custom lead free biodegradable sinker

[subtlefly]

Hi team,

I have made a steel sinker with a PLA lining and a spot to hold scent.   I am planning on having a circle hook (Black Magic KL 7.0) 12 lb flurocarbon leader (about 30cm) tied with a FC knot to 15 lb daiwa 8x braid.  This sinker will sit behind the FC knot (maybe with a bead stopper) and it will be able to run free on the braid.  We are using Shimano bait runner reels and I have been containing the sinkers on a long leader so far - this new plan will let the fish take the bait and run without feeling the sinker....  I have made a custom sinker with a pla insert and some holes and texture to hold some scent.  

Fishing from a small pontoon in the creek - We are targeting fish like Grunter at the moment - current record is 55 cm

 

Will this work?  Do you have any advice?

Thanks for your thoughts 

 

Edited September 22, 2021 by mrsswordfisherman
Site rule breach - no obliteration of face, location etc

[savit]

Asians (and me too in the past) sometimes use small rocks wrapped/tied a bit with old braid as a sinker. Not 'biodegradable' and wont cast a mile like steel, however does the job, takes 10 sec to make,  and 100% nature-friendly.

I have seen also drilled/with glued swivel rock sinkers on european ebay.

I assume a few more drilled holes (in a rock) will have texture and space for scent if necessary.

[zmk1962]

Personally I try to minimize rubbing on braid. But I’m not familiar with PLA. 

I use similar running sinker rigs for bream, but rig a 2-3m fluoro or mono leader and have the sinker sliding on the leader. 
cheers Zoran 

[subtlefly]

Yeh so sinker on the long leader is how I have been doing it..... but we get some interest that ends when the fish takes the bait and feels the sinker.. PLA is plastic made from corn starch and it is biodegradable.  I hope it won't rub the braid any more than the guides on the rod.  If it fails I will certainly let you know!  I hope that by using a short 12lb leader if there is a snag or some kind of fail it will break there and the braid and sinker will return.

[zmk1962]

Hmmm I would have thought the fluoro or mono sliding through the sinker would be the same or lower friction than the braid? 
cheers Z

[subtlefly]

Yeh you are right about that, but I mean when the sinker hits the knot/bead at the end of the leader..

for arguments sake lets say you have a 2m leader with a FC knot to the braid and a lumo bead to protect the knot - when that line is out there the leader might be all the way through, getting dragged by the tide and that sinker might be right there ready to hit the knot.  Or there might be 50 cm when the fish starts to run and then bump, hits the sinker?

Dont get me wrong I am catching some nice fish....... but there is always the one that got away, or maybe didn't really get on in the first place.

This new experiment will hopefully mean the only time the fish feels something is going wrong is when the hook gets set.

[zmk1962]

Fair enough I follow your logic and it certainly does't hurt to experiment and innovate. Please post your results. 

Where I typically fish, lumo beads on the main line are a no no as they tend to encourage leather jacket bite offs - so I tend to keep the beads much closer to the bait and hook ie. the business end of the rigs.

BTW, I'll be googling PLA, I'm interested to read a bit more about it, how to make it, how long it lasts etc. Thanks for that.

Cheers Zoran

[subtlefly]

https://omnexus.specialchem.com/product/t-gehr-ecogehr-pla-l

I am trying to get a sample of 3mm rods of this, but generally PLA is used for easier and less fumes 3D printing

If you are serious about your parts lifespan you go hotter and fumier and print abs(what Lego is made of) - but then it won't biodegrade

Edited September 22, 2021 by subtlefly

[subtlefly]

So is there a soft "non lumo bead" that I could be using?

Edited September 22, 2021 by subtlefly

[subtlefly]

OK team so I went and tested the idea - it worked ok.  Caught, landed and released a large stingray and caught this 50cm grunter with the rig as advertised.  However after this I did notice the braid was rubbed- so I chickened out and reverted to having the sinker run on the long leader as usual.  

I am happy with the idea of 100% biodegradable sinkers so will continue to make them to suit.

Thanks

 

[zmk1962]

Nice! It’s great to test a theory in real life. Thanks for posting back. 
It’s commendable to use biodegradable terminal gear where possible. Maybe post in the workshop how you go about making the sinkers. I’m sure there will be interest especially from the lake and inland FishRaiders. 
 

On 9/22/2021 at 4:10 PM, subtlefly said:

So is there a soft "non lumo bead" that I could be using?

Sorry just saw your question. I generally follow the missus on one of her trips to Spotlight and check out the beads used to make bracelets and such. On rare occasions you can find ones from softer compounds. A plumber mate also mentioned some folks use a black rubber ball cock as a safety stop to prevent winding the swivel through the rod tip guide - but this was on bigger gear - trolling and deep dropping. 
 

cheers Zoran