Quillback

Yeah OB, lead is evil, but yet other suspect metals (brass, tungsten) which are suspect are OK by you. I think it's an idiotic assumption to assume that tungsten is OK. Better to err on the side of safety.

Yep Ann you are right, to be true friends of the environment we should ban all fishing. And kill all cats

According to this article, if you're concerned about "potential" adverse effects to the environmet, you should not use tungsten either. http://pubs.acs.org/cen/science/87/8703sci2.html From the article: The metal's toxicity is relatively low compared with, for example, mercury's or lead's, but "tungsten anions are never inert to living things," Tajima says. Chronic exposure to tungsten species by, for example, ingesting tainted water or foods, even at a very low concentration, is probably a more important issue than acute toxicity, he says.

Excellent! How deep of water were you picking up the black bass? Were they near docks or were you getting them on the points?

I like to fish, but putting up with that level of craziness just isn't worth it to me. But, I can now fish during the week (and I am thankful for that). Nice bunch of fish, kudos to you for being able to pull them out in the midst of all that stuff.

After all this, and I appreciate the anti-lead arguments, I will still be using lead. I do use tungsten for t-rig weights, because it's more dense and makes for a smaller weight. If someday, jig and spinnerbait manufacturers offer tungsten lures and they are priced similarly to lead ones, I'll buy them. But I do not see enough of an impact on the environment to support a ban on the use of lead in fishing tackle.

OK, look at the loon study and think about what it says: Diagnostic and analytical findings are presented for 105 common loons (Gavia immer) found dead or debilitated in New York (USA) from 1972-99. Aspergillosis (23% of cases) and ingestion of lead fishing weights (21%) were the most common pathologies encountered. Stranding on land, shooting, other trauma, gill nets, air sacculitis and peritonitis, and emaciation of uncertain etiology accounted for most of the remaining causes of disease or death. 105 loons dies in a 27 year span (1972-99), that's about 4 per year. Only 21 % died from lead poisoning. So in total 22 loons died from lead poisoning in 27 years, less than one per year. In the case of the penguins, again if you read what you're referencing, death by lead poisoning is far down on the list of penguin mortality. And in the Pacific Loon case it clearly states it is lead shot that is the issue. Yes lead is a problem, banning lead shot is good, I can see where a ban on lead split shot might make sense, though I am not convinced that by itself it is an issue. But I see no reason to ban the use of lead in fishing lures such as jigs or spiiner baits.

Still haven't seen any proof or references to how lead used in fishing lures (not lead shot or split shot) is having any significant impact on waterfowl or any fish or animals. The somewhat longwinded arguments I have seen do not quote any studies, which is about what you would expect from a 4th graders paper on lead in the environment.

I think most jigs are still US manufactured. Lots of small tackle manufacturers out there making jigs, be a shame to see it all go to China. And do US tackle manufacturers (those that are left) import the lead they use? Probably not. But if they are forced to use tungsten they will have to import tungsten. I guess I'm old fashioned, I support US workers and manufacturers.

I can see where lead shot or small split shot can be ingested by waterfowl and cause issues. If I was a duck hunter I would have no problem using steel shot. I don't see where larger lead weights, or lead headed spinner baits, jigs etc., cause any environemtal damage whatsoever. I could see where it mgight be possible for a waterbird to ingest a jig or spinner bait, but if that happened, the hook would probably be more of an issue than the lead. I have not seen in this thread, or any where that I have read about this issue that large pieces of lead that you would see in large weights or lures is causing any significant enviromental damage. If anyone believes so, please provide references. A note about tungsten - it is not mined in the US, 75% of the worlds supply comes from China. So if lead was completely banned for use in manufacturing fishing lures, we just be sending a little more of our money to the Chinese If we're going to ban anything, it should be braided line, I drag up balls of that stuff all the time. The problem with these government people making decisions like banning lead for fishing, is that they are not on the water like we are. We see the environment as it is, they see it through a microscope.

Almost 4000 views now. I was out yesterday, the bass are biting. 50 degrees this AM. It's all good.

Sent them a response. BTW, tungsten which is probably the best alternative to lead, is not mined domestically. 75% of the worlds tungsten production comes from China. So not only would we be forced to pay more for a lead substitute, the Chinese would be the main benefactors.

Sweet potatoes aren't really potatoes, they are in some other plant family. I quote, from Wikpedia: "The genus Ipomoea that contains the sweet potato also includes several garden flowers called morning glories, though that term is not usually extended to Ipomoea batatas. Some cultivars of Ipomoea batatas are grown as ornamental plants; the name "tuberous morning glory" may be used in a horticultural context." So next time you are at a family get together for Thanksgiving, ask someone to please pass you the "tuberous morning glory".

I did not see this thread until now, every once in a while I drag some shells up while fishing a football jig in the local lakes, big mussels, maybe 4 inches in length, dunno if you are interested in lake mussels, but if so I will save them should I bring some more in.

I have a Temple Fork rod myself, use it for pitching jigs, it's an excellent value for the money. Don't even eat baked potatoes, get yams or sweet potatoes instead, much healthier than regular potatoes. And you won't need to put nasty fat free sour cream on yams or sweet potatoes, just butter them up with some fake butter. Fake butter, though not as good as the real stuff, is not as foul as fat free sour cream.

There's so much stuff he could need that now that I think about it I don't know if I would even want to make any suggestions. You might want to get on some of the larger nationwide forums for some info, not that there aren't knowledgeable folks here but for example on bassresource.com there's a forum for tournaments and there's some threads that talk about college fishing tourneys like this one http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1259806335 There's many threads about rods//lures/techniques and which set ups are the best for the money, etc. on that forum also. Good place to do some research and maybe narrow things down so you can focus in on what he's going to need.

Good luck to your son! I hope the Hawgs bass team kicks some rear ends! What's his budget for rods/reels? There's such a huge price range on rods/reels that you have to figure out how much you can spend then you can find gear and get recommendations for that price range. How do the college teams get boats, do they have to supply their own?

I have seen your posts on the subject. They are an effective lure for you. I have so many topwaters that I have a hard time convincing myself to pick up some more, but I think I will have to pick a couple of these up.

Nothing in today's paper about any accidents on Beaver.

How do you fish those baits? Are they a walk-the-dog bait?

Have not bought a McRip yet but I will once the cold weather gets here, I like the fact that they are a deep running rip bait. They also have some new colors for the 110, Ghost Norman Flake looks like it could be killer!

Yeah but that perch may have baby walleye for dinner That's a fish you should whack on the head and feed the turtles with, not that it makes much difference, they're probably here to stay.

Nothing wrong with posting reports and if the person doesn't mention where they caught them it's no big deal. If a person wants to brag, then brag away. And if you don't like a person's writing style or they offend you because you feel they are too full of themselves, then don't read their entries. Sheesh.. Pictures do help crediblity, some members I trust, but some, well, let's see a few pics. Here's one I caught this morning, but I'm not gonna tell you what on, where, or give any descriptions of the fight.

Champ, I am hoping you have a quick recovery! I noticed you live here in Bella Vista, as you probably know there's quite a few walking trails here, and it looks like you'll be doing some walking, I like the one over by the Loch Lomond dam, maybe I'll see you and Donna there some day.

It's the weight that concerns me more than the length, at 2.5 ounces that's one heavy lure. Have to break out the SW surf casting gear to chuck that monster.