lead head jigs & loons

[the squirrel]

Watched a news story last night showing the effects of lead poising and loons. Needless to say it was disturbing! What is the alternative out there guys?

[Guest]

I did see the same report. I have a hard time believing that a jig , especially the size they used in the film , would be injested by a loon or any other diving waterfowl. I would expect that the hook would do more damage than the long term effect of lead poisening. Split shot on the other hand would be easier for them to swallow. I do not own or have not tried to purchase any of the bismuth jigs or split shot. I do use some of the brass and steel bullet sinkers for live bait rigging.
Dino

[Guest]

Many companies are working on alternatives to lead. We'll see the day when lead is all but absent from the marketplace. Its adverse affects in the ecosystem have been well documented.

There was a pretty spirited discussion here on this subject in the spring. I suspect there might be another. As for me, I'll try to make the voluntary switch and hope we don't move so far as to have compulsory legislation -- the key to it all is the manufacture. Put the spinnerbaits, jigs, split-shot, bottom bouncers and the rest in the marketplace and I'll buy them.

[Fisher Dave]

As a previous tackle manufacturer I do know more than most about this subject. One of the major problems with switching to all non-toxics is not only the fact that bismuth is so rediculasly expensive ... another major factor is that our lead melting equipment and probably molds ( not sure on this ) wont work with bismuth. Not to mention the specialy tools for working with lead. Steel is much cheaper than bismuth, but this poses all of the same problems and a few different problems, and the weight to size ratio is far different.

Please dont take me wrong. I would have loved to work with all non-toxics if it were possible on tackle manufacturing, but it wasnt. It would cost an incredible amount of money to come up with the products to switch over... not to mention pay to design the products that do not exist as of yet. Unless we are all prepared to spend $25 a spinnerbait, or $6 for a bottom bouncer ,, we need to let technology catch up a little bit and provide equipment for manufacturers to use. I guarantee there are people working on designing these products as I speak. But they are not readily available yet.

We need Bill Gates to become a tackle equipment manufacturer .. he is about the only one that could afford to *speed things up*. Other than that its going to take huge investments from many companies to make this happen. Even then this is going to take time.

Fishing cant be just a sport for the rich. If the price is too high for the tackle once a ban would ever happen there would be countless individuals out there cooking lead producing tackle for anyone that would pay .. overall the ecosystem wouldnt be protected in the least bit.

I agree the lead isnt good for animals, birds, or humans alike. But a solution has to be reached that will work for everyone within reasonable guidelines. Including small tackle companies or tackle makers that have to provide for their families off the proceeds, who also provide just enough competition to the big tacklemakers to keep prices reasonable.

[Guest]

Companies are already producing substitute material tackle -- and they are not getting outrageous prices.

No one said it would happen overnight. But, it will happen.