Stronger, Greener Fishing Lures: Why Didn't We Think of That
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Fishing itself seems so benign (other than killing fish), with just you and mother nature standing idly by for hours on end. What could be wrong with that? Well, all of those lures add up to 25 million pounds of lures left at the bottom of waterways every year. Tinkerer and fisherman Ben Hobbins has a better idea, reports Popular Science.In the way these things typically happen, Hobbins just wanted a better way to fish without losing his lures, and without having to get frostbitten fingers while tying on new lures before each cast while ice fishing. Hobbins is a biotech strategist during the day and he just blended these principles with his need for a better lure to create a longer-lasting lure. After their popularity and success he went back to the drawing board to make them non-toxic, and Ironclad Lures was created. Polyester-mesh insides, act just like rebar in concrete, reinforcing the lure and allowing it to sustain 93 pounds of pressure before snapping. If you hook a fish that can snap that line, you've got bigger fish to fry than just having to tie on a new lure.
So if lures are a dime a dozen, except for your lucky, trusty lure, then who cares if you lose one every so often? Well, besides the 25 million pounds of lures polluting lakes, those lures are also typically made of plastics containing phthalates and PVC, which allows for them to bend and flex. Hobbins instead created silicon-based lures that will biodegrade should they find themselves at the bottom of a river. University of Wisconsin-Madison students helped to do a lot of the market research, looked at material options and ultimately were instrumental to helping to launch the Ironclad Lures line.
You can find Ironclads lures in stores this year for roughly $6 USD for a two pack of lures.:Popular Science
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