Painting bobbers?

[Shoemoo]

Thinking about painting some of my bobbers with glow in the dark paint for night fishing. I fish from shore, so visibility at long distances is a big deal. I have tried lighted floats, glow sticks, and commercial glow in the dark bobbers, but have found issues with all of them. Finding that the batteries are dead or the glow sticks have been broken while still in the packaging sucks. Glow in the dark bobbers always seem to need recharging with a light source every 20 minutes or so. So I thought I would make my own using some of the stick floats I have on hand.

I found a place online that sells 1 ounce bottles that are supposed to be very bright and last over 12 hours between charges. I prefer balsa floats, but they all have a thick lacquer over them to seal out water and I'm concerned the paint might not adhere well. Has anyone tried painting their bobbers?

[speck tackler]

Hey, Shoemoo. I recently purchased some glow-in-the-dark paint, for the same purpose. Not sure what supplier you found, but here is the link for the company where I ordered mine...

Glow in the Dark Paint - Solvent Based

This is the brightest glow paint I have found... amazing, and pretty inexpensive. I have been VERY surprised at how long this paint continues to glow, after it is "charged". I have used it to paint some rod tips, some jig heads, and some bobbers. The bobbers I use are styro-foam, but the balsa should be pretty easy. Just rough the surface up a little, with some sandpaper, then clean well before painting. The glow paint should adhere well.

[BigDawgg]

I'm glad you posted this. I like the idea of gun sights being painted and bobbers for night fishing. Sometimes I take the grand kids out night fishing and this will help keep them amused for a while out on the boat. What is the drying time for the paint? Thanks for the info.

[speck tackler]

I'm glad you posted this. I like the idea of gun sights being painted and bobbers for night fishing. Sometimes I take the grand kids out night fishing and this will help keep them amused for a while out on the boat. What is the drying time for the paint? Thanks for the info.

I bought the water-based, and it dries very quickly, dry to the touch in an hour or so. I imagine the solvent-based paint would take a little longer to dry, but it would probably be more durable.

[deathb4disco]

they all have a thick lacquer over them to seal out water and I'm concerned the paint might not adhere well. Has anyone tried painting their bobbers?

Here's what I do:

Buy some "white out" at any place that sells office supplies and paint the tip of your float with that. It will dry in just a few seconds. Then apply the glow-in-the-dark paint on top of the white out.

It works great and if you ever change your mind, you can just scratch off the white out with your fingernail.

[Harold]

How and how long do you charge the paint?

[speck tackler]

How and how long do you charge the paint?

Direct sunlight is best, and the longer the better, but you can shine a good spotlight beam on them for a few seconds, and they will glow pretty bright.

[Jerry Blake]

I paint my Thill Balsa Wood Pencil Floats with Rustoleum Outdoor Protective Enamel spray paint and it adheres very well. I mask off the top and bottom so the top stays bright orange and the bottom stays white. I do it so everyone knows which float goes with which pole. I use Electrical Phase Tape to mark my poles to match the floats. I'm sure any lacquer base paint would work well on Thill's Balsa Wood Floats.

[Shoemoo]

Thanks, I thought about buying paint from them also. How easy did the paint go on, and how long would you say the glow for that paint lasts at visible levels from 30 or so feet away? How's the durability of the water based paint?

[speck tackler]

Thanks, I thought about buying paint from them also. How easy did the paint go on, and how long would you say the glow for that paint lasts at visible levels from 30 or so feet away? How's the durability of the water based paint?

Paint goes on very easy. After several hours in the sunlight, I would say that they would be very visible from 30', for a good 5 or 6 hours, at least. As far as durability goes, I only did my painting a short time ago, so the jury is still out.