Unusual split shot

[Nobby]

I recently bought a British 'shot and caps' cast carrier with four quill floats on that are probably French.



Inside the storage chamber were these split shot. Remarkably they still open and close...and a darn sight easier than what we use today...even if they aren't as aerodynamic.....




But no one I have asked has ever seen anything like them before...so, are they British or French, I wonder?

[Barbelseeker]

Looks more like black children's teeth, the Tooth Fairy might have dropped

[Nobby]

That'll be my rubbish photography...if anything they are corroded quite white.....lead oxide?....Here's a shot withg flash used:

[Cat]

Hi Nobby,
I've seen similar before, but can't remember where... possibly when I lived and worked in France (30 odd years ago) that included the odd opportunity to fish the Ardeche. I seem to have a memory like a sieve these days.
Regards Cat.

[Davejass]

Yes the old lead shot was much more re-usable than the modern stuff we have to use now.
I can't seem to get the new stuff to hang on very well at all, it just seems to ping off at any time or hang on and can be immovable
at times if you need to slide it on the line.

[Old Man River]

Yes the old lead shot was much more re-usable than the modern stuff we have to use now.
I can't seem to get the new stuff to hang on very well at all, it just seems to ping off at any time or hang on and can be immovable
at times if you need to slide it on the line.

I agree David, in fact I have got so fed up with it that I have made myself some shot alternatives..... they are short, well, varying sized small lengths of plumbers solder "wire", held onto the line using float rubbers or similar, it makes changing them for different conditions very easy, the line does not get nipped at all. There is no waste as it just gets removed and used again and again.It is easy to slide the "weight" up or down the line as it is held on by the tubing , with no possible damage to the mono.

OMR

[Davejass]

That sounds good OMR. I think I see what you mean. I will give it a try. Thanks!

[Nobby]

Not traditional, I know, but you can use a modern product called Stotz. They are put on ( and taken off again) by a tool called.....a Stotta....which makes them encircle the line without damaging it. They can even be moved along the line without marking it!

They don't come in big sizes though ...Size 8 is the biggest. There is a new Super Stotz that are bigger, but I haven't seen them yet, not used them.

[Davejass]

Just looked up super stotz. They come in sizes 8 6 4 and 1.

[Olly]

Remember that size 8 and smaller can be lead - whilst 1 to 6 must not be lead - so harder!