Ban on lead coming?

[Reckless]

  This isn't good.

http://capwiz.com/keepamericafishing/issues/alert/?alertid=16355526

[paul-e]

What could be used instead?
Some of the choices listed by density on the periodic table aren't much better options for sure for a lot of reasons.

10.22 g/cc Molybdenum Mo 42
10.5 g/cc Silver Ag 47
11.35 g/cc Lead Pb 82
11.5 g/cc Technetium Tc 43
11.724 g/cc Thorium Th 90
11.85 g/cc Thallium Tl 81
12.02 g/cc Palladium Pd 46
12.37 g/cc Ruthenium Ru 44
12.41 g/cc Rhodium Rh 45
13.31 g/cc Hafnium Hf 72
13.5 g/cc Curium Cm 96
13.546 g/cc Mercury Hg 80
13.67 g/cc Americium Am 95
14.78 g/cc Berkelium Bk 97
15.1 g/cc Californium Cf 98
15.4 g/cc Protactinium Pa 91
16.65 g/cc Tantalum Ta 73
18.95 g/cc Uranium U 92
19.32 g/cc Gold Au 79
19.35 g/cc Tungsten W 74
19.84 g/cc Plutonium Pu 94
20.2 g/cc Neptunium Np 93
21.04 g/cc Rhenium Re 75
21.45 g/cc Platinum Pt 78
22.4 g/cc Iridium Ir 77
22.6 g/cc Osmium Os 76

[Treebeard]

Actually, water gremlin already makes non-lead sinkers, that I believe are zinc.. I know they are alot more $$ and much less effective.. I know this because the sale of lead sinkers under 1/2 oz. has been banned here in NY since 2004...I was managing a tackle store when the DEC came in and made us take the inventory off the shelves (with no restitution of course) .. As a longtime waterfowler I kinda understood the lead shot ban.. shot dropping into agricultural fields mixing with grain the birds feed on.. But really.. how many sinkers does an average angler lose on a fishing trip? .. and in water shallow enough for a bird to pick up? .. and how much of that lead ( a naturally occurring element btw .. not agent orange or DDT) stays up where they can eat it, instead of sinking into the lighter bottom materials?    and they want to ban lead in all forms for fishing.. lures included.. How many birds are dying from eating AVA 47's and Spro jigs?   I would think the hook would provide a greater menace.. .Than consider that the numbers show that ingestion of sinkers accounts for  LESS THAN 1 % of waterfowl mortality..  gimme a break.. if anyone thinks this is anything but another attack on our sport by a hardcore anti-sportsmen regime, based on all too familiar shaky science, they are kidding themselves.. How about if they first address issues leading to the mortality of the OTHER 99.x percent before they worry about what they ADMIT is effecting less than 1 percent.. Like loss of habitat.. I'll give up my sinkers when they give up their houses..   I urge everyone to take a minute and send the letter of opposition provided in the above link.. thanks for posting this Frank !  

[WATSNEXT]

Great I can go to Oyster Creek and get some Thallium to make sinkers...LOL

[nukeman]

Just sent mine and better half's . also sent to 10 friends

[Capt. Carl]

Done.

[paul-e]

Great I can go to Oyster Creek and get some Thallium to make sinkers...LOL

Maybe we can take the plutonium away from Iran and use that too.

[Pfishingruven]

I am using non lead sinkers and split shots when fishing with my kids.  My middle son puts everything in his mouth and I didn't want him getting lead poisoning from this.  The split shots are tin and tin/bismuth and the sinkers are tungsten.  They were quite expensive when I bought them last year...I noticed this year they are about $3 less.  The tin split shots are about the same size as the lead ones and work just as well.  The tungsten sinkers are much smaller by weight than the lead, but are very expensive.

With that being said, I don't agree with the reasoning or the ban on lead.  This is certainly an attack on sport fishing in the US.  However, if there is an equal replacement(same or better density, works the same, costs the same, etc...), I am all for not using something that is bad for the environment.  In the future, I am not so sure the choice will even be ours.  Eventually, the only sinkers left on the shelf will be lead free.

 

[Bucktail]

I haven't really read up on the effect of lead sinkers in the ocean.  So, I really can't argue it's effects (or lack thereof) on it.  However, there is no argument that lead, in it's various forms, is some pretty nasty stuff.

I also don't buy the "naturally occurring" argument.  There are many things in this world that are "naturally occurring" that will kill you - including arsenic, grizzly bears and STDs.

Here's an article about lead poisoning that I found.  It doesn't specifically reference lead sinkers.  But, it is an interesting read.


http://www.epa.gov/history/topics/perspect/lead.htm

[Treebeard]

I haven't really read up on the effect of lead sinkers in the ocean.  So, I really can't argue it's effects (or lack thereof) on it.  However, there is no argument that lead, in it's various forms, is some pretty nasty stuff.

I also don't buy the "naturally occurring" argument.  There are many things in this world that are "naturally occurring" that will kill you - including arsenic, grizzly bears and STDs.

Here's an article about lead poisoning that I found.  It doesn't specifically reference lead sinkers.  But, it is an interesting read.


http://www.epa.gov/history/topics/perspect/lead.htm

No one is saying that lead is not toxic.. I think we all learned that at a pretty young age.. but it still has many qualities and traits useful to humans, as does arsenic, and is perfectly safe if properly handled...we've all it survived for years.. I agree there should certainly be non-tox options , especially for children to use , but do we really need the government to ban anything that is harmful if used improperly?.. would'nt leave much.. And they are not trying to ban this to save children.. even the data twisting liberals can't come up with a stat to support that.. it is to reduce the mortality of waterfowl.. of which less  than 1% are effected.. and my experience with the non-tox alternatives tells me to expect to see lure and sinker  prices 3-5x  higher.. Look to shotshells for proof and compare a box of lead to tungston/bizmuth or any of the other hi-density metals..   Are you ready for the $20.00  bucktail  Bucktail?  

[Reckless]

 Here is a link to prices of tungsten worm weights.
 

http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/fishing-sinkers/345630.aspx

[Pfishingruven]

Here is a link to prices of tungsten worm weights.
 

http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/fishing-sinkers/345630.aspx

...And those are cheap compared to store prices !

[Tacklebox Joe]

my opinion is this: if lead is banned i'm sure someone somewhere will "invent" a sinker that's just as good as lead and more "greener". at first it would be expensive but taper off as time goes by OR lead never gets banned and some infomerical never gets made