- Fishing is relatively inexpensive and fun. However, if you fish a lot, it can get expensive. Buying weights from a sporting goods store every week or month can add up. You'll also spend time searching for just the right weight for very specific conditions, water levels and currents. That's why many frequent fishermen make their own fishing weights.
- You can build your own fishing weights using equipment made just for this purpose. This includes a small forge to melt the metal (lead is no longer used; it's now an iron mixture), casting plates to make different-sized sinkers and instructions on how to operate the forge and cast sinkers and weights. You just need to supply the material. Some people melt down some of their older sinkers to recast into new ones. Another option is to find discarded sinkers at rivers and ponds or buy scrap metal at a junkyard.
- To cast the new sinkers, just set up the forge and turn it on. Once heated, insert your block of lead to melt it down until it's liquefied. Using a protective glove, pour the melted metal into a casting mold to form the sinker. Let it cool and then open the mold and remove excess lead. You can buy casting molds from a fishing store or hobby store. They come in all sizes and shapes. If you're looking to make weighted hooks for use with soft plastic baits, find a mold that makes round sinkers and insert a hook into the metal as it cools in the cast. Do not insert the hook too soon after pouring the metal. This could damage the hook.
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