Experienced fishermen argue that fishing at night is more effective than during the day. Especially if the target is large specimens. There are varieties of fish that can only be caught in the evening or at night. When planning such a trip to the reservoir, you need to carefully consider a set of gear.
A firefly for night fishing is a simple but necessary device. It can be purchased at any specialized store. But if there is a desire and enough free time, this device can be made with your own hands. To do this, you will need the most ordinary tool, which is often in the arsenal of a home master, as well as initial skills in working with it. Making gear yourself, it’s quite easy not only to create a quality firefly, but also to have fun.
general characteristics
In twilight or night darkness, many fishing methods are acceptable only when using the backlight. Some use special sound alarms. But these calls are not always effective, especially with careful bite or frequent transfer of bait. A firefly for night fishing is considered a more acceptable option. He does not burden the tackle. But without this element, fishing in the dark will not work.
There are chemical and electrical devices. The first variety to create at home is almost impossible. All components of such capsules in air lose their properties or simply evaporate. Therefore, they are made exclusively by the production method. But electrical types of equipment can be done on their own.
Benefits of Purchased Models
When thinking about whether to make a firefly for night fishing with their own hands or to purchase it in a store, all the pros and cons are weighed. Purchased varieties are inexpensive. They are universally available for sale. Such lamps are easy to transport to a pond. In operation with them most often there are no problems. If there is no particular desire to mess around with the creation of electronic fireflies, it is easier to go to the store and buy a few pieces of chemical capsules. This option is ideal for those fishermen who do not have enough free time or skills to work with the instrument. But fishing fans know the pleasure of making homemade gear.
Disadvantages of Purchased Products
However, there are a number of disadvantages that chemical isotopes possess. Fireflies for night fishing in capsules are used only once. Each role is designed for no more than 10 hours of glow. In case of accidental contact of the substance with the skin, some people experience an allergic reaction. It should also be noted certain inconvenience when casting. The fishing line can cling to the ampoule. The luminosity of the chemical species cannot be adjusted. Therefore, in some devices it is very strong. If blue is selected, the eyes can quickly get tired. There are situations when the elementary supply of capsules is exhausted, and it’s too late to go to the store. It is not difficult to make a firefly on your own.
Features of electric fireflies
There are, but fewer, electrical varieties of fireflies on sale. More often they are made independently than acquired. Simplicity of design distinguishes such fireflies for night fishing. LED varieties are the most popular. They consume little electricity, their glow is soft. The main advantage of electric varieties is their reusability. Therefore, among fishermen who prefer to make tackle on their own, this device is considered the most popular. It consists of 3 small round batteries and an LED. They are placed in a collapsible capsule. If necessary, the batteries can be easily replaced. The technology for creating such fireflies deserves detailed consideration.
DIY firefly
When planning to make an electronic firefly for night fishing with your own hands, you should purchase diodes of the required brightness. You can unscrew the bulb from an ordinary Chinese lighter. To do this, a bolt is unscrewed on the case. Next, the diode is carefully taken out. It adjoins a capsule with 3 round mini-batteries. The glow occurs after touching the iron plate to the leg of the diode. The chain closes.
Such a finished system is mounted on a fishing rod. You can create a diode circuit yourself, but this option is one of the simplest. It will require a minimum amount of effort, cost and time. If desired, you can use mini-finger batteries. The duration of the device will increase significantly. However, in the first embodiment, it will be a reusable firefly. Its properties are fully suitable for night fishing.
Features of the device
Creating fireflies for night fishing on batteries, the master will be interested to know in advance about its properties. The operation of the device was tested in night fishing conditions. At the same time, a number of positive characteristics were established. The system of diodes with batteries from the lighter worked 2 full night fishing. However, the entire structure did not overheat.
As for the weight of such a firefly, it turned out to be more than that of a chemical capsule. However, even under conditions of feeder fishing, it did not affect the sensitivity of the vertices or casting range. Also, the accuracy of sending the feeder did not change. The advantage of the diode firefly was a beam directed upwards. Eyes did not get tired during the night fishing. Light is clearly visible from different angles. The device is quite simple but effective.
Schema improvements
Some fishermen have improved the presented system. To do this, they make a adjustable firefly. Night fishing only benefits from this. If the master’s arsenal has a soldering iron and a little wire of a small cross section, you can separate the diode with its power elements. This will ease the strain on the tip or float. Of course, there is no cardinal difference. But for greater signal accuracy, this will be a good solution.
A wire is soldered to the diode. He will connect the light bulb to the batteries. The power supply is mounted on the handle or slightly higher. Scotch wire is attributed to the rod. In this case, measuring small round 2-finger batteries will be easier. This significantly increases the duration of the diode. If for some reason the light bulb from the lighter does not fit, purchase it yourself. For these purposes, white LR41 LEDs are suitable. The store will just pick up the brightness. This will make the night fishing process as comfortable as possible for the fisherman.
How to install a firefly
Firefly fasteners are made depending on the type of gear. If the fishing rod has a float, the device is attached directly to it. The system is placed in a transparent tube. It is strung on top of the float. Even for gear with thin antennas, such tubes and fireflies are used for night fishing. How to use such a device is of interest to beginners. Professionals know that you need to wear 2 elastic bands on the antenna of the float. The handset is already attached to them.
If fishing is supposed to be on the feeder, the firefly is installed on the top. For this, 2 gum is also put on it. The LED in the capsule is placed in the space between them. Firefly is best treated with tape. This eliminates the likelihood of fishing line hooks. Special plastic staples are on sale for attaching fireflies. When using them, installing the device will be simple.
Some recommendations
Beginning fishermen will not be amiss to get acquainted with some recommendations on the use of fireflies. These are simple rules, following which you can not worry about the durability of the device. Fireflies for fishing at night are important not only to properly mount, but also to operate carefully. Turn on the system immediately before the first cast. So the batteries last longer.
There should be no gap between the capsule with the LED and the fishing rod. For this, the firefly is taped to the base with tape. When removing the feeder from the water, it is necessary to monitor the fishing line. It should be a stretch. With this method of fishing, the feeder is placed on the stand smoothly (so that the top with the LED does not loosen). Before casting, the line is checked for gliding. She should not interfere. This prevents overwhelming gear. The use of fireflies will be comfortable.
Foil Firefly
In addition to the above method, you can make a homemade firefly by other methods. The approach using a foil reflector is very popular among fishermen. To make such a firefly for night fishing, you will need its white or yellow variety. The foil sheet is cut into strips of 5 mm wide. Strips are fastened to the float using waterproof glue.
To see the bite in the dark, you will need to turn on a flashlight. Its beam is directed onto the foil. This is enough to discern a bite in the dark. If the weather is windy, the foil is rolled up in several layers to give it rigidity. The light source can even be a regular flashlight. Its brightness will be enough to illuminate the reflector. The simplicity of this approach has appealed to many fishermen.
Alternative Fireflies
Improving the firefly for night fishing, which is made by hand, fishermen come up with various options for systems. The idea of creating such gear from a jar of ascorbic acid has a right to exist. A bright LED and batteries are installed in an empty vitamin container. A window is cut in the box (you can make several holes).
Another interesting solution when highlighting gear is the use of special paint. It is purchased in special stores. Paint can glow in the dark with a phosphoric color. It is applied to the float or tip of the feeder. If for some reason the paint is incompatible with the base material, a plate is made of wood. Its shape is similar to a chemical firefly. It is painted, and then in a standard way attached to the gear. Therefore, going to fishing, it is better to give preference to electrical varieties of devices.