DIY Flounder Gigging Light Setups: Boat, Wading & Removable Mounts
Designing your own flounder gigging light setup can be one of the most rewarding upgrades you make to your boat, kayak, gheenoe, or wading gear. Whether you want a simple removable pole light, a trolling-motor-mounted system, or a full wading rig, this guide walks you through proven DIY setups used by giggers across the coast.
This article includes complete mounting ideas, battery requirements, removable systems, and links to detailed tutorials — plus ready-made options if you'd rather skip the build and start gigging tonight.
Recommended reading for the most complete flounder lighting knowledge: The Best All-Around Flounder Gigging Lights
Table of Contents
- DIY Boat-Mounted Flounder Gigging Setups
- DIY Wading & Flounder Gigging Setups
- DIY Kayak / Canoe / Gheenoe Lighting
- Extra Mounting Ideas & Creative Setups
- Battery Requirements & Recommended Power Options
1. DIY Removable Boat-Mounted Flounder Gigging Setups
Boat setups are all about coverage, stability, and easy removal. The most popular DIY configurations use underwater-mounted lights for maximum water penetration and reduced glare.
✔ Recommended Light Options for DIY Boat Builds
- Swamp Eye Submersible (Adjustable Color) – Best clarity in all water types
- Swamp Eye Submersible – Solid Color
- Mini Swamp Eye Submersible – Small, bright, extremely versatile
✔ DIY Removable Boat Mounting Options
1. Clamp-On Removable Pole Setup
This is by far the easiest removable system. You can clamp onto your bow rail or any flat surface and run an underwater light off a pole.
Tools & Parts Needed:
- Clamp-On Flounder Light Boat Adapter
- Swamp Eye Submersible or Mini Submersible
- 12V power source
The clamp adapter locks onto nearly any surface. Simply mount the light to the pole, tighten down the clamp, and you have a fully removable flounder gigging light system.
2. Bolt-On Pole for Permanent or Semi-Permanent Setups
If you want a sturdier pole but still want the ability to remove the full assembly, a bolt-on pole mount is ideal.
You can bolt this bracket to your bow, side rail, or a custom aluminum plate. The pole assembly removes by loosening a single bolt.
3. Trolling Motor Mounted Setup
The trolling motor mount is one of the cleanest and most consistent DIY flounder gigging light setups you can run. Keeping your lights centered, forward-facing, and locked to a consistent depth dramatically improves clarity, reduces shadows, and makes it easier to spot flounder in both clear and stained water.
Trolling Motor Adapter for Underwater Lights
This purpose-built adapter allows you to mount 1, 2, 3, 4, or even 5 Swamp Eye Submersible or Mini Swamp Eye Submersible lights to your trolling motor shaft. It fits all major trolling motor brands, and its modular building-block design means you can scale the setup exactly the way you want it.
- Works with both Submersible and Mini Submersible models
- Fits any trolling motor shaft diameter
- Maintains a consistent underwater depth for maximum clarity
- Eliminates bulky front-deck mounting solutions
If you prefer a DIY route, you can purchase the lights and trolling motor adapter individually and assemble a custom layout.
Want a Plug-and-Play Option?
Trolling Motor Bracket & Light Kit (Assembled & Wired)
If you want the easiest possible setup, this is the cleanest “bolt-on and go” system available. The entire bracket comes pre-assembled, pre-aligned, and fully wired—so all you do is mount it to your trolling motor and connect power.
- No wiring required
- Professional-grade heat-shrink and waterproof sealing
- Perfect alignment out of the box
- Ideal for fishermen who want performance without building it themselves
2. DIY Wading & Flounder Gigging Setups
If you're a wader, a removable handheld system is your best friend. You can build your own pole light using a PVC pipe, aluminum pole, or shovel handle — but the key is mounting the light below the waterline to reduce reflection.
We already have a complete DIY tutorial here:
How to Make a Wading & Flounder Gigging Light Setup
If you don’t want to DIY, here are the two most popular ready-made options:
Both setups eliminate the wiring and mounting headaches — just flip the switch and go.
Recommended Lights for DIY Wading Rigs
- Mini Swamp Eye Submersible – Small enough for wading, extremely bright
3. Kayak, Canoe & Gheenoe DIY Flounder Gigging Setups
Kayaks require lightweight, low-power, compact setups — and that makes the Mini Swamp Eye Submersible perfect.
For complete examples and step-by-step rigging:
How to Set Up Your Kayak for Flounder Gigging
Most kayak giggers mount their lights using:
- Clamp-on adapters
- GoPro-style accessory arms
- PVC pipe rails
- Small battery boxes strapped behind the seat
The Mini Swamp Eye is small enough to run off a 10Ah feeder battery for long trips.
4. Extra Mounting Ideas & Creative DIY Setups
If you're looking for inspiration or unique ways others have mounted their Swamp Eye lights, these two articles have dozens of photos and user-submitted builds:
5. Battery Requirements & Recommended Power Options
The battery you choose affects brightness, runtime, and portability. Here’s what we recommend based on years of building flounder lighting systems.
✔ Best Battery Types for Boat-Mounted Systems
Conventional 12V deep cycle marine batteries offer the longest runtime and best cost-per-hour performance. They’re perfect for:
- Boat-mounted lights
- Trolling motor mounted systems
- Multi-light setups
Learn the pros and cons of each type:
Lithium vs Lead Acid Boat Battery Comparison
✔ Best Battery Types for Wading & Kayak Gigging
- 10Ah 12V deer feeder batteries – Best balance of weight & runtime
- Lithium 12V batteries – Lightest weight (must use voltage regulator)
- 18V–20V drill batteries – Very compact but MUST use regulator
⚠ Why You MUST Use a Voltage Regulator for 18–20V or Lithium Batteries
Swamp Eye® Submersible Lights are driverless - this works great for maximizing run time on 12V batteries. It allows you to have a real low charge on a battery and the light still turn on. The downside is that since they are driverless, they can only accept up to 13V DC input. Overvoltage can damage LEDs and drivers. Therefore, if you are using a Lithium battery (which can spike to 14+ volts on a fresh charge) or drill batteries or any other battery that outputs over 13V DC, then you will need a voltage regulator.
Here’s a complete tutorial on setting up voltage regulation properly:
How to Set Up a Voltage Regulator for 12V Flounder Lights
Final Thoughts
Whether you're running a boat, wading the flats, or drifting in a kayak, building your own removable flounder gigging light setup is extremely rewarding — and with the right components, your clarity and fish-spotting ability go through the roof.
Use the guides above for ideas, or check out the ready-made options if you want something reliable, waterproof, and proven in the field.
Most popular DIY-friendly lights:
