# Glow sticks and fishing.



## drawinout (May 11, 2008)

Man,,, I ordered a crap load of 2" glow sticks to put inside the balloons when I'm floating out balloon rigs. I put five off them in a white helium grade balloon, turned the lights out, and they don't put off nearly as much light as I was hoping for. I think what I'm going to do is put five of them in the balloon itself, and attach one or two to the line below the balloons. They come with little plastic rings, so I can slide a couple of those up the line first to attach the glow sticks. Next time I'm going with the regular 6" glow sticks in white and green. I should be able to get them in the balloons. Hopefully the regular ones will be bright enough. They have "high intensity" glow sticks, which are REALLY bright, but they only last for 30 minutes. I ordered the glow sticks off ebay, but do you guys know of somewhere near the Chesapeake Virginia area that sells them? I'd like to pick up some of the 6" glow sticks up for Sunday night.


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## AbuMike (Sep 3, 2007)

don't know much bout the glowsticks but i would be quiet bout them balloon rigs. I think they are illegal.


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## drawinout (May 11, 2008)

Huh, thanks for the heads up. I've never heard that before. The funny thing is I originally got the idea of putting the glow stick in them from a charter I went on locally. I know it's illegal in the state of Virginia to release mass helium balloons into the air, I haven't heard anything about them being illegal the way I was planning on using them. If you find a link that mentions that, let me know man. I really need that info.


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## drawinout (May 11, 2008)

This is about the closest thing I could find by googling it, and it doesn't say anything about using balloon rigs.

VIRGINIA

§ 29.1-556.1. Release of certain balloons prohibited; civil penalty.

A. It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly release or cause to be released into the atmosphere within a one-hour period fifty or more balloons which are (i) made of a nonbiodegradable or nonphotodegradable material or any material which requires more than five minutes' contact with air or water to degrade and (ii) inflated with a substance which is lighter than air. Any person who violates this section shall be liable for a civil penalty not to exceed five dollars per balloon released above the allowable limit, which shall be paid into the Lifetime Hunting and Fishing Endowment Fund established pursuant to § 29.1-101.1.

B. The provisions of this section shall not apply to (i) balloons released by or on behalf of any agency of the Commonwealth, or the United States or pursuant to a contract with the Commonwealth, the United States, or any other state, territory or government for scientific or meteorological purposes or (ii) hot air balloons that are recovered after launch. (1991, c. 607.)

This law is in Title 29 of the Code of Virginia, enforced by local law enforcement and prosecuted by local Commonwealth’s Attorney. So, if you know of any plans to release a large number of balloons into the air, notify local law enforcement. Be sure to quote the Code section...they may not be familiar with it.


The way I rig my rigs up the balloon doesn't pop (not usually anyway), so I wouldn't imagine it would be a problem. Again, if you find a link with some info. that says it's illegal, pleas let me know.

Thanks


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## Shooter (Nov 14, 2004)

Yup, balloons is a no no for fishn,, they say sea turtles eat them and die so it's a no no.

PS--- how big around are them 2" glow sticks, I would like to see one of them.


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## drawinout (May 11, 2008)

That's crazy to me. It seams like if they let you release up to 50 helium balloons per hour into the atmosphere, you ought to be able to use one or two to float out bait!! I mean, if you're releasing a bunch of them into the atmosphere, most of them are going to be in the water anyway. I'd still like to see something in writing where it says I'm not aloud to use them. I'm just frustrated because I spent around 40-50 dollars on balloons and glow sticks, and now I can't use them.

Shooter, the glow sticks are 2" long, and about a quarter inch in diameter. If you go to ebay and type in "2" glow sticks", you'll find a bunch of them. They'd work fine for a rod tip, but they don't put out nearly as much light as the bigger ones do. I got the whole balloon and glow stick idea while sword fishing last winter. It works well with the big glow sticks. On the charter I was on, we were floating the balloon rigs out probably 100 yards from the boat, and you could see the balloon fine at night with the 6" glow sticks in them.


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## Lip Ripper (Dec 8, 2003)

i wonder, does a sheep skin jimmy count as a balloon? are they biodegradable?


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## drawinout (May 11, 2008)

Lip Ripper said:


> i wonder, does a sheep skin jimmy count as a balloon? are they biodegradable?


LOL, I tell you what, if you can use one for a balloon rig, that's about the only thing that sheep skin jimmy is good for!!


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## drawinout (May 11, 2008)

Well, I found out from a buddy of mine that it's definitely not illegal to use balloon rigs in the state of VA, but, as he said, the right thing to do would be to stay away from them because the turtles mistake them for jellyfish. I guess I'll just pick up some stick floats or something and try that.


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## cidman (Sep 10, 2007)

love them dollar tree glow sticks


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## Newsjeff (Jul 22, 2004)

shooter said:


> how big around are them 2" glow sticks, i would like to see one of them.


wtg


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## drawinout (May 11, 2008)

Newsjeff said:


> wtg


I guess I missed the sarcasm somewhere.................... I still don't get it.


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## drawinout (May 11, 2008)

Newsjeff said:


> wtg


Thanks for clearing that up Jeff. I didn't get what the WTG stood for at first, lol.


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## Shooter (Nov 14, 2004)

Ya just have to remember this is Jeff, he is my buddy but he is Jeff, he doesn't have to make sence but he is Jeff  he also goes by Taint but that is a story for a campfire and cold beer


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## Jesse Lockowitz (Feb 13, 2006)

instead of balloon, take a pool noodle, they have a hollow center, cut a small chunk of the pool noodle. then, feed your main line through the center of the noodle chunk, when you have the desired depth you want your bait to be at, take your main line and wrap it 3-4 times around the pool noodle, and put a rubber band over it. 

as soon as a fish pulls hard on it, line will slip out of the rubberband, and the 3-4 coils of line will simply slide off, and then you will be fighting your fish, while the noodle chunk just slides up and down your line, not giving any resistance to you or the fish...


take yourself a glow stick and rubber band it to the pool noodle chunk..it'll work just fine, and should be able to see it great too.


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## drawinout (May 11, 2008)

I'll have to try that Jesse. Good advice, thanks!


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## Justfshn (Nov 22, 2007)

How about a milk jug or big (thin) plastic bottle?

idk


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## obx.fisher (Jul 20, 2008)

SGT.Bunghole said:


> How about a milk jug or big (thin) plastic bottle?
> 
> idk


heckkkk no. personally, i think that that's worse than balloons.


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## eric (Oct 24, 2007)

how bout just holding your rod while the bait floats itself out.
thats a fabulous idea,, no? 
use braid? braid floats.. put a bait on the hook and the current takes it out.


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## kingfisherman23 (Dec 14, 2003)

Sharking requires big baits. That means a large amount of flotation to get the bait out. I like the noodle idea.

Also you could try picking up a battery-operated light-up float at Wal-Mart. They are really bright and the battery lasts quite a while Clip it on the line right above the balloon. When the balloon breaks off the lit float stays on the line so you can use it again. The float doesn't provide enough drag to cause problems.

Evan


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## Justfshn (Nov 22, 2007)

The only reason i mentioned it was i saw a guy once at the pier using a 1gl. milk jug float tied off to the pier Yep he wasnt using a rod or reel with it.

On a side note if you take one or two of those glow sticks and crack em open, carefully remove the breakable activator, then dump the contents into say a 20oz drink bottle and add in a little dish soap. Put the activator back in and give it a good bash. It makes a bigger glow stick. The soap helps it stick to the bottle.


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## RW_20 (Oct 16, 2007)

I know this is old, but I was bored and looking around. Have you guys seen 
Rod-N-Bobs products. I use their rod tip LED lights, they come in different colors. and they have a lot of lighted products. Got my tip lights at Dicks and I've also seen them at Gander Mtn. They are sweet, you can turn them on and off, so they last way longer than glow sticks.

Here's their link.http://www.rodandbobs.com/index.php?page=prodList&by=type&by_id=BatteryLights


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## Rocks&Reds (Mar 15, 2007)

drawinout said:


> Well, I found out from a buddy of mine that it's definitely not illegal to use balloon rigs in the state of VA, but, as he said, the right thing to do would be to stay away from them because the turtles mistake them for jellyfish. I guess I'll just pick up some stick floats or something and try that.



What info does your buddy have saying its not lllegal? I would like to see and read it. Because Iv'e been told buy numerous people including F&W officer and the beach one day while we were sharking, that it was a NO NO! If you would post a link to it, If there is one?


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## VBpierkingmac (Feb 18, 2009)

Im pretty sure that its considered littering which to the best of my knowledge is illegal in most places. Unless you could prove to the man that your ballons dont pop ever.


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## pierjunky (Dec 7, 2008)

I use those glow sticks for seeing my rod tip at night. Ill use a 6'' or 8'' dollar tree glow stick and use very small zip ties to attatch to my rod tip and it works great. Ill set up 2 to 3 poles in my homemade pier pole holders and just sit back and wait for my rods to go off while i enjoy a nice cold beer. Ive seen countless people lose fish on the pier because they cant see there rod tip. The glow sticks will last me an entire night, and at $1 for 10 of them, its not costly.


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## Shooter (Nov 14, 2004)

racewire20 said:


> I know this is old, but I was bored and looking around. Have you guys seen
> Rod-N-Bobs products. I use their rod tip LED lights, they come in different colors. and they have a lot of lighted products. Got my tip lights at Dicks and I've also seen them at Gander Mtn. They are sweet, you can turn them on and off, so they last way longer than glow sticks.]


Yup, seen and use them alot,, been told they looked like Barney lights but after folks saw how good they worked I was passing them out like candy,,, I don't use the lights that turn on and off anymore,, they always seem to not work after the first time ya use them or somehow would get turned on and kill the battery. I use the small break type glow sticks that just snaps right on to your rod tip now.

One of the biggest reasons I like the glow tips is a lot of times a small doggie will get on and not pull any drag but you can see your rod tip bounce a little so ya know it's doggie time


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## Rocks&Reds (Mar 15, 2007)

drawinout said:


> Well, I found out from a buddy of mine that it's definitely not illegal to use balloon rigs in the state of VA, but, as he said, the right thing to do would be to stay away from them because the turtles mistake them for jellyfish. I guess I'll just pick up some stick floats or something and try that.





Rocks&Reds said:


> What info does your buddy have saying its not lllegal? I would like to see and read it. Because Iv'e been told buy numerous people including F&W officer and the beach one day while we were sharking, that it was a NO NO! If you would post a link to it, If there is one?


 
I used to like useing ballons because they were cheap, I hate loseing these high$$ floats.


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## Lip Ripper (Dec 8, 2003)

ps- after i posted the "sheepskin jimmy" idea, i did a little research and they are 100% biodegradable. but they dont protect against aids.


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## Rockfish1 (Apr 8, 2005)

if I'm remembering correctly there's nothing illegal about using balloons for floats... it's when you get bit and the balloon breaks they get you for littering and possibly creating a hazard for turtles... 

they used to use styrofoam blocks up in the Chesapeake bay for floats when fishing livebait for rockfish... take a couple wraps of line around it and when a fish hit it'd break the block in half and leave you unhindered to fight the fish... didn't take long for the DNR to get on'em about littering...


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## katfish (Mar 6, 2009)

Well i have use pool noodles for cat fishing.We use a short piece of pvc pipe and a tee fitting run your line through it and the tee keeps from cutting noddle.


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