glowing your jig

[RainbowBait]

do those lights they sell for ice fishing jigs work better than my mag light?

[bobbymalone]

i use the flashlight or the camera flash in a pinch, but nothing beats a cheap blacklight led flashlight from the internet. I think I spent 10 bucks including shipping for two of them.

blacklight is the best for charging jigs or any glow in the dark product.

here's a pseudogeeky explanation, so feel free to skip to the next post...

its all about the best wavelengths and the intensity of light. Most glow products are excited at an optimal wavelength that is in the UV spectrum. While white light will work, a lot of that light is not very useful in exciting the "glow" molecules. For example, red light doesn't charge those things for carp, try it if you have a red led gadget laying around. A high intensity blast from say a camera flash works a lot better, just because you are pumping a lot of light in there, even though a lot of it is less than useful. A blacklight is closer to the optimal wavelength, so you get a lot more bang for buck and there isn't unusable light produced. They charge them very well as anyone that uses one will agree. I'm not sure why the tackle crafters haven't jumped on the idea yet, especially since they are selling "charging" products.

Has anybody thought about a bright glow turning off the fish? I have often wondered if a weak glow might be enough to get their attention, while not being so bright to weird out the fish.

[SDS]

Glow jigs are phoney. Just another gimic. Yes we will pick up random fish just like every other lure in the box. I beleive fish are atracted to vibrations, water dispersment and flash more than glow.

[DarthBaiter]

I disagree. I outfished a buddy of mine 15-1 at the very least with my glow jig to his non glow in the evening hours.

Answer to your question, Blacklight seemed to give it a longer lasting charge.

[SDS]

Perch?

[bobbymalone]

I beleive fish are atracted to vibrations, water dispersment and flash more than glow.

when it's dark, flash and glow are the same thing.

def doesn't seem to hurt.

[PerchJerker]

Glow baits can make a huge difference at times --- my opinion is there's lots of times when glow will improve your catch, and almost never any times that it will hurt your catch. And that includes perch fishing too.

I also use a UV flashlight to charge my glow baits, it works much better than a white light or even a camera flash --- especially with glow red and glow blue colors.

[curtistodd]

ive never charged jigs with a blacklight, so i have no idea how well that works, but what works for me is this: I went to FF and bought a 45-LED flashlight for 10-15 bucks, and that charges the heck out of those jigs, and fast too! There is no reason to buy one of those one bulb, seven dollar key chain deals. Heck, even a coleman lantern gets them to glow as well as those things do.

[luckydog25]

This is a really good question. I fish lake michigan quite a bit in the summer. In the evenings and really early morning it is "if it dont glow it dont go" for baits. That water is clearer than anything we are ice fishing. Glow baits DO make a differnce there in the ultra clear water.

I know that is open water and for a totally different species, but there is something to glowing baits. If anyone has fished there in the dark, you can confirm this. You used to see the camera bulb flashes steady glowing baits from other boats, if you are fishing with other boats when it is dark or close to dark.

The past 2 years we see less and less of the camera bulbs flashing. Including the big charter boats. They talk more and more about black lighting to charge glow baits. Gotta be something to it;)

I am a firm believer in glow baits in the winter. When it's low light I will always have one down and make sure it's charged.

[Ed Carlson]

TIP: With a Vexilar Pro Pack, Double Vision Pack, or the Ultra Pack case, there is a easy Tweak to solve the Glow Jigs charging issue.

Step 1: Install a Vexilar Flex Light on the case.

Insert heavy aluminum foil in one of the Rod Holder receivers, or the a Vexilar Cup Holder, forming a reflective light Charging Cup. A mini Sun Tan chamber.

Simply focus the Vexilar Flex light emitting diode equipped light into the Charge Cup you formed, and dip the jig into the charging chamber as needed. Takes a few seconds, it gets light from all directions,

Zip-Zap-Bada-Ding-Bada-Boom....done deal. Just dip and Charge...then get back to fishing.

[Random guy]

I have been using the blacklight trick as it does glow em up nicely and doesn't blow your night vision in a darker portable. The camera flash was nice but seeing spots for ten minutes was not.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Interesting.. May have to pick up a blacklight flashlight.

[gman2002]

theres a new deal out there called "pop it", its a tiny flashlight that when you hit the button it gives off a burst of light like a camera flash . it comes with a lanyard so you can wear it around your neck . they claim your jigs will glow brighter and longer than anything out there ! i ordered one the other day , when i use it i'll post what i think. it looks like a cool little deal

[picksbigwagon]

I purchased a lure lightning a couple years ago at the ice fishing show, it has the ultraviolet lights and it works better than anything I had tried before. It is mounted to the side of LX5 and I can just reach out with my big ol' foot and push the button while my jig is hanging in front of the light.....

[herefish101]

Wow there are alot of u.v. and u.v. blacklight flashlights out there, they range in price from .95 cents to hundreds of dollars. I know I dont need one that is very expensive to charge a glow jig but to those of you who use them. Do any of you have any recomendations? Or tech info that would help me get one that is not junk. Or should I go by the old standard of, you get what you pay for?

[tsande00]

I purchased a lure lightning a couple years ago at the ice fishing show, it has the ultraviolet lights and it works better than anything I had tried before. It is mounted to the side of LX5 and I can just reach out with my big ol' foot and push the button while my jig is hanging in front of the light.....

I bought one of these two and compared it with my previous LED flashlight.

Up to then I thought the LED flashlight worked awesome...then I tried the lure lightning with the LEDs AND ultraviolet - WOW. Works awesome. And it's nice having it run right off your flasher battery so you don't need to hassle with AAs.

[pulleye16]

you can pick up an LED UV light at most auto stores, they use them for detecting leaks. The kit cost $20.

[bobbymalone]

Wow there are alot of u.v. and u.v. blacklight flashlights out there, they range in price from .95 cents to hundreds of dollars. I know I dont need one that is very expensive to charge a glow jig but to those of you who use them. Do any of you have any recomendations? Or tech info that would help me get one that is not junk. Or should I go by the old standard of, you get what you pay for?

i have got one like this. cheap chinese, but has lasted two years - same batteries too. runs on 3 AAA. found it on that auction site with the E in the name. search for "9 led blacklight flashlight"

[rmb]

plus one for the cheap uv blacklight. works way better than anything i have ever owned. i did pick up one of the pop-it flasher style chargers at the ice show last year, all i can say is i wish i had that money back. it works but seeing spots stinks and it doesn't work as well as a cheap uv light.

[gman2002]

not what i wanted to hear

[tsande00]

i have got one like this. cheap chinese, but has lasted two years - same batteries too. runs on 3 AAA. found it on that auction site with the E in the name. search for "9 led blacklight flashlight"

This is exactly what I was using before buying the lure lightning. There is something to the UV that the lure lightning (and others) put out. Definitely better than just the LEDs. You can find these flashlights all over. I bought one at a autoparts store by the register for $4 and another at Home Depot for $4.

They are very bright but can be finicky at times.