By Keith Segar

Ten years ago only a handful of tackle manufacturer's produced products with glow-in-the -dark capabilities. In stark contrast today almost all tackle companies have offerings that are luminescent in nature.

What some people considered a fad many years ago has developed into a staple for many anglers. Most of these anglers wouldn't even consider leaving the dock if they didn't have there supply glow hooks, jig's, crankbaits, or spoons! Oh, and I forgot spinner blades as well! If you can fish with it, they probably have it in glow. More importantly they now have it in glow colors! Let's take a look at what's available in some of these categories.

Jig's

Almost all jig manufacturers have jumped on the bandwagon here. Glow jig's account for more fish than many anglers realize, and for good reason too. In stained water, or low light conditions, glow jigs give walleye a better target to home in on when they may otherwise miss the bait being drifted past them. In certain circumstances the structure itself may create shadows on one side where the glow jig will be more easily spotted over a traditional jig color. Rock piles in river's are one instance that comes to mind, wing dams are another.

Currently Northland, Lindy, and many more have jig's painted in luminescent colors. Mack's Lure has developed a bucktail jig called the "Rock Dancer" with glow in the dark eyes to help attract fish to your lure. They come in all shapes and sizes as well many different colors, and patterns.


Crankbait's

It is my opinion the sole reason crankbait's are now produced with glow in the dark markings is entirely due to the new cadre of night time anglers, and the increase in their numbers that have made the lure makers take notice. This legion of after dark anglers have a pretty good idea of what they want, and will use when they venture out in the evening in search of trophy walleye's. In fact most of them probably have toyed with the notion of many times in years past. Ten years ago it was quite common to dress up your favorite "daytime" cranks with glow in the dark tape to increase strikes at night. Most were custom created by the anglers themselves with nothing more than a pair of scissors, and their imagination. Not long afterward a company by the name of Witchtape started offering pre-cut tapes in different designs for anglers to use on their own lures. Storm got in the game, and produced them as well if I recall correctly for use on their line of lures. Now most of them have an offering in one form 
or another.

Spoon's/Spinners

What's good for the goose is great for the gander! At least it appears that way. Now you can purchase most any brand of jigging spoon on the market, and they all have glow in the dark colors available. Why not? Most situation's where you normally consider using jigging spoons like deep water, or early morning/late evening are prime examples of when luminescent lures help produce more strikes. Ice fishermen have quickly seen the benefits and now most of their lures used for panfishing have glow paint on them.

The spinner crowd is not about to be left behind here either. Walk into any well-stocked tackle shop, or sporting goods store, and I'll almost guarantee that they have spinners in glow colors! The time, and place to use them is almost certainly the low light periods of morning, and evening, but some anglers have found them effective in the middle of the night as well!

Hook's

This is one place where the two go together like a match made in heaven. I mean in its simplest form you are adding glow attractant to the business end of your line right where you want the fish's attention focused! Red hooks were big on the market for awhile, and then fluorescent colored hooks came on the scene and created a stir as well. We have learned that these are both great assets, but don't work well sometimes in low light applications. Glow in the dark hooks excel in this area simply because not only do they supply color to your bait during daylight hours, they also remain visible when the light starts to fade. 

One company that I'm aware of takes it one step further than most tackle companies. Mack's Lure of Leavenworth, WA has a full line of glow in the dark hooks in several colors. They have snelled, and unsnelled baitholder glow hooks as well as trebles in various sizes. They even have a glow hook with flash-a-bou added for the ultimate in attraction power! 

Still some people resist change, and refuse to add these "toy's" to their arsenal. But that's OK, because those that know go with the glow. They also have to hide the grin's on their faces when nearby anglers get frustrated that they are not catching as many fish as they are!