Wanting to add some lights because I just about can't stand fishing in 100 degree weather anymore.

I did this to my pontoon boat for 40 dollars. Bought lights on ebay. LED tape lights in 16 foot rolls. Had to heat the 3M tape with a hair dryer to make stick. clean surface with alcohol for prep.

on the deck or underneath? i have red lights on my deck and under the console to light up the deck, and clear leds in the rod lockers and tackle compartments. josh mulkey sells them off here under MOBIUS. great guy and friend

I think I may end up doing both actually.

Do these have to have a plug in the boat somewhere? Or can you just add some electrical wiring and then attach them to alligator clips to put onto the battery?

I have before. Just hardcore them in with a toggle switch. I don't like deck lights because they blind me. I don't run leds outside the boat because you don't need them for bass. If I want to fish crappie I bought a green led submersible light that I clip on and drop in the water to attract bait fish. Look for lights around docks as they attract fish better because the fish are accustomed to them being there and come to them every night to feed

You will run into problems with the green leds on outside of boat if not anchored if the law catches you in non anchored state. But they are also great to have if you have nav light failures keeps you from getting hit sometimes.

Green lights outside the boat can be an issue (whether anchored or not) depending on their placement. The display of green or red lights visible outside the vessel is restricted to use assigned by the USCG regulations (which Texas adopts). For green light, this means from straight ahead to a point 112.5 degrees to the starboard (that's the right side for those who don't know). A green light visible from any other angle is a violation of USCG rules. This isn't arbitrary - there's truly a method to the madness, but many recreational boaters don't take the time to think about WHY these rules exist and why they're like they are.

You can tell a lot about a boat displaying proper lighting - such as general direction of travel relative to your own vessel, and whether it's underway or at anchor. When other boaters start randomly displaying green or red lights, the information that could have been gleaned from looking at other vessels' lighting is lost.

Buried within the USCG regulations is a rule dictating that no vessel shall display a light of a color or in a manner so as to confuse that light with the mandated navigation lighting.

Example: the Rigid Minn Kota TM bracket light with a white light at the bow. Guess what? That's a docking light, actually only allowed when in the process of docking the boat. Some anglers have found that running on plane across the lake with that light on isn't cool per TPWD.

So basically, TPWD says you have to fish in the dark if you are night fishing?

"Buried within the USCG regulations is a rule dictating that no vessel shall display a light of a color or in a manner so as to confuse that light with the mandated navigation lighting."

That basically means I can't even wear a headlamp? The reason so many people have issues with laws is because they are written so vaguely.

You should never be in the dark while fishing because there's a constant requirement for at least one white light. For small boats, we typically have a combo anchor/stern light on a pole at the rear of the vessel. This satisfies the white light requirement for both at anchor and under way. So, this light should legally be on at all times when night-lighting is called for by regulation.

There is no rule restricting the display of white lights while at anchor. The display of white lights is restricted specifically while under way. I agree it gets hazy when a small boat is drifting at a snail's pace because it's really not "at anchor". Most officers resolve this by viewing instead that you are obviously NOT under way if the main propulsion engine is off. If you aren't under way, then you need at least one compliant white light (anchor light), but can have other white lights as needed.

Why does that work? Well, if another boater sees white light only, then that boat is "at anchor" (or at least not moving via the main engine). White light only = it's not really going anywhere at any speed of concern. This is why you should TURN OFF the red/green navigation light when you are not moving, or are essentially not moving for all practical purposes. Not displaying red/green when you aren't under way makes it clear to other vessels that the boat is essentially sitting still.