[flogger]

OK fellas, I need your opinions. I have heard, haven't done much research myself, that using leadshot to get your fly down in the water column is a bad thing. I know about the effects of lead poisoning etc. so I was kinda surprised when a local fly sop recommended using those little BB's. Any thoughts on this, what do you find is a good alternative? Thanks for the input!

Tight lines!

 

[Greg Moore]

Double bead head nymphs!

Greg

"In our family, there is no clear
line between religion and fly
fishing" Norman Maclean

 

[redgibber]

I just got back from fishing a good-sized, bawling freestone river on the peninsula. I used, for the first time, tungsten shot.
It cost a lot more than lead. I hear its heavier than lead. I found it to be alittle harder to work with. I made sure I didn't pinch it on so hard, because my lack of fingernails made it hard to get off in the small sizes I prefer. It stayed in place pretty good, didn't damage the tippet when pinched down and removed. And it got the fly down on the bottom, using appropiate methods.
So, if you have something that you can use instead of lead, which is a proven environmental hazard, I say use it.
Oh, yea, and I use beadheads for the fly. Trout love 'um.

 

[Old Man]

What do I know---I'm just an old man

I bought a couple of those sinking leaders. Super fast sink and a slower one. It gets your flies down real quick. They're only about 6' long and with a short tippet 2' to 4' long is a real nice set-up. But just a little pricey $7.50 to $7.95.

Jim

 

[Guest]

I use Lead split shot almost always in the winter as I prefer not to use sinking lines. Shure lead is an environmental harzard but farting is too. I just dont think that fishing with lead is that big of deal I mean come on pretty much everything we do as humans is an environmental hazard.

 

[mtp1032]

Lead is a very stable element and, left alone, will do little damage to the environment. Problems arise, however, when lead is ingested, as happens to ducks and geese who slurp sludge from the bottom of ponds that are covered in bird-shot. Hence, many states now outlaw lead-based bird-shot, and I support such laws.

However, the same doesn't hold for fishing. It takes a lot of lead to have a measurable effect on waterfowl (or other animals who may incidentally ingest the pellets) and fisherman, especially fly-fisherman, do not chum for steelhead by throwing lead pellets at 'em.

So, IMO, the few split shot that get lost in the boulder gardens of the sauk are completely and forever harmless.


Cheers,

Michael

Remember, Son. Catch, Gloat, then Release.

 

[scottr]

I use lead and non lead equally.

I like Twist Ons for getting steelhead flys really deep.

When tying, I wrap my steelhead hooks in either lead or non lead wire depending on the pattern

For split shot the Orvis non-toxic weights are the best. I tend to put split shot in my mouth and decided to avoid lead. I found these and they worh great. The come in a varity of sizes and stay put really well. They come off easy and can be re-sed a few times.

 

[flogger]

Thanks fellas!

All your input is great. It's only my second season with a fly rod and I don't do the fly tying thing yet or I would incorporate more in the the nymph to begin with.

What are 'Twist Ons'? Don't think I've seen those in my web browseing time.

Maybe it's my newness but more often than not I hear those little BB's taking a detour and launching off of my line on the 1st or 2nd false cast. I really hate hearing that PLOP! off to the side of my fly. :SAD (They're hard enough to see and get on the freaking line.) Don't know if it's a bad crimp or crappy cast. Haven't lost any flies to the 'whip' in a long time so it must be my crimp.

Thanks all!........ Flogger

 

[o mykiss]

Twist-ons are thin, flat strips of lead that you can wrap around the leader. I don't know what the advantage is other than it might cast a little bit better than split shot. I don't fish with lead too much - I prefer to incorporate the weight into the fly because I think a weighted fly casts better than a leader with lead crimped on it. Bead heads are good for this, or if you want to get a non- or lightly weighted fly down you can use a double nymph rig, with the top nymph being a big weighted fly probably with a bead head. This is probably not much better than casting with split shot though, but it sure feels a lot more elegant. Tungsten is heavier than lead and is being used a fair amount for bead head flies. Sometimes the conditions just require that you use lead or something like it to get the fly down to where it needs to be.

 

[redgibber]

Yes, though if I want long graceful casts, I use a dry fly. I find if you space the weight about a foot on the leader you don't tangle up as much. It turns the whole thing over evenly. When you are nymphing in this manner you can stand in the river and take fish almost at your feet. I use a roll cast, usually no more than 20 feet.

 

[Old Man]

What do I know---I'm just an old man

Like every thing eles that's new on the market. It seems that I have to try it. Bought some of thse twist-ons lead but didn't end up using it. Did you ever hit your self in the head with a weight.Hurts doesn't it. Beside it doesn't cast very well. I now weight all my flies that are the sinking kind when I tie them up.\

Jim

 

[scottr]

I like the way Twist Ons cast when steelheading and they are great for hitting a deep hole when you are using a floating line because they go on and come off pretty fast (faster than changing to a sink tip). Especially good for a river like the NF Stilly where depth can vary greatly.

As for losing the split shot. Give the Orvis non-toxic a try. If you lightly squeeze them on with your forceps they hold really well in part to their oval/egg shape. I think these are the best on the market.