Does anyone know of tungsten jigs and spinnerbaits on the cheaper side?

[Fisher0517]

I know lead is bad for you so I’m looking into tungsten but I realized it’s much more expensive are there any cheaper tungsten jigs and spinnerbaits?

[MN Fisher]

I wouldn't trust them. Tungsten is more expensive for two main reasons.

1: It's cost to mine/refine is much higher than lead - raw lead ingots run about $7/kilo ($3/lb) where-as tungsten runs $30/kilo ($13/lb)

2: It's harder to work - you need higher temps to melt (6000f for tungsten, 600f for lead) so you need more specialize equipment to melt/mold the tungsten which has a higher cost...which is passed on in the final product price.

 

A third item is import costs - 95% of the worlds tungsten is mined in China, Vietnam and Russia. (2017 figures)

[Fisher0517]

35 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

I wouldn't trust them. Tungsten is more expensive for two main reasons.

1: It's cost to mine/refine is much higher than lead - raw lead ingots run about $7/kilo ($3/lb) where-as tungsten runs $30/kilo ($13/lb)

2: It's harder to work - you need higher temps to melt (6000f for tungsten, 600f for lead) so you need more specialize equipment to melt/mold the tungsten which has a higher cost...which is passed on in the final product price.

 

A third item is import costs - 95% of the worlds tungsten is mined in China, Vietnam and Russia. (2017 figures)

Don’t trust tungsten or don’t trust cheap tungsten spinnerbaits?

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, BassFisher517 said:

Don’t trust tungsten or don’t trust cheap tungsten spinnerbaits?

Oh I trust tungsten - changed over all my worm-weights to it. Just don't trust cheap tungsten. Good tungsten should be 97% tungsten with 3% nickel/iron or nickel/copper...cheap tungsten has less tungsten and with higher amounts of other cheap metals that degrade the alloy - less dense, less resistance to corrosion, etc.

 

Tungsten carbide is great for drills, lousy for weights as it's brittle.

Tungsten-steel is another one great for drills and building materials, but is less than 20% tungsten.

[Fisher0517]

5 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Oh I trust tungsten - changed over all my worm-weights to it. Just don't trust cheap tungsten. Good tungsten should be 97% tungsten with 3% nickel/iron or nickel/copper...cheap tungsten has less tungsten and with higher amounts of other cheap metals that degrade the alloy - less dense, less resistance to corrosion, etc.

 

Tungsten carbide is great for drills, lousy for weights as it's brittle.

Tungsten-steel is another one great for drills and building materials, but is less than 20% tungsten.

What brand of tungsten spinnerbaits do you use?

[MN Fisher]

The few tungsten spinnerbaits I have are Eco Pro.

[Fisher0517]

7 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

The few tungsten spinnerbaits I have are Eco Pro.

Thank you! I will look at those. Do you know if Terminator spinnerbaits are made with lead?

[MN Fisher]

1 minute ago, BassFisher517 said:

Do you know if Terminator spinnerbaits are made with lead?

I don't think Rapala is using much tungsten other than for their VMC weights yet. (Terminator and VMC are owned by Rapala)

[Fisher0517]

6 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

I don't think Rapala is using much tungsten other than for their VMC weights yet. (Terminator and VMC are owned by Rapala)

I will try to find more info on it! Thank you for the help!

 

Also does anyone know if the Googan Squad Spinnerbaits are lead?

[Deephaven]

37 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Oh I trust tungsten - changed over all my worm-weights to it. Just don't trust cheap tungsten. Good tungsten should be 97% tungsten with 3% nickel/iron or nickel/copper...cheap tungsten has less tungsten and with higher amounts of other cheap metals that degrade the alloy - less dense, less resistance to corrosion, etc.

Why do you care?  If it's density is equivalent I will always shop on price.  Don't really care the makeup, just that it is heavy and small.  A 5% reduction in density for a 50% reduction in price sounds great to me.

[fissure_man]

3 hours ago, BassFisher517 said:

I know lead is bad for you so I’m looking into tungsten but I realized it’s much more expensive are there any cheaper tungsten jigs and spinnerbaits?

 

Lead is bad for you if you eat it.  For the record, you shouldn't be eating tungsten jigs and spinnerbaits, either.  ?

 

The only tungsten spinnerbaits I've ever thrown were Eco Pro - two of them.  Both ended up failing where the wire met the head, one in the net and one that resulted in a lost fish.  All spinnerbaits will break eventually, but these hadn't seen much use. I guessed that maybe the wire was softened/weakened in that spot by a hotter manufacturing process?  Wire was slightly discolored at that spot.  Never tried them again.      

[Fisher0517]

10 minutes ago, fissure_man said:

 

Lead is bad for you if you eat it.  For the record, you shouldn't be eating tungsten jigs and spinnerbaits, either.  ?

 

The only tungsten spinnerbaits I've ever thrown were Eco Pro - two of them.  Both ended up failing where the wire met the head, one in the net and one that resulted in a lost fish.  All spinnerbaits will break eventually, but these hadn't seen much use. I guessed that maybe the wire was softened/weakened in that spot by a hotter manufacturing process?  Wire was slightly discolored at that spot.  Never tried them again.      

Do you like or use tungsten jigs?

[fissure_man]

I've never used a tungsten bass jig.

 

[Fred Allen]

I got some cheap ones on ebay and they turned out to be brass or something under the paint. I got some middle priced ones that I think are actually tungsten. Just avoid the crazy cheap ones. Both were from china on Ebay. Bullet weights. 

[NorthernBasser]

Go to Siebert's for your tungsten jig needs.

[Michigander]

I like tungsten jigs quite a bit. Much less variety for getting just the heads though. At least for me.

[J Francho]

As long as you don't  eat or burn them, lead jigs and spinnerbaits aren't bad for you. 

[Crankin4Bass]

Lead jigs are banned where I live so I don't have a choice. I have tried tungsten jigs from Keitech, Eco Pro and Bass Pro Shops. Keitechs are my favorite. There are several models to choose from. Here are two choices.

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Keitech_Tungsten_Casting_Jig_Model_1_Version_2/descpage-KCJM.html

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Keitech_Tungsten_Football_Jig_Model_2_Version_2_/descpage-KTFJV2.html

 

None of them were cheap except these BPS ones. I didn't really care for the quality. You get what you pay for. 

Bass Pro Finesse Tungsten:

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/bass-pro-shops-xps-tungsten-finesse-jig

 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

12 hours ago, BassFisher517 said:

I know lead is bad for you so I’m looking into tungsten but I realized it’s much more expensive are there any cheaper tungsten jigs and spinnerbaits?

Riots tungsten jigs are pretty good for the money, but IMO the brand that has impressed me the most by far is Queen Tackle.  I only have tried the finesse peanut jig, but everything about it is high quality.  Its got a good hook and a great hand tied skirt.  The silicon is high quality and the skirt actually has a potent coffee scent, really hard to beat for 5$.

[Deephaven]

12 hours ago, Deephaven said:

Why do you care?  If it's density is equivalent I will always shop on price.  Don't really care the makeup, just that it is heavy and small.  A 5% reduction in density for a 50% reduction in price sounds great to me.

Sorry.  I complete misread the thread.  Thought it was about Tungsten weights.  Jig/Spinnerbait I am interested in way more than density.  Guess when you come into a thread hoping to find cheap tungsten weights you misread the hell out of it.

[Brett's_daddy]

Bass Patrol jigs at TW are tungsten and cheap at $2.99 each. The only downside is color selection isn’t great with only about a half dozen but they do cover your basic black and green pumpkin.

[BBuck]

23 hours ago, BassFisher517 said:

I know lead is bad for you so I’m looking into tungsten but I realized it’s much more expensive are there any cheaper tungsten jigs and spinnerbaits?

Motley Fishing sells tungsten jigs and weights at a decent price. I've caught plenty of fish using them so I know they work. Terry Ellis is the owner's name and he's probably got the best customer service I've ever seen with small fishing companies.

[Mbirdsley]

You can find them on eBay from $4 for regular sized jigs to $7 for the big 1 1/2 oz punching jigs.  I’ve personally bought the big punching jigs and they are of good quality 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

Im pretty sure Bass Patrol are lead, well at least the few that I have are.  They arent bad for the price, but I think Dobyns FB jigs have them beat for the price if you buy them in 3 packs.

[Brett's_daddy]

On 3/17/2021 at 8:47 PM, GetFishorDieTryin said:

Im pretty sure Bass Patrol are lead, well at least the few that I have are.  They arent bad for the price, but I think Dobyns FB jigs have them beat for the price if you buy them in 3 packs.

My bad, they have a living rubber skirt but aren’t tungsten. Beast Coast has a lot of tungsten jigs!