or electricity. So, it’s better to get a light that you can turn on or off easily and instantly.

Moreover, depending on the fishing scenario, you might have to light up the place or let it get darker at times. But without an easy on/off switch, we don’t see a way to do that quickly.

2. Water Clarity

• Muddy/Murky Water

Choosing the right light depends on the type of water you’re planning to do fishing on. If it’s muddy or murky water, then it’s better to go with green, warm yellow, and white LEDs. That’s because these lights are good at bringing in more visibility in the sediment. Besides, they don’t reflect and make you blind.

• Clear Water

In case the water is clear enough, then go for cool white LEDs. They will make your vision reach deeper into the water, which will help you in spotting fish faster. Even in semi-clear water, they do quiet well.

3. Lumens

The easiest way to find out the brightness level of a bowfishing light is by having a check on its Lumen’s measurement. Higher numbers represent higher levels of brightness. Usually, you won’t need a light that has higher than 900-1000 lumens.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t pick light with higher numbers as a part of your personal preference. You might have to go for higher lumens, depending on your area and boat of choice as well.

4. Color Tone

• Cool White Lights

Whether the water is clear or semi-clear, cool white lights can work best in both scenarios. These lights are made to reach through the water better than all those darker lights you’ve seen so far out there. If you want to make them work perfectly, try penetrating the water from top-down.

• Warm White Lights

For water with poor visibility, warm white lights can be an amazing solution. They’ve got a yellow vibe in the light, but that has nothing to do with their ability to penetrate the water. We’d say this is the best option to use when the watercolor has become a bit tea-stained type.

• Yellow Light

Compared to the cool white and warm white lights, a lot of the anglers prefer yellow lights as it minimizes the glare on the water surface. These lights are mostly used for fishing in murky waters. They even deliver better visibility in water with tea-stained color as they can penetrate deeper over cool white lights.

5. Visibility

One of the prime purposes of bowfishing lights is improving visibility along with delivering excellent illumination to track the fish’s movement. So, get lights that will let you know where your prey exactly is.

6. IP Rating

Do you want dust and waterproof lights? If the answer is yes then put some focus on their IP rating as well. After all, that’s the indicator of dust and waterproofness of the light.

Like the lumens, go for the higher number there. Some of the lights with higher ratings can even stay under the water for up to 30 minutes; the depth has to be one meter though.

7. Power Source

If you’ve got a powerful set of light, you can never underestimate the need for a larger or equal power source. While getting bigger and powerful batteries or gas-powered generators for it, ensure that it’s not making too much noise as it can scare the fish down there.

8. Durability

No light is worthy of being called ‘good’ unless it’s durable enough. On the basis of bowfishing light’s usage, we can say that they go through a lot, and for that, they need to be strong enough to sustain some beating. Clearly, to survive that, they’ve got to be strong and require better built-quality.

9. Certification

Check out what kind of certification the lights have. Don’t think about getting any lights without valid certification like FCC, CE, or similar ones, as they might come with compromised standards.

Bowfishing Light Bulb Types

1. LEDs

Among the most preferred lights for bowfishing, LEDs are on the top. They’re amazingly good for lighting up the dark with fine and brighter beams.
LEDs are capable of delivering superb performance, especially when you’re planning to go fishing for longer hours in murky water. They can run on both batteries and electricity.

2. Halogen

Another one of the most common types of bulbs used in bowfishing is Halogen. Brightness and intensity – both are quite high in this bulb. The only drawback is – it sucks a lot of power. But if you count it on the basis of weight and brightness, they surely do serve well.

3. High-Pressure Sodium

If you’re planning to start fishing in murky waters, High-Pressure Sodium or HPS is one of the most suitable lighting options. It works on the basis of large generators and flashlights. Compared to some other options, this bulb is lighter and easy to carry. But what you might not like about it is the huge energy it sucks.

FAQs

1. What color light is perfect for bowfishing?

Ans. There are two colors that we found work better– cool white and warm white. The first comes with a bluish vibe that works great in clear water. But if you’re fishing in green or muddy water, go for the warm white.

2. Is it okay to use solar lights for bowfishing?

Ans. It’s nothing impossible, but for that, you need to find a solar light that is possible to turn on/off and can deliver the required level of brightness. Besides, you’ll have to ensure full charge as well during daytime which is an extra hassle.

And in case the day goes cloudy, you’ve got a lean chance to have a fully charged light for the night.

3. How good are the green lights for night fishing?

Ans. Green lights are helpful in attracting fish, especially in the dark. That’s the reason they’re so popular among anglers.

4. When is it okay to use warm white for bowfishing?

Ans. There’s no certain rule about using warm white light on the basis of time as you can use it anytime. But they work better for hunting in murky and cloudy water.