CW River Finds & Mystery Lead

[Valley Ranger]

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to do some metal detecting in a river located east of the Mississippi and south of the Mason-Dixon. The area saw quite a bit of WBTS activity. Anyway, here's a few of my finds - a couple of dropped Confederate Gardners, musketballs, a pistol bullet, and then an odd, curve-shaped piece of lead. It appears to have been deliberately shaped like that - anyone have any ideas what it might be?

 

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[timekiller]

Net lead.I've found quite a few pounds of them without wanting too. They can be old to.Have found them off of colonial sites.But little more crudely made.Here's a shot from a site that I couldn't get away from them.
Take Care,
Pete,

 

[Valley Ranger]

Thanks! Many of yours, I believe, are fishing sinkers. I don't think the odd piece I found is. I don't believe its modern either due to the way its worn.

 

[timekiller]

Thanks! Many of yours, I believe, are fishing sinkers. I don't think the odd piece I found is. I don't believe its modern either due to the way its worn.

Me don't understand the problem Anyway here's another shot of some I've not even put away yet from some recent hunts.Most of the round ones have came from 1800's-1900's sites.The two odd long ones came from colonial sites.i do have others from colonial sites but made totally different so no need to post them.

 

[TomPA]

Stonewall, I believe that Timekiller is aware that the items on the right in his pictures are fishing sinkers. He is suggesting that your piece of lead is like the other items on the left side of his picture. "NET Lead". Items used to sink casting nets,

 

[Valley Ranger]

Me don't understand the problem Anyway here's another shot of some I've not even put away yet from some recent hunts.Most of the round ones have came from 1800's-1900's sites.The two odd long ones came from colonial sites.i do have others from colonial sites but made totally different so no need to post them.

Ahhh, OK - I see. Sorry, I should have looked closer. So what are they, fishing sinkers? Where I was, the CW soldiers weren't camped, so they would not have been fishing. Just heavy fighting - though I supposed one of the boys could have dropped it during the battle in the river or, perhaps, it's civilian?

 

[TomPA]

They are attached to casting nets (the kind that you toss into the water and wait for the fish to swim in). Without them, the net would float on the surface and not work correctly. They have been in use for hundreds of years, and earlier ones were made from stones.

 

[timekiller]

Here they mainly come from old Gill Nets.

 

[WHADIFIND]

and then an odd, curve-shaped piece of lead. It appears to have been deliberately shaped like that - anyone have any ideas what it might be?

An imitation corn chip?

WTG!

 

[Valley Ranger]

Stonewall, I believe that Timekiller is aware that the items on the right in his pictures are fishing sinkers. He is suggesting that your piece of lead is like the other items on the left side of his picture. "NET Lead". Items used to sink casting nets,

Thanks Tom. Right, I get it. I should have looked closer. My bad. Net sinkers . . . hmmm . . . interesting. This is a rather small river - more a stream. Lots of big carp though - I suppose the carp were what someone was after. Were these used for all freshwater fishing, i.e. perch, bass, etc?

 

[creskol]

I saw a girl .. at least I think it was a girl... in Malwart the other day that had fingernails that looked a lot like that!

 

[Valley Ranger]

I saw a girl .. at least I think it was a girl... in Malwart the other day that had fingernails that looked a lot like that!

Hey Rob - I saw her too! ;o)

 

[HomeGuardDan]

They have made net (cast net) sinkers for centuries. Looks the same way to me. Impossible to tell the date of, but you can't be sure either just on the ware. Water does funny things to items. I would atleast say it is not modern store purchased. Congrats on the bullets.

Dan

 

[HomeGuardDan]

Ahhh, OK - I see. Sorry, I should have looked closer. So what are they, fishing sinkers? Where I was, the CW soldiers weren't camped, so they would not have been fishing. Just heavy fighting - though I supposed one of the boys could have dropped it during the battle in the river or, perhaps, it's civilian?

Rivers have been visited by more civilians than troopers...most likely civilian.

Dan

 

[Valley Ranger]

They have made net (cast net) sinkers for centuries. Looks the same way to me. Impossible to tell the date of, but you can't be sure either just on the ware. Water does funny things to items. I would atleast say it is not modern store purchased. Congrats on the bullets.

Dan

Thanks Dan. Beau (and you) inspired me to try the river detecting. Hopefully, at some point, I'll pull out a musket like you fellas have!

 

[TomPA]

They were/are used on nets for many, many species. In a small stream, the net could be used for minnows, where as a much larger net could be used in the ocean for quite larger fish. And anything in between. There may only be carp and minnows in your stream at this present time, but 100-200 years ago it may have held perch, bass, or even trout. Many of the streams back then were much cooler in water temperature because of more shade (large trees).

 

[Valley Ranger]

Thanks Tom - there are also some nice smallmouth in this stream, as well as perch.

 

[matt092079]

Nice bullets. You rarely see them in their original color!

 

[Valley Ranger]

Nice bullets. You rarely see them in their original color!

Thanks. The water keeps them from oxidizing.

 

[silversweeper]

Another thing to keep in mind is that most of our creeks and streams of today were much larger and had a lot more water in them back then. The water table has dropped significantly since the 1800's and even 1900's. Heck I know of a lot of streams that held mucho water and fish when I was a kid that are nearly dry now. Great finds, love the bullets. HH