No lead...shaky...with the HD Additive

[andrewlamberson]

I have been fooling around with pouring the tail section on some baits with softener in them...then pouring the bodies with the HD so they are tough....Works great when you want a two color bait anyway!

It's also kind of a cool way to do worms....the tail floats...and the head sinks...rigged Texas rig minus the bullet sinker...or a shaky ...without the lead head!

 The "no lead shaky" worked  well on Largemouth last couple weekends in our cold water (iced over now!)....nice and slow...it drove them crazy! Plus I didn't get hung up in the branches on the bottom even once with the hook Texas rigged.

I did best on some 4.5" Ribbon tails I made up with the tail in Chartreuse yellow (regular floating with some softener) and the body in X2 watermelon/red flake in HD. They fell at about 1 ft per second (It took a  10 count in 8 ft. of water). I used 2 tablespoons of HD per 4 oz.

I made up a bunch of 4.5" Dragon Tail Finesse worms this way...and boy do they look good in the test mug (I got to get a fish tank!). The ones with just the tail in regular (float) and the bodies in HD had a nice look to them...with the floating tail taking a few extra seconds to settle to the bottom.

Forecast is for high 40's this weekend so maybe I'll get a chance to try them...if I can find an ice free area to launch my boat!

[t-billy]

 Thanks for the insperation Andy. I bought some floating additive last year and never used it. I'm gonna go shoot some carrots with it. I bought some nice shakey head jigs similar to the spot remover pro from a guy on Ebay last spring that I really like. They do a great job of standing up with every bait I've tried on 'em. It should be just about impossible to get one to fall over with a floating 6" skinny carrot screwed on.

[andrewlamberson]

Be VERY careful with the floating additive - I assume it's micro-spheres? They are a significant inhalation hazard.

[412BaitCo]

Andy you seem to be the man when it comes to thermometers so I have to ask. Do you recommend a decent respirator for what we do?

[floridagrimp]

This is real important thread as Obama's radical EPA will go after lead in hunting and fishing like no admin. ever has. It has already started, they'll be a lot of lobbying and who knows how it'll end..but the very militant EPA is going to make a huge move on this, imo...IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS!!

A lot of well meaning sportsmen are buying into the "save the planet" rhetoric..(I believe in being good stewards of the planet, not worshipping it!!)  lead weights do nothing to the big picture of wildlife's survival, ESP. FISH ...errr, these enviro-nut windmill farms (not against them, just think they should be developed by free enterprise) KILL HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS, MAYBE MILLLIONS OF BIRDS, EVEN ENDANGERED ONES, EVERY YEAR!!!!!!!  and that's documented by the gov't. 

CC's sinking additive may be bigger than we thought...

[BareKnuckleJigs]

Not to ThreadJack, but FloridaG, You're dead-on.  I believe it was last year, I read an article in LA Sportsman, about them trying to ban lead in Fishing and Hunting.  The Hunting Ammo Lead Ban was denied (that time) but the Lead Ban in Fishing Tackle was still under consideration.  A little at a time, Bro, a little at a time.  And roger on being a Good Steward, but not worshipping...there's definitely a difference.  Take care of it, don't bow down to it.

[floridagrimp]

If Romney had won, I was seriously thinking about getting a Tekcast spincaster for pouring jigheads (figured I'd have at least 4 years b/4 EPA brought any changes) ...but wouldn't touch it now...esp. not in Fla!!!

[Muskygary]

Back to the issue; Andy I bet those worms would be killer in our weedy midwest lakes. I can see it slow falling over the weeds and as it gets to the top of them, wham! Mister ,largemouth picks off a easy meal. Besides most guys fish to fast and this will be a hot "slow" presentation.

[t-billy]

 Thanks for the safety tip Andy. Yeah, they're MF microspheres. I wore a respirator. I added 1 tbs to 1/2 cup of plastic and made a dozen 6" skinny carrots. It was too much. It stiffened the baits up a fair bit. Boy do they ever float though. I tried one out in the sink. I couldn't get it to lay over on a shakey head. Not even with the 1/2 oz head and, it has a 4/0 hook. If I push it over by hand it springs right back up. It's just a little too stiff though.  I'll try another batch tommorrow with 1/2 the amount of sphere's. I think I'll have a real winner once I get the ratio right. These carrots have to be just about the most versatile bait out there. 

[pjmcla]

As Andy said - be very careful with the micro-spheres.  They are real rough on the lungs if inhaled as I understand it.  Pulmonary problems are rough. 

[chase102798]

This is real important thread as Obama's radical EPA will go after lead in hunting and fishing like no admin. ever has. It has already started, they'll be a lot of lobbying and who knows how it'll end..but the very militant EPA is going to make a huge move on this, imo...IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS!!

A lot of well meaning sportsmen are buying into the "save the planet" rhetoric..(I believe in being good stewards of the planet, not worshipping it!!)  lead weights do nothing to the big picture of wildlife's survival, ESP. FISH ...errr, these enviro-nut windmill farms (not against them, just think they should be developed by free enterprise) KILL HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS, MAYBE MILLLIONS OF BIRDS, EVEN ENDANGERED ONES, EVERY YEAR!!!!!!!  and that's documented by the gov't. 

CC's sinking additive may be bigger than we thought...

New York banned lead sinker sales. When we salmon fish, we can only buy glow-in-the-dark tin sinkers. We bring our own from PA.

[floridagrimp]

I think weighted jerk bait hooks are still legal in the states that have banned lead...for now. Tunsten is an alternative for fishing...a very expensive one.

[BareKnuckleJigs]

I've been thinking about gathering a stock of Tin and Zinc.  Neither is heavy as lead, but that's actually an advantage in some cases.  You can use bigger jigheads without all the weight.  If I remember right, it was Zinc and Tin...meltable, and still cheaper than Tungsten (Tungsten can't be melted by most people, the melting point is too high).

[Jason]

Maybe I should experiment with making a mold for soft plastic / hda weights? Thoughts?

[floridagrimp]

I believe it could VERY, VERY, VERY viable...might want to do a "Mission Impossible" ..on these posts as many cruise this site, looking for new ideas.