Les Jones

Science > Uncle Cecil on Lead Fishing Sinkers and the Environment

Dear Straight Dope:

I went fishing for salmon for the first time in my life last year in Washington along a beautiful quiet river with about 100 or so other anglers. Besides depositing beer cans, cigarette butts, fish guts, fast food trash, hundreds of yards of fishing line and multitudes of hooks, etc., I quickly noticed that due the rocky nature of the stream bottom anglers commonly broke their lines several times per session. Most of these "sportsmen" used lead weights on the end their lines. Considering that this has been happening every year for 30 (?) years or so there is probably a truckload of submerged lead lurking there. Does this practice pose a risk to the environment? Is lead really the most suitable material for this endeavor? --Mike

SDSTAFF Una replies:

Two things you might find surprising: First, lead fishing weights have a long history--the Egyptians used lead net sinkers 5,000-7,000 years ago (reference 2). Second, perhaps the greatest danger posed by lead fishing tackle is neither to fish nor humans, but to birds.

Read the whole answer. It convinced me to buy non-lead sinkers next fishing season.