Helpful Hints
Get the Lead Out
By Kent Hull
Helpful Hints
Get the Lead Out
By Kent Hull
Lead sinkers, split shot and jigs are prohibited in Yellowstone NP, parts of Glacier NP, three US Wildlife Refuges (including Red Rocks lakes in MT), all Canadian National Parks and Wildlife Areas, and in three eastern states. Prohibition of lead jigs may include lead eyes on Clouser-type patterns and lead weighting wire. These prohibitions arose for the same reason as the prohibition against lead shot use by hunters. Many dead waterfowl were found with lead shot or lead sinkers in their gizzards and lead poisoning was the cause of death.
Alternatives:
* Non-toxic weighting wire is made of a tin-bismuth alloy and ties the same as lead wire.
* Non-toxic split shot is made of tin or tin-bismuth alloy.
* Many dumb-bell eyes are made of brass. However, brass contains about 70% zinc [the rest is copper] and if eaten, zinc is also toxic to birds and other wildlife.
* Tungsten beads (for bead-heads) are commonly available, but cost more than regular brass ones.
Comparison:
Non-toxic weighting wire - 25% lighter than lead
Tin wire and split shot - 36% lighter than lead
Brass dumb-bell eyes - 24% lighter than lead; contains zinc, also toxic
Aluminum dumb-bell eyes - 76% lighter than lead
Tungsten - 40% heavier than lead, 55% heavier than brass, but too hard for split shot or wire
Tungsten powder can be mixed with tin to make it as dense as lead. It is added to plastic to make non-toxic soft weight or to make super-fast sinking lines. Some spinning lure manufacturers are substituting hard plastic with tungsten powder mixed in for lead heads and bodies. The substitute is the same size and weight as the lead.
I strongly recommend you use non-toxic wire, just use about 1/4 more of it. For split shot, just go one size larger than lead, slide a tungsten bead onto your leader, or put a pinch of non-toxic soft weight on the tippet knot. Use tungsten or aluminum dumb-bell eyes instead of lead or brass. Don't take lead-weighted flies or lead split shot into Yellowstone or Glacier National Parks or into Canadian National Parks or Wildlife areas. And if you fish in the East, don't take lead-weighted flies or split shot into Maine, Vermont or New Hampshire. Fines for having them can be stiff!