Have there been any studies done on lead which is a reproductive toxin. Mostly pertaining to how it effects fish spawning in rivers.

I pick up pounds and pounds when the rivers are low. I know thats doesnt even register compared to whats really out there.

should we be using lead if we care about the resource?

<img border="0" alt="[wall]" title="" src="graemlins/wall.gif" />

Methinks that all the lead I've handled for the past 50 years would have killed me long ago. I used to bite it (some people with good teeth still do), and sometimes my hands are dirty from handling it when I eat a sandwich or muffin. One of these days there will be some do-gooder who will cause the stuff to be outlawed, under some junk science study, no doubt.

My answer....I doubt that fish are much affected by the solid lead left lying at the bottom of a river....they don't eat it, and even if they did, they would pass it.

If they switch from lead I will have to change my name.

Lets see

Steel Thrower
Heavy Plastic Thrower
Bismuth Thrower
Slinky Filled With Pebbles Thrower

aaaaahhhh those sound pretty lame

I'd be willing to bet you that most fishermen have elevated lead levels in their bloodstream as compared with non-fishermen.

Personally, I hate the stuff and try hard never to use it, when I do I try not to handle it. Maybe I'm being paranoid but, if you've ever known someone with lead poisoning, its effect are debilitating and scary.

I think it was obsessed that answered this awhile back[a year or more] and basically said the lead is not soluble in water so is not available to the fish or insects. I hope he's right.

I searched this out

http://www.piscatorialpursuits.com/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=007302#000005

couldn't remember any key words in it. You don't think ...

I like the warning that comes on tube lead nowadays "This product contains lead" Ya think?

Makes sense...I wondered why that stuff was so heavy.....

The one I've never understood is that we grew up using tooth paste out of lead tubes, changed maybe in the late 50's or so? Wait, maybe that does explain a few things.

lead is bad for ya... If ya eat it and I always make darn good and sure I have lots a ventalation when I am pouring it... But I grew up drinking water out of lead pipes. I ai'nt dead yet..........

dave

Any Parts falling off, Lepper?

When he gets in hot water with the old lady I bet she calls him 'Stew'...

STLHDH2O

LOL

No question lead is toxic and remains so basically forever as it doesn't decompose. One pellet shot any time in the last century, when injested by a swan, kills it - happening right now up in Watcom county. But that's because the swan grinds it up in their gizzard.

After a century or so of lead broken off in the river, lead that migrated downward as it is heavier than most river rock and gravel, has had time to stew in the hyphoreic zone - basically the underground "river" that flows under the bed and interfaces with ground water, I would bet that we will start to see lead "hits" in adjacent wells. There is already a pretty toxic soup in much of our ground water, and this is just another contributer to it. Given enough time and freedom from environmental regulations, we will eventually foul our nest enough to kill us all. Probably good riddance, but sure wish we wouldn't take the rest of God's innocent creatures with us

Spawnout

Can you tell me which is worse?

The lead in our rivers, and streams, or the high levels of arsenic in our rivers?

They both kill, but I'll bet you there is higher levels of "natural" arsenic then there is of lead!

That is a fact in all glacier feed rivers.


Cowlitzfisherman

only stew around here is sitting infront of your monitor........ :'P

solid or not the shipyard requires full suitup whenever dealing with lead. so I definetly would not stick it in my mouth!

I ussually help a friend repour his anchor once a year because it gets lighter from scraping on the rocks.

If you dont think it has effected you how would you know? you could have been a genius!

I read the original thread. Its amazing how we can rationalize something we all dont want to stop doing. Its definetly not good for the fish.

also they banned the use of lead shot for two reasons birds were swallowing the pellets and and it was contaminating the wetlands. lead does break down, it oxidizes and contaminates the food chain.

Here is my reply to everyone that is worried about lead in the rivers, Do your part to help, Stop fishing! . Im sure there are a lot of guys out there that would appreciate the extra room on the rivers

Thanks, I think I will keep fishing. Maybe I will try to use more powdercoated sinkers and reduce the amount of lead I am contributing to the ecosystem. I read the other thread posted. If all them sinkers sunk below the gravel line and were covered up how do I find so many when the water goes down. Cant be good. hope the price comes down on tungsten pretty soon.