Author Topic: No sinkers (Read 1335 times)

Ranger99 · « **on:** June 03, 2021, 03:10:17 PM »

I had to stop by the bad place
to get some items, and I have
the habit of eyeballing select
departments if I have the time.
I noticed that there were no
sinkers of any kind in the
fishing tackle aisle.
What's the story about that?
Lead shortage?
Tackle hoarding?
Al Qaeda? :-)

Graybeard · « **Reply #1 on:** June 03, 2021, 06:41:06 PM »

I heard a very long time ago that lead sinkers were gonna be outlawed at some (long forgotten) date in the future. I bought several life times worth of them.

The new rods I bought my wife recently came with some made of some metal not lead, dunno if zinc or what.

O-mega · « **Reply #2 on:** June 04, 2021, 03:09:43 AM »

Quote from: Graybeard on June 03, 2021, 06:41:06 PM

I heard a very long time ago that lead sinkers were gonna be outlawed at some (long forgotten) date in the future. I bought several life times worth of them.

The new rods I bought my wife recently came with some made of some metal not lead, dunno if zinc or what.

I seen the trend of outlawing lead bird shot and lead fishing weights so stocked up on some Do-It molds for the fishing weights, found it easier to stock up that way. I figured on using the zinc wheel weights from when I sort my buckets, but so far just used lead since they aren't illegal here in TN.

Dixie-Dude · « **Reply #3 on:** June 04, 2021, 04:21:27 AM »

Bismith is a heavy metal. It is used in Pepto Bismal. I think it turns pink when it oxidizes. If they want to save migratory waterfowl, they might figure out how not to build giant windmills for power. I saw where a Spanish guy developed a vertical windmill with no propellers. Maybe that is a solution. Obama is the one who was getting lead outlawed. He had the only lead manufacturing plant shut down in Missouri. It is all imported now.

Doublebass73 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 04, 2021, 09:20:37 AM »

I tried to order some lead split shots from Bass Pro recently. When I tried to check the order out I got a message saying I couldn't buy those, come to find out my state banned lead weights for fishing because of the loons.

O-mega · « **Reply #5 on:** June 04, 2021, 09:37:47 AM »

Quote from: Doublebass73 on June 04, 2021, 09:20:37 AM

I tried to order some lead split shots from Bass Pro recently. When I tried to check the order out I got a message saying I couldn't buy those, come to find out my state banned lead weights for fishing because of the loons.

The tree hugging loons?

Mule 11 · « **Reply #6 on:** June 04, 2021, 09:50:05 AM »

I was at a gun show years back and there was a guy loading his stuff to leave. Had a crap load of assorted sinkers he had cast and did not want to tote it out. Don’t remember what I paid butt have a lifetime supply... I’m talkin rosey O’Donnell butt supply...

Ranger99 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 04, 2021, 12:35:27 PM »

I used to make a lot of sinkers
when we fished in the gulf a lot
because of what the bigger sinkers
cost. I used the make pyramids
and the regular bell sinkers.
I'd trade out with another friend
that had a slab lure mold and a
jig head mold. I also had access
to lots of free wheelweights

I've always just bought split shot
sinkers

geezerbiker · « **Reply #8 on:** June 04, 2021, 12:51:44 PM »

I've made a lot of sinker using my .452" mold for the .45 ACP. I hold the brass loop in a pair of stainless forceps and then fill from my Lee bottom pour pot. I've been saying I need to get some fishing sinker molds but so far this works. I've tried it with .310 and .357 molds with less than stellar results...

Tony

Ranger99 · « **Reply #9 on:** June 04, 2021, 01:08:40 PM »

The thing is now that around here
all that use-to-be-free lead is in
short supply, and the last time I
checked, any kind of anything that
had to do with lead bullets or sinker
casting was scarce. Even used
lead pots and molds are priced
way more than the new suggested
prices.
I think I have enough lead products
to last me a while. Just have to
wait and see

Ranger99 · « **Reply #10 on:** June 05, 2021, 01:32:39 PM »

There's a couple of dams we used
to be able to fish behind, and the
channel was full of big boulders
and huge broken concrete chunks
with big sticks of rebar poking out
and it was really easy to get snagged
and hung up. A couple of us started
using old spark plugs I would gather
at work for sinkers. They worked
fairly decent for that, and we wouldn't
have to boo hoo nearly as bad when
we'd get hung up

Doublebass73 · « **Reply #11 on:** June 05, 2021, 03:43:08 PM »

Quote from: O-mega on June 04, 2021, 09:37:47 AM

Quote from: Doublebass73 on June 04, 2021, 09:20:37 AM
I tried to order some lead split shots from Bass Pro recently. When I tried to check the order out I got a message saying I couldn't buy those, come to find out my state banned lead weights for fishing because of the loons.
The tree hugging loons?

Most definitely.

Ghosth · « **Reply #12 on:** June 06, 2021, 05:12:56 AM »

I am like Omega, bought several do-it molds over the years.

Last one was a finesse drop shot mold which is a bit fiddly getting those swivels set just so in a hot mold. But it works well and it is great for lighter weight more finesse applications.

My old standby is a walking sinker mold in everything from 1/8th oz to 1.5 oz. I use 1/2 oz and 5/8ths the most in river fishing with a few 3/4s.

A trip to the vice, a few whacks with a 2 lb blacksmith hammer and that walking sinker turns into a flat no roll sinker perfect for the river.

Lost split shots I can maybe see a water bird ingesting looking for gravel for his gizzard. A half oz walking sinker, I kinda doubt.

Ranger99 · « **Reply #13 on:** June 16, 2021, 11:37:57 AM »

Still no lead anything besides a
couple of assortments
A few steel specialty sinkers was all

darkgael · « **Reply #14 on:** July 11, 2021, 01:19:42 AM »

I just ordered and received two sets of inline sinkers from Amazon.
There was no problem with the order.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #15 on:** July 11, 2021, 02:05:53 AM »

i could send you some #4 and 00 buck you could easily make split shot out of.

Ranger99 · « **Reply #16 on:** August 10, 2022, 12:55:45 AM »

Last time I needed a few slip
sinkers, the stores had been
partially re- stocked, but I
noticed a good many of the
non-lead sinkers alongside
the meager selection of lead.
The "unleaded " sinkers are
also higher priced

oldandslow2 · « **Reply #17 on:** August 10, 2022, 12:59:31 PM »

Quote from: Dixie-Dude on June 04, 2021, 04:21:27 AM

If they want to save migratory waterfowl, they might figure out how not to build giant windmills for power. I saw where a Spanish guy developed a vertical windmill with no propellers.

That must have been sometime ago. New Mexico Junior College had one on their back campus for years along with a regular one as wind generation began to be talked about. I notice the last time I passed by they are both now gone. The vertical one was made the same as the decorative wind spinners you see for sale.

Ranger99 · « **Reply #18 on:** August 20, 2022, 09:36:58 AM »

Quote from: TM7 on August 20, 2022, 04:35:09 AM

I'm told in NH even if you have a supply of lead sinkers on hand, it's verboten to use them.
.

I wouldn't doubt that
They'll do anything to keep people
from feeding themselves

Ranger99 · « **Reply #19 on:** August 21, 2022, 04:17:00 PM »

They have legions of people working for
TPWD and TCEQ that ramble around on
the taxpayers dime that take samples of
every mudhole in the state and analyze
for whatever suits them.
There are places around the state that
keeping fish for eating is a no no
that gets listed in the regulations
every year

Lone Star · « **Reply #20 on:** August 27, 2022, 05:54:18 AM »

As much as we might disparage those who want to ban heavy metal use in waterways, the fact is that many of the fish we depend on for sport fishing are not fit to eat due to high metal concentrations in the water. The worst offender is usually mercury, and predatory fish like cats and bass concentrate the metal in their flesh. Here in Arizona, cats in many of the state’s lakes have high mercury levels limiting the amount you can eat - some health sources recommend only eating 4oz per week of fish from certain lakes. I’m usually a CAR fisherman anymore so that doesn’t effect me, but there are a lot of fishermen who don’t realize the hazzard. Mercury poisoning is a real health concern and effects brain function….remember the phrase “mad as a hatter”?

Of course most of the mercury contamination in our waterways is from industry and mining, not from fishing weights. Lead bans are often linked to anti-gunners’ agendas rather than to real environmental science.

.

Ranger99 · « **Reply #21 on:** August 27, 2022, 07:16:00 AM »

Quote from: Lone Star on August 27, 2022, 05:54:18 AM

. . . Of course most of the mercury contamination in our waterways is from industry and mining, not from fishing weights. Lead bans are often linked to anti-gunners’ agendas rather than to real environmental science.

Yessir, this ^ ^ ^ part

The mercury issue isn't really applicable
at the places I fish. There's a couple of
places that are unsafe to consume any
fish caught, but those are clearly spelled
out in the regulations and there's signage
at those places. The closest one is an old
airbase where they spilled lots of various
toxic fuels and dumped various chemicals
and contaminated an adjacent lake. Not
much mining contamination in this region
like the rocky soiled more western regions
where there's been mining activity for
generations. And, the state and the TPWD
do frequent water quality checks and
any possible contamination gets published
in various sources and in the rules and
regulations booklet every year