Lighttime bowfishing is intriguing fishermen like never before as reliable, power-efficient LED fish spotting lights are now plentiful. Our 2019 best bowfishing lights guide covers the highest quality, best performing and affordable LED bowfishing lights available.
We compared dozens of lights for nighttime fishing expeditions by analyzing crucial features including illumination strength, operating voltages, LED color and IP waterproof ratings. We narrowed these to 10 top lighting choices for boats large and small.
Our detailed reviews include our number one choice, the Ustellar 60W LED two-pack with total output of 9600 lumens.
Following our detailed reviews are sections on choosing LED color temperature, setting up your lights and answers to frequently asked customer questions.
We help you navigate the search for top-rated nighttime fishing lights so you can navigate the dark twists and turns of your favorite lake, river or bay as soon as possible.
Top 10 Best Bowfishing Lights Reviews
Ustellar Pair of 60W LED Flood Lights Equivalent to 300W Halogen Bowfishing Lights
Ustellar’s 2-pack of outdoor LED flood lamps provides ideal water illumination at a great price. Due to their low current draw, you can run them off an AC generator or deep-cycle battery/inverter setup easily.
These reliable, best LED bowfishing lights boast a respectable IP66 waterproof rating. Consuming just 60W each, they provide a penetrating 120-degree flood beam to illuminate a broad swath of water with a 4800 lumens daylight white color. Each light’s interior is protected by a tempered glass cover.
Installation is easy with a rotatable U-bracket and a 20-inch wire lead. Just supply each lamp with 100-120V AC at 60Hz.
- Two LED flood lamps rated at 60W each
- Each lamp outputs 4800lm of 5000K daylight color light
- Equivalent light output to a 300W halogen lamp
- Wide, 120-degree flood beam illuminates a broad area
- High light transmission tempered glass cover
- Anti-UV, anti-oxidation, 20-inch hookup cable
- Die-cast aluminum housing with IP66 intrusion rating
- Three-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
The combination of extreme brightness, daylight color, and broad illumination beam make these Ustellar lights a popular choice for bow fishermen. Most buyers place two of these each side of the bow for lighting up the water forward, port and starboard.
Pros
- Super bright but budget priced
- Can run with battery/inverter due to the low current draw
- Flat, broad beam ideal for spotting fish
- Solid three-year warranty
Cons
- Increase IP rating with a silicone seal around the lens
Quickly Fish Spotter Even in Murky Water
The Ustellar LED flood light kit provides the best bowfishing lights for clear and muddy water with a penetrating, daylight color. Hookup is dead simple as is mounting on the foredeck or gunwales. Two pairs for 360-degree water illumination.
LEPOWER New Craft 100W/8000lm LED Flood Bowfishing Lights Equal to 500W Halogen
LEPOWER’s 100W LED bowfishing flood lamp is one of the best LED lights for a bowfishing boat at a budget price. It shines as bright as a 500W halogen lamp but draws 20 percent of the power. A small AC generator or battery/inverter setup easily powers this light.
These use two powerful, long-lasting 50W LEDs within an advanced scale-textured reflector that enhances illumination power. The 120-degree, 8000lm flood beam brightens a wide area of water with super-white 6000K color. Tempered glass plus an IP66 waterproof rating make this a durable light that resists rain and splashes well.
- 100W/8000lm 110V AC LED flood lamp
- Illumination equivalent to 500W halogen
- 6000K pure white color
- Broad 120-degree flood beam
- Deeply finned, rugged aluminum cover dissipates heat
- Generous five-foot cable with plug
- IP66 intrusion rating against rain, fog and splashes
- 60-day cash back and 18-month warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Buyers love the plug-n-play installation of this light along with the easy-to-install U-shaped swivel mount. Since it comes with an AC plug, some boat owners use a wing-nut mount for easy stowing when in dock. There are no complaints about brightness and the ability to spot fish.
Pros
- Exceptional brightness
- Five-foot cord and plug
- Brightness makes spotting fish easy
- Cash-back guarantee
Cons
- Limited aiming ability with the supplied mount
Light Up the Fish Tonight
This is a powerful bowfishing light that installs quickly. It mounts easily to a flat surface and plugs right into your generator or inverter. It is one of the brightest bowfishing lights we found. Buy it now for your night fishing venture this weekend.
LLT Slim 50W LED Bowfishing Lights With Daylight Color and 4000 Lumens
These LLT 50W LED bowfishing boat lights to feature a slim profile, which facilitates close mounting to your boat’s bow or bulwarks. They are also a very affordable fish spotting solution for smaller craft. The wide-beam design is excellent for spotting fish over a wide area.
Each lamp outputs 4000 lumens of daylight-like 5000K color using a redundant array of 75 20,000-hour SMD LEDs powered by 110-130V AC. They stand up to extreme temperatures, immersion, rain, snow, and fog with an IP65 intrusion rating.
- 50W/4000lm of 5000K daylight color
- Super-slim profile for close mounting
- 20,000-hour LEDs in redundant array
- 120-degree flood beam for broad illumination
- IP65 rating against moisture and rain
- Rotatable knuckle mount
- Two-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
These bowfishing boat lights are a favorite among fishermen with smaller craft due to their price, light weight and thin profile. Although the knuckle permits rotation, most buyers must be creative in mounting them using the slip nut.
Pros
- Best budget-priced fishing lights
- Plenty of lighting power for small boats
- Sip power, so suitable for generator or inverter
- Daylight color facilitate fish spotting in unclear water
Cons
- Requires some ingenuity to mount
Bowfishing Lights for Smaller Boats
You cannot beat the price of the LLT 50W flood lights nor their slim depth and reliable SMD LED array. The 5000K beam color is quite effective in clear and murky waters. Give them a try for your craft and be amazed at how many fish they uncover.
SOLLA Twin Pack 100W 8000lm 3000K LED Bowfishing Lights
With this SOLLA 100W LED fishing flood light two-pack, you get two super-bright, warm-white lamps for a price others charge for a single light. Each lamp outputs 8000 lumens of 3000K color. Generous heat sinks fins and LED spacing to contribute to their 50,000-hour LED lifespan.
Additionally, these lights have an extra wide 140-degree flood beam angle, a tempered glass lens and an ultra-thin profile that is just 1.8 inches thick. The U-bracket facilitates vertical or horizontal mounting anywhere on your boat. Finally, it boasts an IP66 waterproof, dust proof rating plus a full 2-year warranty.
- Two 100W/8000lm warm white lamps
- 108 50,000-hour LEDs in each light
- Broadest 140-degree flood beam
- IP66 resistance to rain, fog, and dust
- Runs on 100-120V AC
- Under 2 inches in depth
- Versatile U-bracket mount
- Two-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Fishermen are pleased with the thin design and ease of mounting. Mounting two forward is typical, which provides void-free illumination thanks to the 140-degree beam spread. Wiring is black to brown, white to blue and green to yellow.
Pros
- 16,000lm of illumination power
- Superior intrusion rating of IP66
- 3000K warm white penetrates murky water
Cons
- No wiring instructions
- Glass cover requires silicone sealant
Bargain Pack
Many fishermen find that warm LED bowfishing lights are superior fish spotters in unclear waters, which is why we recommend this ultra-bright, 3000K color kit. The icing on the cake is the bargain price.
Buying this package will equip your craft with all you need for a productive night of fish hunting.
GLW 10W 12V DC Warm White LED 120-Degree Flood Lamp With PV Panel Protection
These bargain-priced GLW 10W LED lamps with warm white output to provide excellent fish spotting in the murkiest water. They are super lightweight, sip power and are ideal as handheld spotting lights.
Each 10W LED lamp illuminates equivalent to an 80W halogen bulb. The 2700 to 3200K spectrum produces a yellowish glow that penetrates cloudy water well. The unit caries an IP65 waterproof rating.
Despite being listed as running on DC or AC voltage, you must use a transformer if hooking them up to a 110V AC system. A laptop charger under 18V DC output works great.
- Single 10W/800lm LED design
- 120-degree flood beam
- Runs directly from a 12V DC source
- The warm white color penetrates murky water
- IP65 rating against rain and moisture
- Long life 50,000-hour LED
- Swivel U-bracket for easy mounting
- One-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Bow fishermen love the price and warm, murk-penetrating glow. They wire several in parallel for spotting from the bow, stern and sides. The junction box contains a circuit for direct PV solar hookup, but customers using batteries or AC hookup discard it to reduce weight and thickness.
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Good color for murky water hunts
- Hook up directly to battery power
- Very low power drain
Cons
- Bail mount needs to be reversed for more swivel range
- The power cable is very short
Lightweight, Portable Direct 12V DC Hookup Lights
Wiring several of these lights directly to your deep-cycle battery is a snap. There’s ample room in the case to add quick-connects or separate switches too.
LE 100 Watt 10150 Lumens 120-Degree IP65 LED Flood Bowfishing Lights
With the power of a 250W high-pressure sodium lamp, the LE 100W/10Klm waterproof LED light uses 60 percent less power to produce a brilliant white beam in a broad, void-free flood pattern for lighting up an acre of stealthy fish.
This light features a slim profile with an optimized, integrated heat sink design for long LED life. The 6000K color makes it one of the favorite bowfishing lights for murky water. It carries an IP65 waterproof rating, so it keeps on working in rain and fog. It runs off any AC source from 100 to 240V.
- Two 50W 50,000-hour LEDs
- 120-degree 6000K flood beam
- Requires 100-240V AC power
- IP65 moisture intrusion rating
- Swiveling U-shaped mounting bracket
- Only four inches thick
- One-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Above all, buyers comment on the fantastic brightness of these lights. One customer tested its reach in a field and was able to read a book easily at a 240-foot distance. Fishermen love the low amperage draw as they only need a small generator or inverter to drive them.
Pros
- Good quality with incredible light output
- Flood beam illuminates thousands of square footage
- Excellent integrated cooling
Cons
- For fishing use, they require sealant on the lens
Astoundingly Bright Fishing Light
Although a bit pricier than other lights we have reviewed, this LE light is one of the brightest bowfishing lights we have encountered. Buy just one and see what we mean. You then may not have to buy several less expensive lights.
QUANS 30W Warm White 12-24V DC/AC LED Bowfishing Lights
The Quans 30W DC/AC warm white LED flood lamp offers high value for bow fishermen for the price. It is suitable for 12V up to 24V AC/DC power systems using batteries or solar cells. Note that it cannot be powered directly from 110V AC without a transformer.
The 3000K-3500K warm light works well to light up fish in sediment-rich waters. It outputs up to 3000lm with a flood beam that illuminates a large swath of water. Just two of these mounted each side of the bow are usually sufficient for smaller boats.
It is moisture rated at IP65 and comes with a sturdy U-bracket for mounting plus a reasonably long wiring pigtail.
- Single, center-mounted 30W LED
- 120-degree warm white beam
- Handles 12-24V DC/AC
- 2.5A draw at 12V
- IP65 moisture/rain intrusion rating
- Swiveling U- bracket
- One-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Boat owners often use these QUANS lights for navigation in addition to fish hunting. They appreciate the even, well-spread, warm glow. They also like that they do not have to pay attention to the wire polarity. One buyer did find loose heat sink screws, but that is easy to fix.
Pros
- Under four-inch thickness
- Handles reverse polarity without problems
Cons
- Mounting bolts rust too easily in moist environments
High-Value 30W Bowfishing Lights
These QUANS lights are definitely a step up in brightness over 10W versions but due to low power draw are suited for battery-based power. They will add extra punch and penetration to your bowfishing adventures. Start by purchasing a pair and add more as needed.
LAPUTA Super Bright 200W Four-LED 120-Degree Flood Lights
When discussing these LAPUTA 200W LED best bowfishing lights, the phrase “crazy bright” immediately jumps to mind. Seriously, just one of these mounted on your boat and it will show up on satellite photos.
Their 20,000 lumen beam comes from four 50,000-hour 50W LEDs housed in a sturdy, IP65 case with a tempered glass lens. The 6000K light is equivalent to that of a 500W HPS or MH light with less than half the heat.
LAPUTA backs up this light with a 30-day cash-back guarantee and free part replacement for life.
- Four super-bright 6000K 50W LEDs
- 120-degree flood beam
- Runs on 110-120V AC
- 2A current draw
- IP65 intrusion rating
- U-bracket mount
- 30-day cash back, unlimited parts replacement
What Customers Are Saying
The brightness is always the first thing customers comment on. If you want only one light for bowfishing, this is it. There is also universal praise for the manufacturer’s customer service. They replace any defective parts free during the first 180 days, After that, the parts are free, but you pay for shipping.
Pros
- Costs a bit more, but you get what you pay for
- Mind-blowingly bright
- Unparalleled customer service
Cons
- At over 9 lbs. weight, take care of the installation
If You Can Only Get One Bowfishing Light
You want bright, you got it. LAPUTA’s 200W LED flood light blows them all away. LAPUTA’s outstanding customer support should seal the deal for you. Buy it, mount it on a rotatable tripod and never look for another bowfishing light again.
SUCOOL Eight-Pack Set of 16-LED Exterior Flood Lamps With IP67 Rating
Our jaws dropped when we found these. They offer maximum flexibility in setting up your fish spotting light array.
It gets better. Each 4×4 LED lamp features 3W Epistar LEDs and 3,120lm output. They match any 12V or 24V DC system or you can run them with a generator and laptop power supply. The deep-finned, die-cast aluminum body absorbs and dissipates heat efficiently for long LED life.
- Eight 16-LED lamps, 128 LEDs total
- 30,000-hour Epistar LEDs
- 6000K white 60-degree flood beam
- 10-30V DC operating voltage
- 3.8A current draw at 12V
- IP67 waterproof rating
- Small chromed bottom mount
- 1-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
For bowfishing, many buyers install several and keep some for spares or handheld spots. Some buyers report a buzzing sound on 12V systems, which is cured by running them on 24 volts.
Pros
- Easy to customize a bowfishing light array
- Lightweight and easy to mount anywhere
Cons
- Despite the IP67 rating, buyers silicone seal the lens.
- Tiny mount, but OK for small lights.
Inexpensive, Flexible Bowfishing Light Solution
When socks go on sale, you buy a lot because they are always needed. It is the same with this inexpensive light set. The low-price, superb brightness, and easy mounting demand that you buy a set and figure out where to put them later.
Viugreum 50W 5000LM Warm Color LED Bowfishing Lights
The Viugreum 50W warm white LED flood light is another excellent value fish spotting light. Two to four of these will greatly enhance your next bowfishing nighttime adventure. With 5000lm of 2800K light color and a 120-degree flood width, these lights reach into sediment-stained water to light up fish other lights cannot reveal.
These lamps run on 110-120V AC but draw under one ampere. They are easily driven with a generator or battery/inverter setup. The 64 30,000-hour LEDs are cooled by die-cast aluminum fins and protected by a shatterproof polycarbonate lens. IP65 construction means they can be used in the rain.
- 64 30,000-hour LEDs
- 2800K warm white beam
- 120-degree flood pattern
- 110-120V AC input
- 5000 raw lumens output
- IP65 waterproof rating
- 1-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
One buyer measured these lights’ output at 95W, so there is no exaggeration on that account. Bow fishermen appreciate the slim case and U-brackets that enable flexible mounting options. They especially appreciate their dark-water penetration.
Pros
- Quality LED fishing light
- Excellent LED cooling with deep fins
- Easy to mount on any boat
Cons
- IP65 means no submersion, so silicon seal the lens
Excellent Water Penetration to Spot the Lunkers
The 2800K color really lights up fish in muddy or algae-rich water. They mount easily forward, aft or on the gunwales. The manufacturer is responsive to problems.
Viugreum makes 16 variations of color and power of this light, so buy the ones that match your boat and fishing strategy.
Tips on Choosing the Best LED Bowfishing Light Color
How LED Light Color Is Measured
LEDs are manufactured to shine most strongly at a particular wavelength in the color spectrum from infra-red to ultra-violet.
Instead of using fuzzy terms like red, blue or green, LED manufacturers to measure the color of their LEDs by specifying their color temperature. This temperature is measured on the Kelvin scale and denoted by the letter ‘K’.
When it comes to LED lights for bowfishing, the most popular colors are around 5000-6000K, which is a cool, bluish white and 2500-3000K, which is described as a warm white for its slightly amber color.
Which Bowfishing Light Color Is Best for You?
The answer to this question depends on the visual nature of the waters that you like to fish at night.
Warm White LEDs for Murky Water
Most bow fishermen agree that the warmer amber LED colors light up fish better in waters with poor visibility due to sediment, algae or other suspended debris.
This factor is due to the warmer lights reflecting less light back to the eye and the fact that the color of the light more closely matches that of the water’s daytime color.
Cool White LEDs for Clearer Water
If you are fishing at night in waters that are clear or semi-clear, then it is likely that an LED bowfishing light with color from around 5000K and up will more deeply penetrate the water than lower temperature lights.
There will be fewer problems with glare or reflection due to water debris. Additionally, cool white lights tend to enhance the gray-silver scales of many game fish, which further enhances these lights’ ability to uncover your prey.
Are Your Lights Too Bright?
Regardless of the color of the bowfishing LED light you use relative to the clarity of the waters, a light that is too bright may produce excessive reflection, which actually makes it harder to detect fish.
So, brighter light is not necessarily better. When considering brightness, it is better to apply more powerful lights to illuminate a larger expanse of water. Less bright lights are great for lighting up fish closer to the boat.
Other Factors to Consider When Buying LED Bowfishing Lights
Besides the choice of the best LED color and the best brightness relative to water clarity and your style of bow and arrow fishing, there are a few more factors to ponder.
The Cost of Your Lights
Estimating your lighting budget starts with determining how many lights your boat needs. Two bow-mounted lights is a good place to start, but you may want two on the stern for your fishing buddy also.
Gunwale lights are convenient for fishing off the sides of course. One or smaller portable lights are also very handy. Keep in mind that it might be useful to acquire a mix of smaller vs. larger or cooler vs. warmer light colors too.
Once you know the number of lights, compare our reviewed lights’ features and prices to find the best fit within your overall budget. Leave room for the purchase of wiring, switches, batteries, inverters or a generator.
One, Two or Many LEDs
Our chosen LED night fishing lamps are constructed with one, two or many LEDs. The number of LEDs does not necessarily affect the overall cost since smaller LEDs cost much less. However, having a larger number of LEDs does have one advantage. If one or a few LEDs happen to fail, the light remains relatively functional. If one LED in a two-LED lamp fails, you have lost half your light.
IP Rating
IP stands for intrusion protection. It is a measure of how well the light repels rain, fog, snow, ice and dust based on rigorous laboratory tests. The higher the IP rating, the more resistant the light is to such environmental conditions.
For bowfishing use, the absolute highest IP ratings are not necessary unless you think the lights will actually be submerged. Otherwise, you can help boost the IP rating of any light with a proper application of quality silicone sealant around the lens or any place on the housing where water might enter.
Warranty Coverage
In general, longer warranty coverage or cash-back guarantee usually indicates the amount of confidence a manufacturer has in their product. Do not purchase a light with anything less than a 1-year warranty and check buyer comments to gauge how well they serve customers. The LAPUTA 200W LED bowfishing lights to offer an outstanding parts replacement policy.
Setting up Your Bowfishing Lights
Powering Your Lights
If you already have a source of electrical power in your boat, then choose lights whose power requirements match your power source. Otherwise, you have decisions to make about how you are going to supply power to your lights.
Direct Current Sources
Providing DC power to bowfishing lights is relatively simple in most cases compared to an AC power source. All you need is a properly sized deep-cycle battery, some DC cable and possibly switches and connectors.
A rule of thumb for flooded battery size is three times the expected amp-hours needed by the lights. For example, if you are running 100W of LED lights at 12V for five hours — 8.5A x 5h x 3 — then you need a 120 Ah lead-acid battery. That capacity rating could be 20 percent lower for gel or AGM deep-cycle batteries.
Most LED bowfishing lights will operate at 24V DC also, which halves their current draw. That means you would connect two batteries, half the size of the single 12V battery, in series. A 24V system has the added advantage of handling any voltage drops better.
Alternating Current Sources
Most of the LED fishing lights reviewed here run on AC. Nearly all these run on standard U.S. voltage of 110-120V, though the LE 100W/10Klm waterproof LED light can handle up to 240V AC. For AC lights you have two options:
- Run the lights directly from a compact size portable generator
- Use batteries plus a properly sized DC-AC inverter
If you use a DC-AC inverter, be sure the inverter’s wattage rating is about 20 percent greater than the total wattage used by your LED lights.
Safety First
Besides properly sizing your power source, inverters, batteries, and connecting wires, make sure you insert the proper size fuses in the circuit that match the current capacity of the wiring’s AWG size. Especially if you have multiple lights, installing a master cutoff switch is a splendid idea.
Mounting Your Best LED Bowfishing Lights
The majority of our quality bowfishing LED lights have a swiveling bail-type mount, which really is the most versatile mount for your lights. They accommodate attaching the light to a wall, a deck or overhead support. However, you choose to mount your lights, consider the weight of the light and how exposed it is to splashing water. How to install you led bar check here.
Best LED Bowfishing Light FAQ
Besides questions about choosing LED color, powering lights and mounting them, bowfishing light shoppers often have a few additional questions.
Making the Final Decision
We chose the best bowfishing lights on the market for nighttime fishing enthusiasts. We performed the heavy lifting of sifting through dozens of product descriptions so you will spend less time researching and more time hunting fish. Each of our reviews informs you of the key features and benefits of top-quality nighttime fishing lights suitable for any boat.
Now, it is up to you to make your ultimate decision on which light or lights to purchase. Fortunately, you can buy with confidence based on our analyses, the solid manufacturer warranties and Amazon’s well-known buyer-oriented return procedures and policies.
The fish are out there waiting, so do not delay in deciding which light to buy. Your LED fishing light purchase will surely enhance your ability to apprehend the lunkers lurking in the darkness. Get ready for a productive outing armed with the best bowfishing lights available.