Anyone given this a try?
Any problems or improvements you've made beyond what's in this video?
Thanks in advance 👍
https://youtu.be/JWrmwLwIC5Q?si=l-oxOJOagLTZRr2O
Any problems or improvements you've made beyond what's in this video?
Thanks in advance 👍
https://youtu.be/JWrmwLwIC5Q?si=l-oxOJOagLTZRr2O
In reply to Post #1
Company out there been mskeing them years called stonzz I think load of 💩
Company out there been mskeing them years called stonzz I think load of 💩
In reply to Post #2
Yeah I've seen a few companies selling them but I will be making my own soon 😁
Just seeing if anyone has done this before and made some slight improvements etc I could learn from.
Yeah I've seen a few companies selling them but I will be making my own soon 😁
Just seeing if anyone has done this before and made some slight improvements etc I could learn from.
In reply to Post #2
Yep pallatrax.
You can get leads these days with any coating so I don't see the point.
You also need a larger sized stone compared to a lead weight.
So when it comes to rig mechanics and casting not that great.
Though where they come into their own are where you don't need to cast far like rivers or stalking in the margins
Yep pallatrax.
You can get leads these days with any coating so I don't see the point.
You also need a larger sized stone compared to a lead weight.
So when it comes to rig mechanics and casting not that great.
Though where they come into their own are where you don't need to cast far like rivers or stalking in the margins
In reply to Post #4
Agreed - I should have added that all my waters are less than 10 wraps with most success close in with underarm casting 😁👍
Agreed - I should have added that all my waters are less than 10 wraps with most success close in with underarm casting 😁👍
In reply to Post #1
Why do you want to do this?
Do you think the fish can identify a lead and associate it with danger?
Personally I don't think so.
Why do you want to do this?
Do you think the fish can identify a lead and associate it with danger?
Personally I don't think so.
In reply to Post #6
Nothing for the fish, I agree they can't tell the difference.
More to save a little money, and stop lead being dropped into waters and for some fun of making um 😁
Nothing for the fish, I agree they can't tell the difference.
More to save a little money, and stop lead being dropped into waters and for some fun of making um 😁
In reply to Post #7
Fair enough
Fair enough
I use stonz when fishing in silt as it doesn't sink in as far as a lead. Works fine on helicopter set ups. I don't think I have ever tried to cast as far as ten wraps with it though: I may give that a try out of curiosity
In reply to Post #1
I think attaching a swivel etc causes a problem.
Im sure someone posted previously that it was very difficult to drill a stone, unless you had specialists equipment.
You may be able to glue / mastic a swivel, but it seems a bit of a faff.
I think attaching a swivel etc causes a problem.
Im sure someone posted previously that it was very difficult to drill a stone, unless you had specialists equipment.
You may be able to glue / mastic a swivel, but it seems a bit of a faff.
In reply to Post #9
Yes, they solve the silt problem and why drop a lead wrapped in plastic when you can drop a stone which only benefits the oxygen loving bacteria.
Yes, they solve the silt problem and why drop a lead wrapped in plastic when you can drop a stone which only benefits the oxygen loving bacteria.
In reply to Post #11
Dropping the lead, that's another subject. I don't do that unless it's absolutely necessary, which for me is rare.
As for attaching a swivel to a lead, not that I've done it but my first option would be to add a tail to the swivel and glue it on with something like CT1
Dropping the lead, that's another subject. I don't do that unless it's absolutely necessary, which for me is rare.
As for attaching a swivel to a lead, not that I've done it but my first option would be to add a tail to the swivel and glue it on with something like CT1
In reply to Post #10
What problems are ya thinking with the swivel?
I usually use a sleeve to help kick the line away and keep things clean in flight etc
What problems are ya thinking with the swivel?
I usually use a sleeve to help kick the line away and keep things clean in flight etc
In reply to Post #13
How do you get the swivel into the stone? Without a swivel, how are you intending to attach it to your line?
How do you get the swivel into the stone? Without a swivel, how are you intending to attach it to your line?
In reply to Post #13
If using a boat or short casts just find some suitably 'tight' rubber bands . . .you could knot them onto a clip or attach running rig style . . . .should drop off fairly easily on the take/if stuck in silt/when bouncing around during fight . . .
If using a boat or short casts just find some suitably 'tight' rubber bands . . .you could knot them onto a clip or attach running rig style . . . .should drop off fairly easily on the take/if stuck in silt/when bouncing around during fight . . .
Use the special diamond drill bits designed to drill stones or jewellery then glue a swivel inside the hole with araldite.
In reply to Post #14
Did you not watch the video I'm my post 1?
Full step by step guide to make them on under 5mins using a drill and swivels 👍
Did you not watch the video I'm my post 1?
Full step by step guide to make them on under 5mins using a drill and swivels 👍
In reply to Post #17
He makes it look very simple. Good luck.
He makes it look very simple. Good luck.
In reply to Post #17
The stone he used must have been very soft if he was able to drill it with an ordinary masonry drill.
I don't know for certain but I would imagine that type of stone is lighter than others?
Anyway, I understand the satisfaction of creating your own stuff so good luck with this
The stone he used must have been very soft if he was able to drill it with an ordinary masonry drill.
I don't know for certain but I would imagine that type of stone is lighter than others?
Anyway, I understand the satisfaction of creating your own stuff so good luck with this
I've been lead free for over a year now & it was really easy to make the transition.
Lead is a fvcking terrible substance & coated or not, the chance of leaving them in the lake doesn't sit well with me any more. There is a recent paper that details how it it detrimental to carp & how it poisons them. Fishing any system that allows / encourages a lead to fall off is lead littering.
Using lead for fishing is relatively new in history & we spent thousands of years using stones before Walker et al created the arsely bomb. It is only used for convenience - nothing else.
I've used Stonez, home made stones & the elastic band method suggested below - they all work. I've had no issues, no drop off in catch rates & no problems.
Feeling for a drop is slightly different but you get used to it.
Making your own is easy but a little noisy. A decent depth hole & using an epoxy resin to glue the swivel is all you need. I have a friend makes mine for me & he says it's a breeze - I make his pop ups & he does my weights. I haven't drilled them myself but seem to remember him saying he uses a diamond tip which is good for about 50 or so - someone saying not to use hammer drills as the stones tend to shatter.
I have another friend who has 3d printed moulds & creates them from cement & calls them Mortar bombs (he has some YouTube vids on them). They are bigger than stones but are slightly porous & he soaks them in particle juice / glug for added attraction.
Lead is a fvcking terrible substance & coated or not, the chance of leaving them in the lake doesn't sit well with me any more. There is a recent paper that details how it it detrimental to carp & how it poisons them. Fishing any system that allows / encourages a lead to fall off is lead littering.
Using lead for fishing is relatively new in history & we spent thousands of years using stones before Walker et al created the arsely bomb. It is only used for convenience - nothing else.
I've used Stonez, home made stones & the elastic band method suggested below - they all work. I've had no issues, no drop off in catch rates & no problems.
Feeling for a drop is slightly different but you get used to it.
Making your own is easy but a little noisy. A decent depth hole & using an epoxy resin to glue the swivel is all you need. I have a friend makes mine for me & he says it's a breeze - I make his pop ups & he does my weights. I haven't drilled them myself but seem to remember him saying he uses a diamond tip which is good for about 50 or so - someone saying not to use hammer drills as the stones tend to shatter.
I have another friend who has 3d printed moulds & creates them from cement & calls them Mortar bombs (he has some YouTube vids on them). They are bigger than stones but are slightly porous & he soaks them in particle juice / glug for added attraction.
In reply to Post #15
This works exactly as you've said. A couple of thick black military bands doubled up around a rock or stone from the margins works really well & drops off when it gets snagged. PVA bag swivels work as they have a bigger eye to get the bands through. I just loop them & pull them down tight. Too tight & the rubber can split. I cast normally with them but can see issues with really big chucks.
I found that I actually lost less tackle as it was the lead that got snagged under rocks & boulders which would result in the line breaking. With bands, they break first. The other benefit is that you can choose the best size for the distance your fishing.
If casting you need to make sure the bands are tight as the stone will pop out. With a bit of practice (they're free so you can try all sorts) you'll soon get used to it - using 2 band means you can wrap the stone at 90 degrees - one securing front to back & one left to right (think of ribbon on a parcel).
This works exactly as you've said. A couple of thick black military bands doubled up around a rock or stone from the margins works really well & drops off when it gets snagged. PVA bag swivels work as they have a bigger eye to get the bands through. I just loop them & pull them down tight. Too tight & the rubber can split. I cast normally with them but can see issues with really big chucks.
I found that I actually lost less tackle as it was the lead that got snagged under rocks & boulders which would result in the line breaking. With bands, they break first. The other benefit is that you can choose the best size for the distance your fishing.
If casting you need to make sure the bands are tight as the stone will pop out. With a bit of practice (they're free so you can try all sorts) you'll soon get used to it - using 2 band means you can wrap the stone at 90 degrees - one securing front to back & one left to right (think of ribbon on a parcel).
In reply to Post #21
Cheers Jamie!
I like the idea of them being porous and soaking in attractants 😁
Did you glue the swivel directly into the stone? Or loop it on some metal like shown in the video?
TIA 😁
Cheers Jamie!
I like the idea of them being porous and soaking in attractants 😁
Did you glue the swivel directly into the stone? Or loop it on some metal like shown in the video?
TIA 😁
In reply to Post #20
You might like these - https://www.econcretes.eu/product-info/
Nutrabaits / Vortex baits sell them - 2.6 to 6.7oz sizes . . .
You might like these - https://www.econcretes.eu/product-info/
Nutrabaits / Vortex baits sell them - 2.6 to 6.7oz sizes . . .
In reply to Post #23
Nutrabaits are doing a 20% off this weekend, we'll timed
Nutrabaits are doing a 20% off this weekend, we'll timed
In reply to Post #22
for the stone weights he just glues the swivel straight in - he uses the cheapest he can find.
I think the mortar bombs use loops.
for the stone weights he just glues the swivel straight in - he uses the cheapest he can find.
I think the mortar bombs use loops.
In reply to Post #23
I like the look of those 👍
I like the look of those 👍
In reply to Post #26
I can't see them being very heavy for their size.
Should be easy to make yourself though
I can't see them being very heavy for their size.
Should be easy to make yourself though
In reply to Post #27
Econcretes are lead-free, but still have a minimum density of 4.4 g/cm3.
The density of lead is 11.34 grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm3)
Econcretes are lead-free, but still have a minimum density of 4.4 g/cm3.
The density of lead is 11.34 grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm3)
Decathlon do lead free inlines - I have added loops to them so they work as swivel leads.
Evolve Tackle are doing lead free bombs too. Look like reasonable prices & the sizes seem to be similar to lead weights.
They are both metal though but obviously not as toxic as lead.
Evolve Tackle are doing lead free bombs too. Look like reasonable prices & the sizes seem to be similar to lead weights.
They are both metal though but obviously not as toxic as lead.
In reply to Post #29
Is it that bad?
Of all the things that end up in our water supplies the water pipe feeding my home and probably millions of others are made of lead and we still drink the water.
In reply to Post #28
Those lead free alternatives must be enormous!
Is it that bad?
Of all the things that end up in our water supplies the water pipe feeding my home and probably millions of others are made of lead and we still drink the water.
In reply to Post #28
Those lead free alternatives must be enormous!
In reply to Post #30
But that's not an argument is it? I drink from a lead pipe hence Iead dropping is ok. i saw Mark pitchers make the same argument: because a lot of people in the UK drink from lead pipes, I can drop leads in a Belgian lake.
But that's not an argument is it? I drink from a lead pipe hence Iead dropping is ok. i saw Mark pitchers make the same argument: because a lot of people in the UK drink from lead pipes, I can drop leads in a Belgian lake.
In reply to Post #31
I'm not talking about deliberately dropping the lead. It's not what I normally do.
If I lose a lead it's more than likely means I've lost a complete rig.
What I'm talking about is the size to weight ratio of lead versus non lead substitutes
For this reason I will continue to use lead as I believe the pollution I cause is negligible.
I use the lead pipe reference as justification for this.
For people who insist losing the lead all the time then they should consider using alternatives but I suspect they won't because of the size to weight ratio.
I'm not talking about deliberately dropping the lead. It's not what I normally do.
If I lose a lead it's more than likely means I've lost a complete rig.
What I'm talking about is the size to weight ratio of lead versus non lead substitutes
For this reason I will continue to use lead as I believe the pollution I cause is negligible.
I use the lead pipe reference as justification for this.
For people who insist losing the lead all the time then they should consider using alternatives but I suspect they won't because of the size to weight ratio.
In reply to Post #30
another metal isn't bad but it's a comfort thing if you're dropping weights.
when I listed the pro's & cons for using lead as a weight & compared them, the only pro's for leads were that they were cheap & heavy whilst the cons were that lead is poisonous at every level of exposure. as mentioned there was a paper this year where the scientists specifically looked at the effects of lead on carp & as expected, it's really bad for them. negligible still isn't no risk at all.
people say 'it takes years for the coating to break down' - great - and then what? it's poisonous to everything again. 'we have lead pipes' is another excuse I see but I am 99% sure that every person that has lead pipes would prefer not to have them & would have them replaced ASAP if they could FOC - it's banned in new builds too. lead in paint at a school - parents won't send thier kids there so it's banned. lead in petrol - banned & an alternative was used.
I honestly think that as soon as environmentalists realise what carp anglers are doing dropping leads, they will be banned very quickly - deep down I think everyone knows that & knows why.
I think the main clincher for me was realising that, like the examples above, there are alternatives & it isn't actually necessary unless fishing at long range so I just decided that I don't have to fish at range. I had thought about it for ages & when it came to making the switch it was very simple & easy to do & I don't feel my catch rates have changed in the slightest
another metal isn't bad but it's a comfort thing if you're dropping weights.
when I listed the pro's & cons for using lead as a weight & compared them, the only pro's for leads were that they were cheap & heavy whilst the cons were that lead is poisonous at every level of exposure. as mentioned there was a paper this year where the scientists specifically looked at the effects of lead on carp & as expected, it's really bad for them. negligible still isn't no risk at all.
people say 'it takes years for the coating to break down' - great - and then what? it's poisonous to everything again. 'we have lead pipes' is another excuse I see but I am 99% sure that every person that has lead pipes would prefer not to have them & would have them replaced ASAP if they could FOC - it's banned in new builds too. lead in paint at a school - parents won't send thier kids there so it's banned. lead in petrol - banned & an alternative was used.
I honestly think that as soon as environmentalists realise what carp anglers are doing dropping leads, they will be banned very quickly - deep down I think everyone knows that & knows why.
I think the main clincher for me was realising that, like the examples above, there are alternatives & it isn't actually necessary unless fishing at long range so I just decided that I don't have to fish at range. I had thought about it for ages & when it came to making the switch it was very simple & easy to do & I don't feel my catch rates have changed in the slightest
In reply to Post #33
It's interesting that you say at long range it's ok to introduce a negligible risk.
But if you can fish successfully at short range without the need for lead then that's a
If others want to drop the lead then I urge them to seek alternatives.
I'm happy with not dropping the lead and the negligible consequences that go with it
It's interesting that you say at long range it's ok to introduce a negligible risk.
But if you can fish successfully at short range without the need for lead then that's a
If others want to drop the lead then I urge them to seek alternatives.
I'm happy with not dropping the lead and the negligible consequences that go with it
In reply to Post #34
It's interesting that you say at long range it's ok to introduce a negligible risk.
But if you can fish successfully at short range without the need for lead then that's a
that's not what I meant & apologies if it came across like that.
what I was trying to say was that when I considered my fishing, the only time I would see using a lead as necessary over an alternative, was if I wanted to cast further out.
in switching over I accept that I can't cast as far anymore, so adapted my fishing to allow for that - I will either use a boat or find a spot closer in & doing this didn't affect my catch rates.
it's the same as decisions about using bait boats, drones, the twig, longshank / bent hooks - all down to the angler & what they feel is right. my feeling is that whilst lead won't make immediate, obvious harm that a bent hook might - in the long run it is potentially just as bad.
It's interesting that you say at long range it's ok to introduce a negligible risk.
But if you can fish successfully at short range without the need for lead then that's a
that's not what I meant & apologies if it came across like that.
what I was trying to say was that when I considered my fishing, the only time I would see using a lead as necessary over an alternative, was if I wanted to cast further out.
in switching over I accept that I can't cast as far anymore, so adapted my fishing to allow for that - I will either use a boat or find a spot closer in & doing this didn't affect my catch rates.
it's the same as decisions about using bait boats, drones, the twig, longshank / bent hooks - all down to the angler & what they feel is right. my feeling is that whilst lead won't make immediate, obvious harm that a bent hook might - in the long run it is potentially just as bad.
In reply to Post #34
I fish a water where you intentionally HAVE to drop any lead over 1.5oz . . .where the specific weight comes from I've no idea (eg not sure how a much more 'snaggable' a 2oz inline is over a 1.5oz) however dems da rules . . . lake is not massive and I'm sure most dropped leads are frequently collected with a magnet and are on sale somewhere on ebay . . .
I fish a water where you intentionally HAVE to drop any lead over 1.5oz . . .where the specific weight comes from I've no idea (eg not sure how a much more 'snaggable' a 2oz inline is over a 1.5oz) however dems da rules . . . lake is not massive and I'm sure most dropped leads are frequently collected with a magnet and are on sale somewhere on ebay . . .
In reply to Post #33
people say 'it takes years for the coating to break down'
I heard Danny F doing a talk at a show once and someone asked about the lead/water/toxic issue. He said the leads are painted/coated with the same 'stuff' that oil rig legs get.
This was many years ago.
Not trying to be anti, but I don't really see how that helps...
I have plenty of leads where the plasticky coating is peeling off due to casting and hitting gravel/stones. So lead is exposed, even if it's not 100% of the surface area.
Secondly, the inline leads I have seen and used in the past aren't coated in their centre where the plastic tube pushes in.
So to me, the 'coated lead' argument doesn't hold water.
I am not going to lose sleep worrying about leads weights as I am too tight to drop them
However, this weekend I will pick a few stones up off the beach and give them a go in my bench vice/pillar drill.
The caption on that video said SANDSTONE and so I think the stone's he was using weren't quite up to FLINT hardness (unfortunately I think down here in West Sussex our beaches are mainly flint...we'll see)
people say 'it takes years for the coating to break down'
I heard Danny F doing a talk at a show once and someone asked about the lead/water/toxic issue. He said the leads are painted/coated with the same 'stuff' that oil rig legs get.
This was many years ago.
Not trying to be anti, but I don't really see how that helps...
I have plenty of leads where the plasticky coating is peeling off due to casting and hitting gravel/stones. So lead is exposed, even if it's not 100% of the surface area.
Secondly, the inline leads I have seen and used in the past aren't coated in their centre where the plastic tube pushes in.
So to me, the 'coated lead' argument doesn't hold water.
I am not going to lose sleep worrying about leads weights as I am too tight to drop them
However, this weekend I will pick a few stones up off the beach and give them a go in my bench vice/pillar drill.
The caption on that video said SANDSTONE and so I think the stone's he was using weren't quite up to FLINT hardness (unfortunately I think down here in West Sussex our beaches are mainly flint...we'll see)
In reply to Post #37
I am not going to lose sleep worrying about leads weights as I am too tight to drop them
That's the point I was trying to make.
I didn't see the mention of sandstone. That makes sense now and is why he can use ordinary masonry bits. I wish you luck if you are trying to drill a piece of flint.
This is an old article but it's about using inline leads in weed rather than dropping them
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I am not going to lose sleep worrying about leads weights as I am too tight to drop them
That's the point I was trying to make.
I didn't see the mention of sandstone. That makes sense now and is why he can use ordinary masonry bits. I wish you luck if you are trying to drill a piece of flint.
This is an old article but it's about using inline leads in weed rather than dropping them
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