GB2132863A

GB2132863A - Fishing tackle weights

Info

Publication number: GB2132863A
Application number: GB08333493A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Victor Cooksley; Peter Ghaut
Original assignee: Evode Ltd
Current assignee: Evode Ltd
Priority date: 1982-12-14
Filing date: 1983-12-13
Publication date: 1984-07-18
Also published as: GB8333493D0

Abstract

A material for loading a fishing line or tackle is a hydrophobic and adhesive mastic composition such as a rubber extended with oil including a substantial proportion by weight of either a powdered metal other than lead or a powdered compound of a metal other than lead. The composition is formed into a pellet which is pressed around or against the line or tackle so as to adhere thereto, and may be in the form of a bait.

Description

SPECIFICATION Fishing tackle weights In many kinds of line or rod and line fishing it is necessary to include weights in the tackle, for example to present a bait at the correct depth in the water or to load a float or a bite indicator. Weights for this purpose are usually made of lead, the properties of which are almost ideal for the purpose. Its density enables small and inobtrusive weights to provide the necessary loading; its low melting point enables shaped weights to be cast at low cost; its resistance to corrosion, even in salt water, avoids deterioration of tackle; and its malleability enables lead sheet, wire or shot weights to be attached easily to lines and other parts of fishing tackle.

In recent years, however, there has been a growing appreciation of the fact that lead weights which become detached from fishing tackle, or which are discarded by anglers, constitute a hazard to water-fowl. In particular, the commonly-used "split shot" - lead shot which is slit partly through, approximately on a diametrical plane, so that it can be attached to a fishing line by placing the line in the opened slit and then compressing the shot to close the slit - is recognised as such a hazard. Bottom-feeding fowl such as ducks and swans are known to pick up lead shot and other fishing weights from the beds of rivers, ponds and the like when gathering feed seeds or the grit particles required to assist the digestive processes of the gizzard.

Weights so ingested are likely to be retained in the gizzard of a bird, where they are gradually abraded by the action of the grit, producing fine particles of lead which are attacked by digestive and other substances present, with the result that lead compounds are absorbed into the bloodstream of the bird. Swans and mallard duck, in particular, are known to have been poisoned in this way. Consequently, there is a desire amongst anglers, with pressure from conservationists and others, for the adoption of some other kind of fishing weight, which is at present unsatisfied.

We are aware that some anglers have previously used glazing putty as a material for fishing tackle weights. However, that material has very low adhesive tack, particularly in the presence of water, and in its freshly-formed condition it is not resistant to erosion by water. Thus it is easily displaced from a fishing line or other tackle by movement through the water or during casting and is not a very suitable material for the purpose. Its specific gravity is about 2, which is not very suitable for the purpose since the sinking speed of the weight in water will often be insufficient to sink the tackle to a useful depth in a reasonable time. This is likely to give the movement of the bait in the water an unnatural appearance, which is usually unattractive to fish.In running water, weights of such specific gravity are likely to fail to sink the tackle to a useful depth within the length of water available to the angler, such as the distance between "pegs" in an angling match or the distance over which an angler can successfully cast and control his tackle.

According to this invention, a material for loading a fishing line or tackle comprises a hydrophobic and adhesive mastic composition including a substantial proportion by weight of a powdered metal other than lead our a powdered compound of a metal otherthan lead.

The invention includes a method of loading a fishing line or tackle by forming a quantity of such a hydrophobic and adhesive mastic composition into a pellet and pressing it around or against the line or tackle or a part thereof so that it adheres thereto.

The pellet may be in the form of a bait or part of a bait. For this purpose the hydrophobic and adhesive mastic material may include a pigment selected to make such a bait attractive to fish.

The metals and metallic compounds used are preferably not known to be toxic or to produce toxic compounds if ingested by birds. Examples are powdered tungsten metal, stainless steel, barytes and iron oxide. The gizzard of a bird retains hard granular particles of a size comparable with the grit which is ingested to assist the digestive processes, but soft materials and smaller particles are soon passed through.

Thus the pellets of mastic material, being soft, would not be retained very long in the gizzard of a bird if ingested. There would therefore be no prolonged exposure of the constituents of an ingested pellet to digestive and other substances present in the gizzard, and a much lower risk of toxic compounds being produced and absorbed into the bloodstream of the bird than is caused by ingested lead shot.

Preferred mastic compositions for performing the invention should be non-hardening with time or at low temperatures down to at least 0 C. They should be capable of easy working into pellets in the fingers of an angler and should have sufficient adhesion and tensile strength to be self-retaining in position when formed around a nylon monofilament or other fishing line, but not have such surface adhesion as to stick to the fingers of the angler or to other things that they may contact, such as dust or debris on a river bank or other parts of the fishing tackle. The adhesion should not be reduced substantially in the presence of water.

Examples of hydrophobic and adhesive mastic compositions suitable for use in performing the invention are as follows.

Example No. Constituents Parts by Weight i 1 Ethylene-Propylene Rubber 1 Oil 2 Powdered Stainless Steel (316 Grade) 7.5 I 2 Ethylene-Propylene Rubber 1 Oil 2 Barytes 10 3 Ethylene-Propylene Rubber 1 Oil 2 Barytes 10 Black Iron Oxide 0.6 4 Polybutene 215 Oil 50 Barytes 2000 Calcium Stearate 75 Carbon Black 3.8 i 5 Ethylene-Propylene Rubber (EPDM including non-conjugated diene monomer) 4 Aiiphatic Hydrocarbon Oil 4 Powdered Tungsten Metal 92 Examples 1 to 4 have specific gravities from about 2 to about 3. Exampie 5 has specific gravity 6.5. The powdered tungsten metal should be as fine as possible, preferably with all particles having a major dimension less than 100 microns.

In all the examples, the constituents are intimately mixed in conventional manner, for example by milling.

The fishing weights may be formed readily into any desired shape. They have an advantage over lead weights in that, being relatively soft, they are less liable to be snagged by stones, weed or other underwater obstacles or by marginal plants near the fishing water. If they are snagged, tension applied to the fishing line will cause them to be torn away before the line or tackle breaks, so that the risk of losing tackle is substantially reduced. Weights so lost may easily be replaced. The mastic compositions may be coloured by the incorporation of suitable pigments so as to make them attractive or inobtrusive to fish. They may be shaped so as to form baits or parts thereof. The weights may be formed around and adhered to any appropriate part of the tackle, such as the float or the hook, instead of or in addition to weights on the line.

Claims

1. A material for loading a fishing line or tackle comprising a hydrophobic and adhesive mastic composition including a substantial proportion by weight of either a powdered metal other than lead our a powdered compound of a metal otherthan lead.

2. A material as claimed in Claim 1 having specific gravity at least 6.

3. A material as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the powdered metal is tungsten.

4. A material as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the powdered metal is stainless steel.

5. A material as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the powdered compound is barytes.

6. A material as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the powdered compound is iron oxide.

7. A material as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the hydrophobic and adhesive mastic composition comprises a rubber extended with oil.

8. A material as claimed in any preceding claim including a pigment.

9. A material as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the hydrophobic and adhesive mastic composition is compounded according to any one of the foregoing examples.

10. Method of loading a fishing line or tackle comprising the steps of forming a quantity of a material as claimed in any preceding claim into a pellet and pressing the pellet around or against the line or tackle or a part thereof so that it adheres thereto.