Question: Lead Ban

[Fish Recycler]

Washington State is looking at a lead ban - no lead weights under a half ounce and jigs under an inch and a half would have to be a lead alternative.

Of course, there are widely mixed responses. American Sportfishing Association (the tackle manufacturers trade association) came out strongly against the proposal.

Some waterfowl / bird and other outdoor and environmental groups are for it, some against.

Minnesota has tried it (and wound up with a very effective educational campaign instead) as has Illinois (earlier this year). National Parks also tried it. Public outcry is usually really strong when the issue is raised.

Depending on what study you look at, as many as half the loons found dead in nature died from eating lead. Other waterfowl and bald eagles die from lead, and we don't want lead in our drinking water supplies. We also freaked out (as a consumer nation) when it turned up there were traces of lead in toys made in China.

What are your thoughts?

[angler1724]

I have been melting lead for over 30 years for my personal use making jigs etc. I would be okay with the ban if there was a cheap lead substitute that could be melted using current heating furnaces and also allows us to be able to keep using the same molds. I have around 25 Do-It molds. Most of the lead alternatives for home casting are way more expensive then lead. I know if the ban is eventually enacted I may have to give up casting lead jigs and sinkers, which I would hate to do.

[mrcold]

While I see the point, and tend to agree that lead may not be the best material for fishing equipment, the 621 degree melting point of lead and 6192 degree melting point of tungsten may make for a bit of an issue with people making their own jigs and weights in their garage.

[bradh]

For starters I'll say that I do cast my own bullets and fishing weights. With that being said I just don't loose enough jigs and weights every year to be opposed to using something other than lead. I'd like to cast up some 100% tin sinkers sometime and try them out. Tin should work fine with my casting stuff, I already mix it with lead for my bullets. The biggest problem I see is that they would be lighter than a lead weight of the same physical size. Another factor is avalibilty of scrap tin in large quantities. I buy lead scrap anywhere from free to .40 a pound. I'm not sure I could find a source of straight tin but I'd be willing to give some a shot.

[playin4funami]

As most of the lead poisoning in waterfowl and their predators is from duck that dive in shallow water,the nationwide ban on the use of lead shot for hunting waterfowl takes care of that mostly,how many here fish in the shallow weedy swamp that the ducks like?

Lead is a natural material,I've been using it for years and making my own sinkers too without any ill effects, the quantities you would have to consume would be pretty large to affect you at all. Don't eat your sinkers! I also load hundreds of pounds of lead shotshells for the trap range each year,last year I believe I loaded 800 lbs of shot for my kids trapshooting, no special gear,and I'm still kicking,although lighter in the wallet once again.

I think most game animal deaths accociated with lead poisoning are actually deaths from infections from poor shots where the critter got away with some lead and holes in its hide.

If we want all our fishing gear and shotshells to cost way too much we can ban lead,but let's not forget that lead is a recyclable material,with properties that allow it to be used over and over again without much loss. If you use a 3 or 4 oz sinker for catfishing the river think of how big and ungainly or expensive the alternative would be.

[jarredbehrendt]

Lead is recycleable, if you can recover it (not a lot of recovery from shotshells other than at trap ranges). The move to safer materials is something that we as consumers need to ask for. If there is a percieved market for it there will be manufactures making it (eventually, but for the time being starting to move to another material at least to some portion of our use will create a demand and hopefully that demand will be met with competition).

I myself use a lot of lead shotshells for shooting and have been hoping to find a subsitute for them (thinking steel or something comparably priced).

Anyhow that is just my .02

[MA Machine]

I would like to cut down on the amount of lead I use while fishing. I've bought bags of lead free split shots. They are bigger than the same weight in lead. They do not grip the line good like lead does. It seems that they often slip down the line or fall off. If you use enough force to really crimp them one then they mar the line and cause a weak spot. There just are not many affordable options right not to replace lead.

[Hooligan]

I'd be all for it. Most of my fishing is already lead free, including most of the beads I tie.
Is it feasible? Yes.
Will there be an uproar? Most likely.

[Kidney]

I quit using lead a long time ago. Due to me being extremely wealthy, I use gold to make my weights and jigs.


Seriously...

If they/we wanted to do something that made some sort of sense, they should slowly start to ease out lead from consumer sales over the course of a couple years. However, the use of lead wouldn't be banned from fishing, you just wouldn't be able to sell it in a preformed manner.

My reasoning is this. First, the vast majority of fisherman buy preformed weights or jigs and cutting them out of the equation would pretty much stop any large scale hazard. Second by still allowing the personal use of lead doesn't take away from people to make their own. They just aren't allowed to sell them.

I think it would make both sides somewhat happy. I do believe that the hazard is largely over-blown, though.

[eye_doctor]

Banning lead would be about as effective as the alcohol ban in state parks.

[mrcold]

Originally Posted by eye_doctor

Banning lead would be about as effective as the alcohol ban in state parks.

Very valid point. Sometimes I wonder if banning something that's currently allowed is more about keeping people from doing a certain activity or about making money off of people who they know will continue to do it anyway...indirect taxes if you will.

[TheDude]

This is just a question, but how much would this affect the use of lead core lines for walleye fishing?

The reason I ask is I know a few fisherman that would blow up if they put an end to their lead core line.

[brian40]

Originally Posted by TheDude

This is just a question, but how much would this affect the use of lead core lines for walleye fishing?

The reason I ask is I know a few fisherman that would blow up if they put an end to their lead core line.

Good point, it has to be all or nothing.

[grainmaker181]

absolutely stupid idea, whats really bad about this is it may help to set a precedence for banning lead for sporting use all together

[MrGadget]

California has already banned the use of lead bullets in the condor ranges since Oct, 2007 and there is an effort to extend the ban statewide.

Governor OKs lead bullet ban» Ventura County Star

Just Google "Lead bullet ban" or "Lead shot ban" and you will see that there are also efforts to extend the federal ban against lead shot use in wetlands.

I know from a cost standpoint that lead weights have increased in cost 10-20% per year for the last several years. The cost of tungsten bullet weights has doubled... twice!

I appreciate the concerns of sportsmen and environmentalists alike. As sportsmen, I think one of our primary concerns has to be the conservation of the resources we so enjoy. My only hope is that my grandkids can afford to as well.

Somebody gave me a penny for my thoughts, and I threw in my two cents worth. How's that for return on investment? Gadget

[bradh]

Originally Posted by grainmaker181

absolutely stupid idea, whats really bad about this is it may help to set a precedence for banning lead for sporting use all together

Good point, when we start giving up the freedom to choose for ourselves we put ourselves on a slippery slope.

[NETim]

Government does like their power and we sure have forgotten our roots.

[Alex T.]

I think most game animal deaths accociated with lead poisoning are actually deaths from infections from poor shots where the critter got away with some lead and holes in its hide.

I'd guess being shot(no matter what material is used) is what would be the primary or secondary cause of death. I understand the banning of it in watefowl hunting over water but in dry fields I just don't get. Of course,field hunting wasn't too popular back then. If they ban it,I hope they have a comparable replacement in both effectivess/weight and cost.

Alex

[Catfishsteve]

I'd like to see them leave it to the states, first off. Keeps the feds out of it. Fat chance.

I think we'd be better served by ramping up a total anti-trash/littering campaign for our parks and wild places, in general. These types of efforts have shown great promise. So the feds will make us do the exact opposite, no doubt.

True we don't want lead in our waters. Truth is, there is already much worse stuff in our water. I wonder what the trend really is over the last 40 yrs... is our water quality as a nation, overall, getting better or worse?

[Alex T.]

Truth is, there is already much worse stuff in our water. I wonder what the trend really is over the last 40 yrs... is our water quality as a nation, overall, getting better or worse?

I'd say better but not what it was before we screwed it up. The only reason we do not have high quality water,air,etc. is because we choose to not give up the "necessities" we can't live without these days.

Alex