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Stones as leads (38 posts / 3,129 views)
Dfesdefu Dfesdefu
Posts: 14
Post #31 27 Feb 2025 08:06
1
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.
Tinhead Tinhead
Posts: 17,090
Post #32 27 Feb 2025 11:07
1
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.
JamieNow JamieNow
Posts: 7,471
Post #33 27 Feb 2025 15:12
1
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

Tinhead Tinhead
Posts: 17,090
Post #34 27 Feb 2025 15:48
1
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

JamieNow JamieNow
Posts: 7,471
Post #35 27 Feb 2025 16:09
1
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.



Belch Belch
MODERATORMOD
Posts: 4,661
Post #36 27 Feb 2025 17:49
0
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 . . .
Karlos Karlos
MODERATORMOD
Posts: 14,188
Post #37 27 Feb 2025 20:14
0
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)
Tinhead Tinhead
Posts: 17,090
Post #38 28 Feb 2025 12:05
0
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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