Best way to apply UV Blaster

I want to try applying some UV Blaster to colored jig heads. Was wondering what is the best method if one exists. Is it better to use powder paint or just paint/dip on the liquid overcoat? These will be small jigs in the 1/32 to 1/8 ounce size. I usually powder paint my jig heads after heating over an alcohol burner. Was thinking of powder painting on the UV Blaster right after the initial painting. As the jigs are small I am thinking the lead will loose heat too fast to just re dip in the UV solution right after painting. Really didn't want to reheat as it could change the paint color. So, i was wondering how you are all applying UV additive? Always appreciate any and all input.

Cheers

Lonny in SC
"Goatisland"

If you are painting unpainted heads you should have a cup set up with your powder paint color ready and the UV Blast powder. Right after you heat the head and dip in color immediately dip in UV Blast and one fas past back through your flame/heat source and then cure. If they are already painted and cured the paint on the liquid overcoat. I have and do both depending on if they are painted already or not.

Oh one other note if you paint with powder silver it will change to a gray, but if you use the liquid after the silver is painted and cured it will not do the same thing and will stay silver. If you are using silver plated heads it will not turn them either way. So this is just with powder silver.

One other note if the paint your using is a FL Paint it will glow under the black light just like the UV will even though they are different and if you want you can still put the UV powder on them too.

Skip

Here is a picture of a few heads I coated with powder UV and you can see my Silver is no longer silver in natural light. Then the same jig heads under a black light.
DSC04584.JPG
DSC04581B.JPG

Skip

I have not used the UV Blast, but here are my experiences with two toning regular PP. Heat the heads just enough so the base coat is still a bit rough when you remove it from the paint. Swish if through the second coat and it will adhere to the first coat by friction and residual heat. Hold the jig a couple of inches over the heat source for about half a second per side so the paint doesn't fall off when you handle the jig before baking. Don't sick it close to the heat source and you won't have a problem with the color changing.

Has there been any studies on whether crappies can see UV light? I know some salmonids can, but different fish have different vision capabilities. Haven't heard one way or the other for crappie.

Have lost some of the articles I had a few years back either because the web site is no longer there or changes their site. I have read that most fish can see UV light due to them having the extra cone in their eyes we don't have.

I saved this article on fish seeing Ultraviolet Light....
http://www.halibut.net/fool-a-fish.pdf

I heard that the animals who's eyes reflect light at night in the dark when you shine light on them like a deers eyes at night, or a cat, or a walleye's eyes, are the ones with the extra cone in there eye, who can see UV light, and also see in the dark very well. Do crappie eyes light up at night when shined with a light? I know they said while deer hunting best to use UV blocker on your clothes so the deer don't see you.

Some even see infrared light too.

Here is a search with lots of info...
Crappie and ability to see UV - Google Search

Especially lots of good stuff here too.
How Fish See and use UV rays to find bait fish

Thank you everyone for the info, how to's and the links. Will be trying both powder and liquid UV blaster per your suggestions. Now I'm going to have to tie duplicates so one can have UV added and one not so side by side on the water testing can be done. Let the fun begin... :-)

Lonny in SC

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Goatisland

Thank you everyone for the info, how to's and the links. Will be trying both powder and liquid UV blaster per your suggestions. Now I'm going to have to tie duplicates so one can have UV added and one not so side by side on the water testing can be done. Let the fun begin... :-)

Lonny in SC

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Lonny be sure to come back and let us know what it did for you. It's always good to hear when someone does something like this. I do know I gave my neighbor some of the worm dip as he's a bass guy and not long after he fished a tournament and it was slow so about mid day he finally used the dip on one of his worms and caught the big bass for the tournament and won $1000!

Skip

I sure will Skip. It will be some time before this can happen as the lake is so low its not safe to put in anywhere. Glad I pulled my boat a few months ago. My entire pier is now high and dry so I have completed some pier repairs. :-) Now to order some UV blaster, and maybe some different colors of powder paint, maybe....

Lonny

If the point is to be more visible in dark water, why not just go with glow in the dark stuff. That stuff seems to have a good track record. It's a little hard to believe research done by someone selling the stuff.

Being more visible is one reason for trying the UV enhancement products. Will even add some on top of glow in the dark stuff. But mainly to explore new ideas and concepts. Will it really help - who knows but it will be fun trying it out. Just like hand tying my own jigs when cheap rubber tube jigs have a good track record.

Shoemoo's and Skip gave out some pearls there. Does field testing count for studies? Mine have been FL Yellow and green glow that I've painted with. I'll be purchasing the rest of the colors now. It is a wise investment !!