By day, ultraviolet sunrays work like a secret decoder ring; underwater, fish munchies known as zooplankton act as the invisible ink. Elusive, natural UV light betrays the otherwise translucent zooplankton like script magically appearing on parchment. To bluegills, crappies, perch and trout, the UV effect is a powerful sign of good things to eat.
The first to offer progressive, heavy-headed tungsten jigs in North America, FISKAS recently unleashed new bold and bright UV Series Jigs. Five totally original UV-reflective color patterns boost the visual attracting powers of FISKAS’ proven, fish catching Wolfram (tungsten) jigs. Initially available in four sizes, from downright diminutive 2.5mm to 5mm (approx. 1/16-oz) deepwater demon, the UV Jigs will soon also include 6-, 7- and 9mm sizes. Look for new UV patterns in the trending XL Walleye Jig Series, too, enhanced with upsized hook gaps and sticky sharp hooks by Christmas.
Science itself supports the fact that many forms of zooplankton—the most widely preyed upon winter panfish food—actually reflect light at UV wavelengths, making the translucent critters much more visible to predatory fish with UV vision. Sunfish, yellow perch, trout and crappies all use UV vision to detect prey, including zooplankton and tiny, reflective baitfish.
“All of these innovative UV jigs exhibit a chameleon-like ability to suddenly reflect luminous colors and intriguing stripe patterns when exposed to ultraviolet light,” says Jamie Olson, co-owner of YourBobbersDown.com and exclusive FISKAS distributor. “These are colors and patterns available no where else in the industry.
“The Daylight Pink pattern, for example, looks like a simple two-tone black and pink jig to the naked eye. But under UV light, fish see a morsel that’s alive with prisms of radiant color—brilliant pinks and blues as well as vivid anatomical black stripes.”
Olson notes that unlike “glow” jigs that phosphoresce and produce bites at night, FISKAS UV Series Jigs literally shine during the day and into dusk, when UV sunrays penetrate the shallows. “Anglers have found that UV Series Wolfram Jigs give them an attraction advantage. Fish simply see these lures better; they draw fish looking to locate food around dense cover or vegetation. UV also penetrates stained water, so fishing these jigs in some of the darker lakes can also give you an edge.”
Olson adds that unlike traditional “glow” jigs, UV Series Jigs don’t require the angler to continually charge or zap them with an artificial light source. “Natural UV rays give these lures all the light energy they need to really hum underwater,” says Olson.
“We tell folks to use UV jigs from dawn to dusk for a visual advantage underwater. At night switch to a glow-pattern FISKAS Wolfram Epoxy or Handpainted Jig, and blast it with our Super Atomic UV Glow Charger.” This compact lure light supercharges standard phosphorescent glow jigs and plastics; it also amps up UV Series Jigs. The special UV charger employs 21 LEDS that emit a massive barrage of ultraviolet light, while other LED key-chain glow chargers use just a single LED.
Beyond FISKAS’ sticky sharp, tournament grade hooks and pure, fast-sinking tungsten, the leading edge ice jigs sport a massive array of UV, glow and premium color patterns. FISKAS Wolfram Jigs also feature an expansive range of weight/sizes (from 2.5mm to 9mm) and a spectacular array of FISKAS Balance lures with shapes and styles found nowhere else on the continent.
“Almost every one of our ice fishing pros have told us that UV-armed jigs can be real difference makers—often the one definitive factor that produces a really big fish or two by the end of the day.”