Fishing Tackle Killing Swans and Loons – Garfield Lake Association

Scientists, including one who recovered seventeen dead swans in Ramsey County and Vadnais Heights, are asking for help. Lead jigs and sinkers are fatal to trumpeter swans, loons, and eagles. Lead in fishing tackle and hunting equipment ends up many times on the lake bottom. Swans and loons especially dive to the bottom of lakes looking for small rocks to help in digestion. But lead tackle is also among the same rocks and about the same size.

This issue has been present for many years. There are options that can be used instead of lead. And many of these options have been available for some time. Price was a concern in the early years but no longer as prices have come down.

Why have most anglers not made the change? Possible reasons, some do not like change. They have always used lead and see no reason to change. Some say the alternatives act differently than lead does. And the one I plead guilty to, is I just never get around to cleaning out my tackle box. I think finding one dead loon or trumpeter swan on your beach from lead would erase all of the above reasons.

Mark Warisch