As a kid, some of my favorite toys possessed the magical ability to glow in the dark. Guess not much has changed.
Glow in the dark lures can be found in a variety of forms from soft plastics to spoons. One of my favorite methods to fish is to cast a glowing spoon just before sunrise at the mouth of a tributary of Lake Erie and brace for a steelhead to hammer it. It was 3 degrees this morning in Pennsylvania so it will not be long before I will be hunkered over a hole in the ice, jigging some tiny glow in the dark soft plastic grubs in the dark depths of a snow-covered lake.
Here is a pointer if you want to try out these glow in the dark wonders: Try charging them with a flashlight. One angler I know uses the flash attachment from a camera for a quick, powerful charge. Tip: Look away and hit the lure with the light under your coat or fishing vest. You do not want to alarm the fish of your presence, or blind yourself for a couple of minutes.
For Christmas presents last year, I gave away a couple of the Rapala “Charge N Glows.” Bought one for myself too, you know, for “research purposes.” They are cases that charge your lures, and are about the shape of a case for sunglasses. Drop the lure inside, close the lid and push a button for a few seconds to get a solid charge all over. While standing in a dark, very cold lake, every 10 casts or so I would fire up the world’s smallest tanning bed. No bikini line. No farmer’s tan.
Fishing in the dark can be challenging enough, casting by ear, relieved to hear a splash. However, it can yield some outstanding results. Fishing pressure is less in the dark. And, during the winter, a significant portion of a bite is a “reaction” bite. A little eerie glow fluttering by is one good way get a reaction.
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