gear guide: misunderstood innovation
IMPROVEMENT
During the 1950s, we saw offerings covered with a finish called glow-in-the-dark. They
revolutionized the industry in the 1970s and are still highly valued by various fishing
communities. These lures are covered with a luminescent product that has the particularity
of storing the light and rebroadcasting it thereafter. Thus treated, when exposed to the sun
or artificial lighting, they emit certain visually appealing gleams, particularly visible in deep,
dark or turbid waters where the sun doesn’t shine.
SOME SCIENCE
The sun is a star that is 109 times the diameter
of our planet. This star warms us and gives us
light. Its rays are composed of more than 50%
of visible light and about 45% of infrared rays.
It is estimated that 5% of its energy is emitted in
the form of ultraviolet radiation, which is called
UV.
Even when there are large cloud masses,
one must know and remember that the
ultraviolet rays still get to us. In reality, clouds
simply block infrared, not UV.
Nearly 95% of the rays that reach the earth’s
crust are UV-A. The latter, invisible to the
naked eye and responsible for our sunburn,
are between 315 and 400 nanometers. While
humans do not see them, it’s important to know
that fish distinguish them very well, down to
depths of more than 35 - 40 meters.
LIKE A GHOST
Over the past few years, several
manufacturers have introduced colors to the
market that respond to ultraviolet rays.
These shades, which often seem a little
more flamboyant, were appreciated by
amateurs, but nothing more. In fact, in my
opinion, this is the biggest marketing flop of all
time. Not because they aren’t great products,
but because manufacturers have launched
extraordinary color palettes that represent a
real revolution, yet most consumers cannot
accurately explain the results.
When “UV” is written on the packaging of
a lure it means that it is covered with a finish
that reacts and reflects ambient ultraviolet
light, even in shallow waters. It magically
lights up, but your eyes can not see it and
that is the main problem with this technology
for the average person. When placed under a
UV flashlight or a fluorescent black light, you
will appreciate all the facets. The colors then
explode and become even more visible and
attractive.
According to some biologists, some
sources of miniature food in the form of
zooplankton or phytoplankton, and even a
few others a little larger, have scales and skin
that reflects UV. Predators can easily locate
them in the water column.
43 Wild Guide
. Winter 2018