Plan your attack - Use UV

by Jarrod Day on 12 May 2013 Anglers right around the world are always on the lookout for something to better their chances when out on the water. Whether it is a new lure, technique or bait, having that bit more of edge can often be the deciding factor in whether you’re successful or not.

In the last 12 or so months, a new technology that has hit the fishing tackle industry has certainly been lighting up the way.

Many years ago, glowing lures were the new trend and boy did they catch fish. The only problems with glowing lures is that they worked best during the night hours but also had to be charged up by a torch or light to enable the glow paint or lumo finish to work. Today, and with more and more research being undertaken, the latest technology is the use of ultraviolet colour.

We see things a whole lot different to fish and while we see in colour, many species of fish see ultraviolet light. Research that has been done on UV light shows that a predatory fish will be attracted to UV and use the ability to see it to hunt and locate prey. UV light can penetrate water deeper than visible sunlight; in fact, it penetrates seven to ten times deeper.

For a fish hunting prey that has the ability to see this ultraviolet light is a huge benefit. Some fishes also contain ultraviolet in this skin which for them makes them a visible meal ticket, hence the usage of ultra violet material in lures today.

How does ultraviolet light work with fish?
Without getting too technical, ultraviolet light begins at the sun. Sunlight contains ultraviolet light; hence sunburn if your skin is exposed for long periods. Ultraviolet light which cannot be seen by humans, illuminates objects, especially those that contain it such as fish or nowadays, lures. This works both during the night and day and is extremely beneficial in low light conditions. What’s best is that ultraviolet works naturally without the need for an outside factor such as a torch, it all works by the sun and moon.

Fish such as the damselfish may look pretty to the human eye and show a few pale-lavender patches on its head but these and other marks become strikingly apparent under the shorter wavelengths of light that make up the UV portion of the spectrum. This species use their ultraviolet-reflecting colouration to signal to other fishes if danger is around. Should a particular predatory fish not see in ultraviolet, the damsel and others are safe, if not, they may become dinner. Much the same effect is when trolling lures. A lure with a UV coating will illuminate brighter than a similar lure without the UV additive and subsequently will catch more fish.

UV lures hit the market:
With the use of UV coatings and sprays being available, anglers from around the world are finding their successes are increasing.

Lure manufacturing company Duel, also known as Yo-Zuri has embraced the UV theory and have developed a wide range of lures for a wide range of species. One of which I have had particular success with of late is the Dual EZ-Q Cast squid jig. Having fished it side by side other jigs, this particular lure has been much more effective considering squid hunt by seeing UV light. The jig, which contains a UV additive blended into its cloth illuminates with the suns rays and for a calamari nearby, can’t resist but to attack it.

Another lure which has incorporated a UV coating is the skirts on the Richter marlin/tuna lure range. Richter Lures have used UV skirts knowing that predatory fish have the ability to see UV. The result has been outstanding with the Soft Grassy range winning tournaments around the country. Such has been the recent capture of an 84kg southern bluefin tuna off Portland, Victoria by Simon Rinaldi from Red Hot Fishing Charters. The tuna took a Richter UV blue Soft Grassy amongst the spread of 6 other non UV lures on the lures maiden voyage. Other tuna anglers in Victoria are experiencing similar successes and it seems the UV lures are winning all-round. Anglers in American that have been targeting Bass regard UV additives in lures as the difference between winning a tournament and not. This is a big call, but the results are speaking for themselves.

On a personal level, those using UV lures are proving they are the new warfare in fishing today. If you want results, get a UV coated lure and get it into the water, the results will speak for themselves.