The Newest Menace on Florida East Coast Beaches

[bigscoop]

In my humble opinion these should be restricted from use along Florida's public beaches. I've been harpooned by them a couple of times and I'm sure swimmers have emerged from the water with these same tiny and painful mystery wounds. It seems that I am finding more and more of them to the point that they have now become quite common, yesterday I recovered three of them, today I recovered two more. (Not only are they dangerous to swimmers but they are also a real pain in the butt to capture in your scoop, especially when working the deeper water.) Just this year alone I've already recovered a five gallon bucket full of them. I don't usually wear foot protection, but these little weighted harpoons may be the cause of my changing that soon. Some of these body piercings measure over 3" long.

 

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[cmaracing]

In my humble opinion these should be restricted from use along Florida's public beaches. I've been harpooned by them a couple of times and I'm sure swimmers have emerged from the water with these same tiny and painful mystery wounds. It seems that I am finding more and more of them to the point that they have now become quite common, yesterday I recovered three of them, today I recovered two more. (Not only are they dangerous to swimmers but they are also a real pain in the butt to capture in your scoop, especially when working the deeper water.) Just this year alone I've already recovered a five gallon bucket full of them. I don't usually wear foot protection, but these little weighted harpoons may be the cause of my changing that soon. Some of these body piercings measure over 3" long.

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What are those things, is it placed in the water to hurt people?
Did you show it to beach patrol?

 

[Mad Machinist]

To me those look like a pathetic attempt to disguise something to keep people off the beaches as a fishing lure. If you only found a few I would say someone was trying to design a new fishing lure, but with the amount you have found, I would be contacting the local authorities, especially if you get harpooned again.

 

[diggummup]

What are those things, is it placed in the water to hurt people?
Did you show it to beach patrol?

They're surf fishing sinkers, spiders or sputniks. They dig in to keep from moving around in the current so much while fishing. A big PITA if you hunt beaches that get fished regularly.

 

[bigscoop]

They are actually lead fishing weights used by surf fishermen....the idea behind them being that the stiff wires will help prevent the weight from being dragged in the currents. But they tangle up easily and create so much tension on the fishing line that many of them are obviously being lost. In Florida it is common to see surf fishermen and swimmers using the same area of beach, I see it everyday. Believe it or not it all goes pretty smoothly with little problems but these new fishing weights with the wires are going to quickly change that at the rate they are being lost. And the worst part, a lot of these are being made with stainless steel wire so the threat will never rust away, they'll just continue to pile up out there.

 

[cmaracing]

That's crazy, I love fishing but never encountered that up here in New England...

 

[TheInspector]

Surf weights such as that, are used around the Texas coast to combat the wave action pushing your bait back in closer to the beach. I have used them in the past, although I now prefer to be wade fishing in chest deep water, with light tackle. I hope I do not step on one, but I support the fishermans right to pursue their hobby just as I want to pursue mine. Nowdays they likely cost over a buck each, so be happy if your finding them.

Be safe my brothers and sisters.

 

[Bum Luck]

They are actually lead fishing weights used by surf fishermen....the idea behind them being that the stiff wires will help prevent the weight from being dragged in the currents. But they tangle up easily and create so much tension on the fishing line that many of them are obviously being lost. In Florida it is common to see surf fishermen and swimmers using the same area of beach, I see it everyday. Believe it or not it all goes pretty smoothly with little problems but these new fishing weights with the wires are going to quickly change that at the rate they are being lost. And the worst part, a lot of these are being made with stainless steel wire so the threat will never rust away, they'll just continue to pile up out there.

I think this crosses the line in safety and sharing the beach with others. It's a grey one, I believe, but puncturing someone else's foot is a serious deal.

The fact that you found so many tells me that they're not successful either.

 

[GTzer]

The fact that you found so many tells me that they're not successful either. probably the exact opposite. If you're not losing gear you're not fishing to potential. I haven't fished bait for maybe 15 yrs. I always preferred a fish finder type that moved with the current.
That's WAY too many sputnicks. Very dangerous. I haven't been impailed but now I worry. SS-awful. I was first thinking they should make them with wires that would rust away-but they could break off after puncture then.
Bad enough the lost rigs & metal lures. But these DO look like what the 1st responder assumed-booby traps.

 

[bigscoop]

It wouldn't be so bad if they would make them bent over/looped on the ends of the wire....that would prevent the risk of puncture wounds. But all of these are simply snipped off at the ends creating a stiff spike. I have no problem with surf fishermen, enjoy it myself from time to time, but these things are just too wicked in their present design. Got 2 more of them today from a very crowded swimming area.

 

[Sir Gala Clad]

Before anyone accuses me, I am not responsible for fishing being banned inside that man made pond , as I did not report found sputnik sinkers to anyone, until now!

 

[Sir Gala Clad]

Surf weights such as that, are used around the Texas coast to combat the wave action pushing your bait back in closer to the beach. I have used them in the past, although I now prefer to be wade fishing in chest deep water, with light tackle. I hope I do not step on one, but I support the fishermans right to pursue their hobby just as I want to pursue mine. Nowdays they likely cost over a buck each, so be happy if your finding them.

Be safe my brothers and sisters.

I disagree; Pyramid and bull dog sinkers have adequate holding power for surf fishing and are time proven.

Use of pictured spider, sputnik or whatever you call those sinkers where people swim and children play is irresponsible.
Fisherman who use these where people swim and children play not only needlessly put others at risk, most likely all fishing will be banned once injuries occur and are reported.

Look carefully at the design and you will see that the stiff wire pointing up is like a pungee stake. It will easily penetrate your foot, hand, or whatever body part puts weight on them. The resulting puncture can easily be infected by staph at the beach.
Further these injuries can occur on dry sand as a result of spills from tackle box or drops while handling as well as in the water.

The bottom wires which function like grappling hooks can destroy delicate coral/ hang up on the rocks.
Soon after, I found and recovered several of those nasty sinkers in Hawaiian waters from a large man made protected pond in a county beach park heavily used by snorkelers and swimmers, the inside of that pond was closed to ALL fishing.

 

[bigscoop]

I don't think you have to worry about surf fishing being banned here in Florida, or anywhere else simply due to these weights. They just need a little design change to correct those spikes to make them safer. But as they are, well, just not acceptable for use on public beaches.

 

[Rogerv]

Ive seen them used at the North Carolina Piers what they do is throw them out with a long heavy-duty surf rod with a weak leader to the sinker the surf will bury them in the sand then they hook their regular rod lines to a cur-ten hook and a rubber band and let it slide down the line. When a fish hits the rubber band breaks and they land the fish. When they are finished fishing the sinker is buried so hard in the sand it wont move so they pull hard breaking the weak leader and leave it and the cur-ten hooks there for you to find.

 

[Sir Gala Clad]

I don't think you have to worry about surf fishing being banned here in Florida, or anywhere else simply due to these weights. They just need a little design change to correct those spikes to make them safer. But as they are, well, just not acceptable for use on public beaches.

Sadly, without the threat of law suites, or being banned, there is no incentive for a design change to make these sinkers safer. Why would a manufacturer change a design which has a market and works well for those who use it? If they were concerned about public safety, they would of never made and sold these sinkers in the first place.

 

[Sir Gala Clad]

Ive seen them used at the North Carolina Piers what they do is throw them out with a long heavy-duty surf rod with a weak leader to the sinker the surf will bury them in the sand then they hook their regular rod lines to a cur-ten hook and a rubber band and let it slide down the line. When a fish hits the rubber band breaks and they land the fish. When they are finished fishing the sinker is buried so hard in the sand it wont move so they pull hard breaking the weak leader and leave it and the cur-ten hooks there for you to find.

I did a lot of pier fishing in Southern California as a teenager. You could buy live bait, usually anchovies, at the bait store on the pier. We used to cast a heavy four to six ounce flat sinker (easy to retrieve) as far as we could with a long heavy-duty surf rod. Once the line was taught we would slide a slightly weighted live bait down the line using a snap swivel so that we could catch Bonita and Barracuda at the top and Halibut at the bottom if the bait made it all the way down. We would never intentionally sacrifice a sinker.

 

[TheInspector]

With all due respect to all, if you fish surrounded by swimmers , you are an idiot. If you are surf fishing for sharks and a group shows up and starts swimming around your deployed fishing rig, they are idiots. If you purposely lose expensive fishing weights, you are an idiot. Using your logic that fishing gear should not be used because it could get lost, we should stop using fishing hooks.

Just collect them like you would if it was other hazardous metal and know you are being a good detectorist.

Best of luck, and be safe.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Sadly, without the threat of law suites, or being banned, there is no incentive for a design change to make these sinkers safer. Why would a manufacturer change a design which has a market and works well for those who use it? If they were concerned about public safety, they would of never made and sold these sinkers in the first place.

Power of the press, talk to a newspaper reporter, they are always looking for a story and you have a good one..

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[TheInspector]

With all that is going on nowdays, maybe we do need the government to regulate our fishing weights. Perhaps a database should be created for buyers of 00 treble hooks because they really do look alot scarier than a barbless perch hook. Who really needs a seven foot fishing rod anyway. Snoopy fishing rods should work fine. Yes we need some reporters, lawyers and politician to get involved and you know what, metal detectors mess up my tv reception ( or so someone thinks) maybe we should find a reporter.

Ok, I feel better now....

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

With all that is going on nowdays, maybe we do need the government to regulate our fishing weights. Perhaps a database should be created for buyers of 00 treble hooks because they really do look alot scarier than a barbless perch hook. Who really needs a seven foot fishing rod anyway. Snoopy fishing rods should work fine. Yes we need some reporters, lawyers and politician to get involved and you know what, metal detectors mess up my tv reception ( or so someone thinks) maybe we should find a reporter.

Ok, I feel better now....

Obviously your not the one walking our beaches ...

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