Monday
Sep132010
Get the Lead Out
Monday, September 13, 2010 at 12:00AM 
The Recreational Fishing Alliance is urging anglers to oppose a potential ban on fishing products that contain lead.
The RFA is hoping that tackle manufacturers offer “to adopt a responsible stewardship role” by gradually reducing the amount of lead in terminal gear by using more non-toxic materials.
There are plenty of lead free alternatives available out there, the "reponsible stewardship role" would be to support a ban on lead.
LINK (Via: The Ledger)
Ted William's weighs in on his Conservation Blog over at Fly Rod and Reel.
Exactly what I’d expect from the More-Dead-Fish-For-Me crowd. Gawd forbid that they try non-toxics. I use them all the time for my non-fly-fishing, and there is no difference in price or performance.
tagged lead ban, rfa in Environment
lead ban, rfa in Environment
Reader Comments (8)
The way I read the proposal, lead would be banned in all fishing products, not just terminal tackle.
Find me an alternative for my 10 pound downrigger weights, or my lead-core trolling line....
I can't support it as it is currently written.
its not hard to get companies to make the switch from lead - its getting the anglers to take the plunge. we've known of the problems surrounding lead for decades and still we seem to naively hold on to the past. ps www.greentackle.com has some good non-lead stuff too.
I have to disagree about the price being the same. Ever priced tungsten weights? Replacing lead terminal tackle with alternate non-toxic versions my be the way to go, but be realistic about the price.
Shit, I've got over 20lbs of spooled .025 lead from ol' Andre Puyan on my desk and I use it every day. Got it from A. Burk and I'd be lost without it. I HEART LEAD!
i dont fish with bait so i never really need sinkers per se but i do use lead jigs an since 90% of my fishing occurs in the surf i sometimes need 3ozs to get it out there so i have no idea where i stand on this
I'm embroiled in this discussion day in and day out, and what I can say is this:
Lead ain't the worst thing that's ever happened to our environment, but it isn't good either, and we all know it.
Manufacturers who make stuff out of lead or include lead in their stuff - the switch to alternatives is not easy, not at all. Smelting steel is not the same as melting lead, which you can basically do with a bic lighter. It's malliable and has a lower melting point. The alternatives don't.
The alternatives are more money, unless you're looking at steel, which can rust.
This isn't an easy one, but sooner or later, we're going to want to make the switch.
The bad science argument is always b.s.
I was an avid bird hunter when we had to make the switch from lead to steel and let me tell you.... steel shot does not have the knock down power that lead did. Oh well, I'm a better shot now. I'm an avid fly fisher now and to tell you the truth I don't really care if I have to pay a few $ more for weight. $25 for ten shot shells.. Now that's a crime.
You don't have to support a broad, federal ban to support lead free fishing tackle. As anglers and as tackle makers we can take on this problem. We know small sinkers and jig heads are killing waterfowl. Most of us would rather not inadvertently kill a Common Loon while fishing. Most of us don't want our young children handling lead. So we make every effort to avoid it.
Simply ask yourself (and your tackle retailers) this question: Is there a *viable* lead-free alternative to this sinker? Simple as that. You pay a small premium for a quality product that is safe and non-toxic. There may not be a viable alternative to a down-rigger ball or lead core line (yet), but, there are certainly plenty of great alternatives to smaller split shot, egg sinkers, drop sinkers, worm weights, and jig heads. Folks are making sinkers out of bismuth, tungsten, tin, brass, iron, steel, and even rocks and sand.
Cheers!