# California Might Ban Lead Fishing Weights



## LDUBS (Mar 2, 2018)

Looks like California could be following 6 other states in banning small lead sinkers. A bill has been introduced to stop all manufacture, sales and purchase of smaller lead weights. “Smaller” means about 1 3/4 oz or less with a cross section of 2 cm or less. BTW, it if contains 0.1% or more lead by weight, then it would be subject to the ban. The reason is to protect waterfowl and other wildlife. If I’m reading it correctly, the bill does not prohibit use of what an individual already has in his tackle box. This seems almost too reasonable and I wouldn’t be surprised to see 100% bans by local authorities. 

Without getting into the great debate over whether this is justified or not, I personally don’t have a big problem. Prices will surely increase, and especially I think for things like jig heads. But, we will cope just like we did when we moved away from lead shot. Just my opinion, but it is a small price to pay to preserve our wildlife. Hopefully the guys making sinkers, split shot, & etc have seen this coming and are ready to transition.


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## Ttexastom (Mar 2, 2018)

I have read where some parts of california will go lead free with bullets. Copper bullets are taking the place of lead. This must be true about lead weights also.


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## LDUBS (Mar 2, 2018)

Ttexastom said:


> I have read where some parts of california will go lead free with bullets. Copper bullets are taking the place of lead. This must be true about lead weights also.



Yes, the lead ammunition ban is being phased in. Lead shot is pretty much a goner now. Non-lead ammo will be required for all hunting in California by July 1, 2019. The ban even applies to nuisance non-game animals, like squirrels or rodents. As far as I can see, target shooting with lead ammunition is still going to be OK. But I've been around long enough to not be surprised if that is eventually banned too. 

I will be surprised if copper is used in fishing weights because of cost. I've seen non-lead sinkers at the stores but don't know what metals are used.


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## GTS225 (Mar 3, 2018)

LDUBS said:


> If I’m reading it correctly, the bill does not prohibit use of what an individual already has in his tackle box.


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Here's where there's a problem. How will a DNR/F&W official be able to tell if the split shot in the tackle box is new or old? I can see it being arbitrarily enforced at the onset of the law. It won't matter when it was obtained, or how old it is, if it's in your gear, you get the citation, and it gets confiscated. It would be very unfair, but how could a sportsman fight it, as he most likely wouldn't be able to prove it's old enough to have been "grandfathered".

Roger


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## Stumpalump (Mar 3, 2018)

Read the bill. 
A bill has been introduced to stop all manufacture, sales and purchase of smaller lead weights.
Does not say that you cannot use what you have and is not intended to harass fishermen.


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## LDUBS (Mar 3, 2018)

LDUBS said:


> Ttexastom said:
> 
> 
> > I have read where some parts of california will go lead free with bullets. Copper bullets are taking the place of lead. This must be true about lead weights also.
> ...



I was wrong about copper. I was reading something this morning that says copper and tungsten are likely substitutes. Tungsten and copper are going to have to be a lot more expensive. However, I see other non-lead split shot and bullet weights advertised that are not that expensive. Don't know what kind of metals are used -- maybe tin.


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## LDUBS (Mar 3, 2018)

GTS225 said:


> LDUBS said:
> 
> 
> > If I’m reading it correctly, the bill does not prohibit use of what an individual already has in his tackle box.
> ...



From a completely unbiased viewpoint, it would be much easier to simply apply the ban across the board. However, I think having some kind of transition is essential. I guess similar bans exist or are being implemented in New Hampshire, Maine, New York, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Washington. I understand the ban also exists in Canada. Perhaps folks from those places could weigh in on how the ban was implemented. 

Again, I am not opposed to the ban. At this point I'm more curious how it will be implemented.


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## richg99 (Mar 4, 2018)

Another rule; Another rule; Another rule; Another rule; Another rule; Another rule; Another rule; Another rule;

I am not against preserving our wildlife. But the more complicated unenforceable rules that government makes, the more we pay.

Just ban the manufacture of lead weights, and the sale of lead weights, and be done with it. 

THAT they can control. Eventually, all of the present lead being used will be lost on the bottom of the lakes and there won't be any more lead weights. DON'T make a ton of additional new rules. Just let businesses figure that out on their own. Governments always want to micro-manage things and they don't do a very good job of it. 

Good morning. Sorry that I am being the old grouch. I'd rather be the young grouch.
Rich


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## Jake2250 (Mar 4, 2018)

Again another useless waste of our money! On the list of Ca's priorities this one should be very low! I would be more concerned with the trash and debris from the homeless encampments along our water ways. I read that the Bay area environmentalists are now concerned about the garbage from the street encampments blowing into the Bay and polluting the waters.
Let alone the urine,feces and needles washing into the drains that empty into the creeks that feed the rivers lakes and Bays. 

But no, lets drive companies out of CA for something that the studies and research cannot substantiate! 
California has become the "Worst" state to live in! Ranked 50 out pf 50! 
Lets put the fishing weight ban on the back burner for now and concentrate on the current issues that are an extreme danger to the environment! 

California will Empty lakes and force drought restrictions because some group did a study about a fish that has no purpose, we do not eat it, it does not do anything for the environment, its not even a food staple for other fish! Yet we send fresh water into the Delta and empty large lakes to keep the salt water put of the lower Delta to save those Smelt! 
Two years ago, we had early winds come in during the spring, heavy westerly winds that blew tide waters into the Bay!
Two major lakes were drained almost empty to flush the Delta because the Delta Smelt was threatened! 
Its these Special Interest groups that drive California into these ridicules environmental restrictions! 
CA legislators (the GOV) knew about the issue at Lake Orville yet did nothing to prevent that disaster! 
It just goes on and on! And who is paying for this? Tax paying Californians! Heck I almost gotta take a loan out to buy a fishing license with all the enhancements, register my boat and trailer, either buy a State recreation pass or pay for each visit to a water way! My local lake (Folsom Lake) Ran out of water two years ago! RAN OUT! 
They spent millions of dollars to built a barge with huge pumps and piping to try and get the very last bit of water out of the lake. Yet still charged and raised the fee to get into the Lake! They let land locked Salmon and other fish die! Yet still charged $22 to bring a boat in and find somewhere to launch to it because all the boat ramps were high and dry! I paid it to get at some of the land locked fish to help them out! Only to find out I received a $350 fine for NOT using and approved boat launch! 
Is to bad,, I and thousands of other Californians that have supported all of this crap have had enough and are in the process of selling our houses and are moving out of this screwed up state! 
Its a shame,, There are so many beautiful resources here but it has become to expensive and to restrictive to enjoy!


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## richg99 (Mar 4, 2018)

Jake....How do you really feel??? 

Ha Ha... ( I agree with you and I don't even live in CA. )

Not being political...(well, maybe a little bit)....I like the idea of canceling five old rules for every new one. If we kept up with that, we'd be out of excessive rules in 20 years or so.


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## Stumpalump (Mar 4, 2018)

There is zero amount of lead in any animal that is not harmful. Fish eats lead then people and eagles eat the fish and get poisoned. A tiny bit in the body of a developing brain causes harm. Some animals it kills and the others like people are just made more stupid. Even people that eat hunted deer have lead in their systems from eating lead fragments. People want to hunt and eat fish caught with lead....Go ahead until the lead runs out but for those of us that are sick of dumb azz lead poisoned people and dead critters please ban it. There is a zero safe limit of lead in biology. Zero. Ban it all.


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## LDUBS (Mar 4, 2018)

I'll join the complaints about too many unneeded rules and regs. However, lead is a proven health problem and I have no issue with eliminating lead weights. How they do it might be another matter. 

It is really sad to see the amount of trash along our waterways. Some really beautiful river and lake settings look like garbage dumps. Some people truly are pigs.


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## eshaw (Mar 12, 2018)

What's the deal with CA? Running out of things to ban? I can understand hunting with lead, to a point but trying to substitute it with copper? Really? That's one of the dumber things I think I've heard for a while. I figure that if the government is going to substitute something for lead it will probably be bismuth. I make my own lead weights and I'll just keep making them. If I get busted for it that's the risk I'll take but I'm not overly worried about it.


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## KMixson (Mar 12, 2018)

Wait until the fisherman use up all of their lead weights? I have lead weights in my tackle box from the 1970's if not earlier. How long are they going to grandfather in the old weights you have?


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## water bouy (Mar 12, 2018)

I gathered a large amount of it over the last 15 years to save money target shooting but so far the range I go to hasn't dropped the hammer. If they ever do they may be out of business since jacketed ammo has a lead core too, if I remember correctly. I know some guys are using coated lead bullets but I think that's about saving time lubing them individually.

One remedy might be to make coated sinkers that won't degrade inside of animals.


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## LDUBS (Mar 13, 2018)

KMixson said:


> Wait until the fisherman use up all of their lead weights? I have lead weights in my tackle box from the 1970's if not earlier. How long are they going to grandfather in the old weights you have?




Yeah my tackle box is sort of the same. I don't even know if they will grandfather anything. It was just a supposition on my part based on the wording of the bill. It hasn't passed into law yet and there is opposition. However, I suspect the bill will go through. 

BTW, If you want to know about a law that really stinks, regulations targeting reduction of green house gasses passed in 2016 gives our Air Resources Board the authority to regulate cow flatulence if there is a viable technology to reduce it. Maybe "Bovine Beano"? Haha.


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