Phasing out the use of lead fishing tackle less than one inch?

[Lee Borgersen]

Would you support efforts by the State phasing out the use of lead fishing tackle less than one inch
in length and less than one ounce in weight for use in Minnesota waters? What are your feelings on this issue?

This will be one of the topics in the 2010 DNR Spring Hearings in Wisconsin.

[MTCOMMER]

Would you support efforts by the State phasing out the use of lead fishing tackle less than one inch
in length and less than one ounce in weight for use in Minnesota waters?

This will be one of the topics in the 2010 DNR Spring Hearings in Wisconsin.

I dont see a reason why not.  Im sure the lead tackle isnt making a big deal in the contamination of lakes and the killing of fish, but I havent seen studies.  I bet there are some instances where it has killed fish.
They did it with birdshot slugs, why not do it with jigs - NO MORE LEAD, NO MORE LEAD, NO MORE LEAD.
I never thought about it, so maybe im on the totally wrong track here 

[Lee Borgersen]

Well, from what I've been able to find out, lead is being sold for about a buck a pound. Tungsten on the other hand is selling for about $17.50 per pound. Tungsten and bismuth are reasonable alternatives for lead in some applications. However, it is NOT as nice for things like split shot.
It is also quite expensive to buy, and isn't as easy to work with for home hobbyists...

It's also going to increase costs of many lures. Gone will be the days of $2.00 spinnerbaits. And the companies that are already producing lead based lures are going to either have some fairly significant price increases or are going to go out of business.

So should the state ban lead sinkers, you might as well sell your lead pots and sinker molds.

[Jdrummer]

Steel lures maybe? I have never had a problem with lead that i know of so I might have to buy stock in tungsten or companys that make lures made out of it.

[snow]

What the hell? No I would'nt support it,I'm still ticked about lead for waterfowl ban and that started in the mid 80's,thank goodness for hevi shot these days,"No lead for jigs and lures" fishing/hunting license cost to increase soon,walleye stamps will become mandatory (just wait and see) and my over all income has been in a downward slide for the past 4 years like alot of folks,besides I have a 10 year supply of various jigs and slip sinkers I could'nt part with and don't want to start over.

[DDSBYDAY]

No,no,no! Don't get me wrong.  Lead is a heavy metal and you should not eat it.  It can be absorbed through the skin and inhaled vapors stay in your body for a long time.  It is a naturally accuring element a common by  product of silver mining.  It is less radioactive then the other metals mentioned and is easily cast and a relatively cheap and effective metal for lure production.  The only study I have seen from the MPCA that was quoted in the brochure was a 17 year study done in Britain.  It involved the death of I think it was 12 loons over that 17 year study.  No details given.  Only that the cause of death was lead poisoning. My #s could be off slightly.  Maybe someone knows of the study or could give the details.  I used the google to try to get details and could'nt find any.  The questions I had were-

1- How many loons died each year?
2- What was the approx. age of the dead loons?
3-Where any of them shot?
4-What is the lead absorption of a painted lure that has been swallowed?
5-Has the loon population ever been higher?
6-If lead is banned will the loons live forever?
7-Should there not be some real scientific evidence before we act?
Could some of my questions be answere before we act?
^

[HD]

Just use zinc instead......

[The General]

Don't these people have a tree to attach themselves to?  Just sayin.....

[Lee Borgersen]

No,no,no! Don't get me wrong.  Lead is a heavy metal and you should not eat it.  It can be absorbed through the skin and inhaled vapors stay in your body for a long time.  It is a naturally accuring element a common by  product of silver mining.  It is less radioactive then the other metals mentioned and is easily cast and a relatively cheap and effective metal for lure production.  The only study I have seen from the MPCA that was quoted in the brochure was a 17 year study done in Britain.  It involved the death of I think it was 12 loons over that 17 year study.  No details given.  Only that the cause of death was lead poisoning. My #s could be off slightly.  Maybe someone knows of the study or could give the details.  I used the google to try to get details and could'nt find any.  The questions I had were-

1- How many loons died each year?
2- What was the approx. age of the dead loons?
3-Where any of them shot?
4-What is the lead absorption of a painted lure that has been swallowed?
5-Has the loon population ever been higher?
6-If lead is banned will the loons live forever?
7-Should there not be some real scientific evidence before we act?
Could some of my questions be answere before we act?
^

Here is some backup of statistics regarding birds with lead poisoning.

http://www.wisconsinbirds.org/leadpoisoning.htm


Disclaimer**

**I am in no way against using lead or trying to promote banning it. I figure this is an interesting topic and will be something we will have to deal with up the road.

[DDSBYDAY]

Great link Lee.  I will be going through those.  I See the New England Study is listed.  That is the one I was really curious about.  I will report back if I can find any of the answers to my questions.  At this point I still don't think banning lead is good idea.  The consequences must be taken into acount first.

[Fawkinnae]

From everything I have read - and unfortunately I am the worst at recalling details - the lead is significantly harmful and eventually will be phased out. It's just a matter or time. That said I have an awful lot of tackle that I hate like heck to think of having to replace.

What I hope happens is the manufacturers will replace the lead with a reasonable substitute and we sportsmen won't have to dump all of our lead tackle which it seems to me would be awfully difficult to enforce and therefore very bad lawmaking.

[DDSBYDAY]

I got through the lake Michigan study.  I found it very interesting.It had the actual #s.over several years.  Interesting that more loons died from drowning than lead poisoning.  Whats up with that?

[The General]

I got through the lake Michigan study.  I found it very interesting.It had the actual #s.over several years.  Interesting that more loons died from drowning than lead poisoning.  Whats up with that?

Better put life jackets on all of them.   

[DDSBYDAY]

We are already on it.

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[KG243]

Has anyone sent a letter or email too their reps yet? I think they need to think about the economical impact it would have on the outdoors industries. I for one would not be able to afford to switch over to something other then lead.