The Ultimate Guide to Underwater Green Fishing Lights: How They Work and Why Anglers Swear by Them

Imagine walking down your dock after sunset. The water’s calm, a few mullet flicker across the surface — and with one flip of a switch, a bright green glow cuts through the dark. Within minutes, baitfish swarm the light, and larger predators start circling.

That’s the magic of underwater green fishing lights — and when they’re built right, they don’t just attract fish… they transform your dock or boat into a living aquarium every night.

In this guide, we’ll break down how underwater green fishing lights work, why the color green matters, and what separates high-quality, barnacle-resistant lights (like the ones we engineer at Outrigger Outdoors) from the cheap stuff that burns out after one season.

How Underwater Fishing Lights Work

To understand why these lights are so effective, you have to look at what happens below the surface. When light hits the water, it triggers a chain reaction in the marine food web:

1. Microscopic plankton are drawn to the light, particularly wavelengths in the green spectrum. Our lights are optimally designed for this output - to give you the best opportunity for starting this chain reaction.

2. Baitfish like shad, pinfish, croaker or anchovies (among many others) move in to feed on the plankton.

3. Predators — redfish, trout, snook, bass and other target game fish — follow the baitfish, creating a full-on feeding frenzy.

It’s not luck — it’s biology and physics working together. The right wavelength and brightness level can turn your dock or boat into the most productive fishing spot in your area.

In simple terms, some light (regardless of color) is better than no light. However, green light is the most optimal color in terms of wavelength patterns and fish response. We have utilized this data to optimize the wavelength output of our green fishing lights. 

One of the most critical components to an underwater green fishing light is ensuring you choose one that can hold up for the long haul, maintenance free. Many underwater lights have to be cleaned of barnacles regularly. This was the basis for our development of our Mega Series Underwater Green Fishing Light. 

Why Green is the Most Popular Color for Fishing Lights

You’ll see lights advertised in multiple colors, but here’s why most anglers swear by green fishing lights:

• Best for visibility: Green penetrates water more effectively than most other colors.

• High plankton attraction: Studies and field results show green stimulates plankton more than other colors including blue, warm white, and cool white light output. 

• Balanced attraction: Green draws both baitfish and the predators chasing them.

• Versatility: Works in freshwater and saltwater environments.

There are many different color of lights that are marketed towards fishing, but there is no doubt that green has proven time and time again to be the most effective at attracting fish. We have worked directly with several government agencies who have utilized our LED Underwater Green Fishing Light and Mega Series Underwater Green Fishing Light to study.

Comparing Green, White, and Blue Underwater Lights

• Green Lights – Best all-around option for attracting baitfish and gamefish. Works in both clear and murky water.

• White Lights – Typically available in a warm white or cool white option. These are excellent for shrimping, squid, bully netting lobster and flounder gigging. Provides a broad, bright glow that does well for quickly surveying underwater areas. In terms of fishing, these warm white and cool white color options can still perform well, but they don't have quite as optimal response as green does. 

• Blue Lights – Often used offshore or for aesthetics around yachts and docks. Not as effective at baitfish attraction as green. We see a lot of customers purchase these lights in areas that have clear water. 

Pro tip: Some advanced lights such as our Mega Series Underwater Fishing Light, allow you to swap bulbs so you’re not limited to one single color. This allows you to experiment yourself with different colors so you can get the perfect balance of a unique illuminated ambiance and fish attraction. 

Benefits of Fishing with Underwater Green Lights

• Catch more fish: Create your own hotspot instead of chasing schools. 

• Consistency: Lights draw fish night after night in the same location.

• Dock and pier enjoyment: They add ambiance while also attracting marine life.

• Versatility: Works for everything from catfish and crappie in lakes to redfish, trout, tarpon and snook among many other species in saltwater.

Choosing the Right Underwater Fishing Light

Not all lights are created equal. Here’s what to look for:

• Brightness & Penetration – Higher lumen output and correct color wavelength ensure your light pulls in bait from a wide area.

• Durability – Fully submersible, corrosion-resistant housing is a must for saltwater. The light and housing itself must be barnacle-proof, which are few and far between among what's publicly available. If skimping on barnacle resistance, then don't plan on leaving the light in the water long term. You will need to remove it after using for a couple of days. 

• Flexibility – The ability to swap between colors (green, white, blue, etc.) lets you adapt to conditions.

• Power Options – Compatibility with AC (dock power) without additional drivers, ballasts, or power converters. The less "extra" that is mounted on the dock, the less problems for you to experience. 

After 3 years of consistent design, development, and field testing - we were able to check all of these boxes with our all new Mega Series Underwater Fishing Light.

Downside to an Underwater Fishing Light

There's one undeniable truth about anything that is going to be submerged in water (freshwater or saltwater) for the long haul - it's going to accumulate growth. 

If your underwater fishing light isn't 100% barnacle and growth resistant, then you are going to be in trouble. You might have problems after a week (in a high growth area) or it might be a month or a couple months. It's not IF you will have problems, but WHEN you will have problems. 

What does "barnacle resistant" mean?

Barnacle resistance doesn't necessarily mean the light will never have barnacle growth because anything that is left underwater in saltwater for long periods of time will eventually have barnacle growth. What it really means is it won't be affected by the barnacle growth. This is something that very few underwater fishing lights on the market are capable of. 

In LED underwater fishing lights, barnacles themselves latching onto to the light are not what literally kills the light by being present. What kills the light is actually the light losing its ability to properly cool itself off in the water column, which is the result of excessive barnacle and growth on the light. This ultimately leads to LEDs overheating and rapidly degrading. You will see LEDs lose their brightness faster or you might even see them overheat at a fast pace which results in black marks on the surface of the LED PCB.

On the flip side, exposed metal halide housings are not affected by barnacle growth in terms of heat. They are effected, though, by the delicate exposed bulbs that can have a barnacle latch on to them, secrete their cement-like glue onto the bulb, which then causes it to crack and bust with the constant changing temperatures as the bulb is turned on and off. 

How do you prevent this? 

There's several options: 

1.) You can clean your light by removing barnacles regularly (at least once a week to once every couple of weeks depending on growth in your area) or remove the light from the water when you aren't using it. 

2.) You purchase an above water fishing light - because if the light is above water, it's impossible for a barnacle to latch onto it!

3.) If you want to stick with an underwater fishing light, it’s critical to use one that’s purpose-built for long-term exposure to barnacles and marine growth. This requires a delicate balance: the light must generate enough heat during operation to burn off barnacles, but it also has to be engineered so barnacle buildup won’t damage or block the light when it does occur. That’s why most underwater LED lights fail in this environment, and even many metal halide or sodium vapor lights break down if they aren’t designed correctly. Our Mega Series Underwater Fishing Lights solve this problem. Each light is built with a protective housing that shields the interchangeable bulb, preventing barnacles from latching directly onto it. The result is a durable, long-lasting system that keeps shining bright season after season—even in the harshest marine conditions.

Why Anglers Swear by the Mega Series Underwater Green Fishing Light

The Mega Series was designed for serious anglers who need maximum brightness and long-term durability. Here’s why it stands out:

• Incredible brightness that penetrates deep and wide, outputting the equivalent of over 40,000 lumens. 

• Interchangeable bulb system (green, white, blue, red, purple, warm white). Not only are replacement bulbs cheap, but they are easy to install and give you versatility in balancing ambiance with effective fishing. 

• Built tough with marine-grade housing to withstand years of saltwater use, while also being 100% barnacle resistant. 

• Flexible power options for docks, piers, and boats.

For anglers who want the most effective and long-lasting underwater green fishing light, the Mega Series delivers unmatched results.

Check out the Mega Series Underwater Fishing Light here. 

Final Thoughts

Underwater fishing lights aren’t just a gimmick — they’re a proven way to turn any dock, pier, or boat into a fishing hotspot. By attracting plankton, then baitfish, then gamefish, you create an entire ecosystem right under your feet.

And while green is the go-to color for most anglers, having a high-quality, durable light that can adapt to multiple situations and ultimately hold up for the long haul is what makes all the difference.