We've started getting into catfishing big-time this summer, and saw the need to start making our own sinkers... As a long-time trapper, it feels akin to waxing and dying my traps a bit -- just very therapeutic. If you've ever wondered how easy it could be, it makes a great off-season project.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73ylD1PcPYs&t=1s

Make sure you in a WELL ventilated area as lead fumes are toxic.

smoke your molds before pouring lead.
just

Good info

Brings back memories of when we (myself and brothers and neighbors) young and needed sinkers.

We didn't have all the equipment that's around now and just used a soup can on the old Coleman stove. Our mold was an old spoon like the one used as a dipper in the video.

My Pappy and the gang he fished with had a pile of molds. I remember helping them pour sinkers back in the early 60's. I still own some of those molds yet, although I haven't poured any catfishing sinkers in 4 or 5 years.

I am a nonsmoker, what does this do?

The little bit of soot makes the lead come free from the mold easier.

Keith

Lead used to be easy to get free. I have about 5 gallons of wheel weights but they are getting hard to get too. When you do, some are not even lead. Soft lead was cheap. You could buy it at any lumbar yard sold in 50 pound rolls of roof flashing. So if you get a chance to get lead cheaply don't pass it up.

You start making this big stuff for spoonbill snagging or fishing fast water, you will go through a lot of lead quickly.

This is good advice. We have gathered all of the scrap lead we come across. Having a buddy in a tire shop or a plumber or roofer used to be a good way to gather some. Now they want top dollar for the same thing they used to give ya. I even bought some at the local scrap yard for a few years, but last time I asked he wanted 4X board price for it. Used to be I could buy it for a few cents over board, but apparently demand is up. Lots of places folks don't think about can yield lead. The joints in old cast pipe are sealed with soft lead. Counter weights are often lead, like in forklifts and sail boat keels.