So I am pretty fired up...just landed a Brandon Palaniuk - Signature Series - Deck Light Kit and the trolling motor spot lite kit.

Any pointers? Will be installing this week.

Really looking forward to pre-launch lighting for tournaments and night fishing.

Bear in mind that the TM spotlight isn't going to be a welcome thing if the game warden sees you running across the lake with it on. I've been told of boaters (in Texas) who talked their way out of a citation by agreeing to keep the TM nose light off. They aren't part of the Coast Guard's legally defined night lighting. The only white light allowed on small boats such as ours is an all-around light at the stern or a combination of lights giving the same effect per USCG regulations. Why you ask? Because the glare from that light will prevent another boater on the lake from seeing your red/green navigation lights, which help that boater comprehend the orientation and therefore travel direction of your boat. While you may be able to see in front of the boat better, such a light will typically blind the night vision of other boaters located where they may end up looking into that light.

That light is meant as a docking light (from a legal definition perspective). I like them, and I'd probably use one once at idle to navigate into a fishing area with obstacles. That too may be frowned upon, but I'd take a chance on brief use, but wouldn't turn on such a light when on open water for the reasons mentioned. You might want to check into this if you get one. I hear some are surprised when the game warden stops them.

Thank you for the heads up on that for sure.

My intent would be to use this working my way back into a fishing area -- now I know that's how I will use it! Sure don't need the game warden on my tail!

Make sense...very bright light and would cause issue for an approaching boater I would imagine.

I've run my light bar from corpus to Baffin to dog times, shut it off when someone is coming, never had an issue

I just run my light intermittently, to check for a stump or floater. Will be more of an issue for a tournament just because of the number of boats. Most nights, I am the only boat on the lake.