E/T Lights

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Thursday, 30 September 2010 08:04

E/T Lights

Written by Isaac Miller

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It may seem funny that I'm talking about a device that was designed for military and first responders, but the Emergency Triage Lights from Southwest Synergistic Solutions has an excellent use for us Yak Anglers. I was glad to have discovered them at ICAST this year, and have put my E/T Light through the paces.

This waterproof LED light gives you four color options - Red, Amber, Green and Blue - all in the one unit. In addition to the color options, you also get the option of selecting either a blinking or constant light. The blink is around 60-90 blinks per minute (ok, you got me, I didn't really count) which falls within what the Coast Guard says is an emergency blink frequency. This is great if you're in the need of a nighttime CG rescue. Outdoor_Poster-Fishing

But lets say you don't need that rescue.

I mainly used the Amber and Blue lights (more on the red later) because they're the only two color options that are not considered directional light markers. I didn't want to use Red or Green and have someone think I was a powerboat moving around. Both the amber and the blue lights gave me a sufficient amount of light to do some night fishing and crabbing from my kayak while on the Puget Sound a few weeks ago. A silicon housing protects the whole light, including the switch, and it was extremely easy to find the switch to control the light color and blinking/continuous. Even after using it once I knew how to operate it without ever looking again.

Unfortunately I don't have any photos of me using the E/T light that weekend. But I can tell you that everyone I was out at the cabin with was capable of seeing the E/T light when I had it around my neck. That may not sound all that impressive, but I was 3/4 mile away from the cabin in a pitch black nighttime sky. I was using the Amber light setting, which was more comfortable in the darkness than the Blue. The blue just seemed too bright to my eyes. In a more recent use, the blue light was more visible at a half mile away (furthest I was able to get at that time) than the light on top of my VisiPole.

product E/T lights are powered by a commonly available CR2 lithium battery. These have been used in cameras for over a decade and can be found anywhere. This battery will last nearly 200hrs continuous use! That's more than most people I know spend fishing in a year.

Now, I told you I'd get back to the Red light. I also mentioned that this LED light is waterproof. So, I wanted to test things out a little excessively. I guess I'm known for that, and why I manage to break things all the time... anyways... I attached the E/T light to a crab pot on night (the E/T Light has two different attachment rings), set it to a Red blink, and dropped it 125' into the Puget Sound. Nevermind the fact that is twice its pressure tested depth rating. About eight hours later I paddled back out and pulled the pot back up. The red light was still blinking, and included a couple huge dungeness crab, a few red rocks, a small eel, and a giant sun star on top of the pot! Talk about attraction!

E/T light retail for less than $35 and you can purchase them directly from their website at http://www.triagelights.com. While its great at catching crab and other deep sea creatures, it is invaluable as a safety device.

Read 8362 times Last modified on Wednesday, 27 October 2010 07:29

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Isaac Miller

About the Author: Isaac Miller considers himself an "equal opportunity angler" and will fish anything that will take a hook. Isaac often makes live internet video broadcasts when fishing from his kayaks, giving up-to-the-second reports on conditions and tackle choices. He also blogs at www.isaac-online.com and is a YakAngler.com Pro Staffer as well as Co-Host for Kayak Fishing Radio's Wild West show, PR Director for Recycled Fish, and co-owner of Green Tackle.