Flashlight on Landing Net

[docIN]

Does anyone have a great idea of how to attach a flashlight on the Frabil Power Catch Landing net. I have tried to contact the company on several occassions w/out any luck. I do a lot of night fishing and would like a powerful, bright light attached well and still be able to colapse the net. Please if you have any ideas, please list the materials along with the brand of the waterproof light.
Thanks for all the help.

[Jbob]

All we do is tape the flashlight to the landing net with duct tape.

[Walleye daddy]

I wear a Petzl headlamp -- works just as good

[Otter]

A headlamp is much more versatile, plus it's less likely to get drenched if a fish splashes at boatside.

[REW]

I don't do this; but I think that it would work just fine.
Ram makes a spot light - with a rail mount - that should clamp just fine on a landing net.
Actually - the thing that I use is a high spot lighted mounted in one of the unused pedestal seat sockets.
You can get an inexpensive - aluminum reflector from a hardware store and a common light bulb socket. Purchase a 12 volt light bulb and screw it in. Either bend, or have bent a piece of electricians conduit - with a semi u on the end of the conduit. Mount the light on the end of the conduit - and run the wire down the conduit. Drill a hole in the conduit - and exit the conduit a couple of inches above the floor. Then, you simply add a 12 volt lighter plug - and plug into your accessory socket - or add a couple of alligator clips and clip to your 12 volt battery.
You can add a switch , that is either in line, or mounted on the side of the conduit.

Basically, when finished - you will have a light that will look similar to an old time living room light - mounted as high as is desired - by the length of the conduit - and will spin around in the seat base. If you have a 3/4 inch pedestal socket - you can plug a 3/4 inch piece of conduit into the seat base. If not - get a short seat mount that will fit your mount - and then simply make an adapter - to adapt the seat base to the size of conduit that you are using by inserting reducers into the pedestal seat pipe.

Typically - a person shoud be able to make something like this for about $20 - then you have a nice high light that works very well for netting - knots, lure untangling - or what ever.
When you leave the water - unplug the light and simply lay on the floor of the boat.

Take care
REW

[Finaddict]

If I was going to do this I would Duct tape a Mag lite on my net the light is adjustible so you could get the right width of lite at the net and it is protected by O rings.

[N8ARW]

In addition to the other suggestions, if it were me, I would incorporate the following automatic feature:

Wire a mercury bulb switch (available at Radio Shack) in series with the flashlight bulb and leave the flashlight "on". Mount the mercury switch parrallel to the net handle. When the net was vertical, such as in a holder, the flashlight would be off. When the net was tipped down to net a fish, the mercury switch would make, completeing the circuit turning the light on. When the net was put back in the holder, the switch would open and the light would go off. No need to manually turn flashlight on and off. Integrate the mercury switch into the flashlight itself or in a small pvc or similar tube that would protect the mercury switch.

No need to try to find the switch in the dark....

[eyedoktr]

I'd have to second the duct taping of a mini mag lite to the net handle. In N.Y. state (where I live) all running lights must be turned on after dusk and before dawn whether the boat is moving or anchored. This being the case, there is always plenty (too much??) of light to net, tie knots , etc. Even if I lived in an area where running lights were not mandatory, I would use them. I've seen too many near accidents even with the lights on. Yeah, I'd rather not have them on but it's really a small price to pay for safety.