How To Make Your Own Glow In The Dark Fishing Lure
Learn how to make a glow in the dark fishing lure that will keep the fish biting.
A glow in the dark fishing lure is a great addition to any angler's tackle box. Sometimes the odd glow is just what is needed to excite lethargic fish into striking. These lures can be used successfully at night, during the day, and in about any situation. In this article we will take a look at the different materials used for glow in the dark fishing lures. We will also show you how to make your own glow in the dark lure.
The basics
Glow in the dark is just what it says, an object or material that can be seen in the absence of light. The most common objects are nightlights or plastic stars hanging in a child's bedroom. These objects store light then release it when no light is available. The glow produced can be applied to fishing lures. This glow attracts fish at deep water levels where there is little light.
Why glow in the dark lures work?
Glow in the dark lures work for one simple reason, the fish are able to see them better in deep water. As the depth of the lure increases, the color and brightness of the lure decreases until it looks gray. This is because colors of light can only penetrate the water so far. A luminous object like a glow in the dark lure keeps its color and brightness in dark places. Fish are able to spot the lure better because of this.
Materials needed to build your own glow in the dark lure
These lures are simple to make and a deadly addition to any tackle box. Here's what we need to get started:
2 ½" wooden dowel ½" diameter
Two treble hooks
¼" Eyelet screw (x3)
Glow in the dark paint
Paint sealant
Knife
Sandpaper
Towel
Pencil
We will be making a small minnow type lure using an acrylic based glow in the dark paint. This paint is sold online and at some paint shops. It comes in more colors than your standard green including blue, pink, and yellow. These are all excellent colors for lures so choose one that suits you. Paint sealant can be found at a paint or craft store and is used to waterproof the glow in the dark paint and seal it for added life.
Another option besides paint is to use glow in the dark craft clay. This clay can be purchased at any craft store and is a quick and easy way to sculpt effective lures. Once a lure has been made with the craft clay, it is baked in the over until it hardens. Hooks can then be added and it's off to the nearest fishing hole.
Put it all together
It's time to build our lure. Start by imagining the basic shape you want the lure to be. It should be fat at the head and skinny at the tail. Grip the dowel firmly at one end and place the other end on the towel angling away from you. To form the tail, we only want to carve the bottom half of the dowel right now. Using the knife with your free hand, place it against the dowel and cut downwards to whittle your shape. It is easiest to carve two flat sides opposite each other on the dowel then carve the top and bottom. It's up to you how skinny you want the tail to be. Remember we are just making a rough shape right now, we will smooth out the lure with sandpaper later.
Once the tail is done, flip the dowel over and firmly grip it. Angle it away from you on the towel and begin to carve the head. There should be a bump about ¼" of the way up from the end of the dowel to represent the head and increase movement in the water. The mouth of the lure should taper away from the head and be rounded at the end. Grooves or notches can be added with the knife to make a spot for eyes. Fish concentrate on a minnow's eyes when they are looking for a meal so it's a good idea to make them glow in the dark.
We now have the rough shape of the lure. At this point a lot of sanding needs to be done to produce the final shape and smooth the surface. Start with rough sandpaper and then use some fine sandpaper to prepare the surface for paint.
The next step is to come up with a design and use the pencil to draw it on the newly made lure. Horizontal or vertical stripes work well as do spots and random patterns. Again the choice is up to you. One simple design is to make three or four stripes across the back and draw two oversized eyes. Several spots are then drawn on the belly. The stripes and spots are later filled in with glow in the dark paint to produce excellent results.
When the design is on the lure and you are happy with it, we can start painting. One or two base colors should be used that do not glow in the dark. These colors should be acrylic based but any craft paint should work. Start by applying the base colors to the dowel. Each layer is brushed on and then allowed to dry. We painted the bottom half of our lure with white paint and the top half with green. After the paint has dried, paint in the details with glow in the dark paint. We used yellow for the stripes and pink for the spots. The eyes were then painted to glow green. After the paint dries, we need to seal it. Follow the instructions on your sealant to apply it to the lure.
It is a good idea to use multiple coats of sealant to keep the lure looking like new for a long time.
After the sealant has dried, we can add the hooks. Two of the eyelet screws are used at the bottom of the lure. One should be placed near the end at the tail and the other is placed just behind the head. Drilling a small pilot hole into the lure will make it easier to screw the eyelets into place. The treble hooks can then be attached directly to the eyelets or by using a wire ring. The third eyelet screw goes on top of the lure in front of the head. This is used to hook into a swivel when attaching the lure to your line. Again, drilling a pilot hole makes it easier to screw the eyelet in place.
Test your new lure
You should have successfully built a glow in the dark fishing lure now. The paint must be charged in order to glow. To charge the lure, hold it close to a light source for 5 minutes or so. The 5-minute charge will keep the paint glowing for 6-8 hours and can be tested by taking the lure into a dark room.
To fish with the lure, tie a swivel to the end of your fishing line and clip it onto the lure. Since the lure is light, some sinkers should be added to the line to weigh it down. Then just cast it out and reel it in and wait for the fish to bite. With a little creativity and some effort, a good glow in the dark lure can be produced. And hopefully the sport of fishing is more interesting now that you can make your own glowing lure.
