Get The Lead Out!

Fishing by humans and diving birds (loons, mergansers, cormorants, osprey and eagles) is increasing on Pleasant Lake as it warms up. The sinkers, line and hooks we loose or leave behind can cause unnecessary harm to these avian friends. Abandoned line, especially with hooks still attached, can get picked up along with fish. You may remember two years ago when we found a Common Merganser chick with a hook and line attached to its neck.

Merganser chick in 2018 with hook and line and sinker attached!

Fortunately, with the help of John Cooley from the Loon Preservation Committee (Loon.org) we were able to catch the chick, remove the hook and send it on its way. Most entangled birds are not so lucky. Please retrieve you snagged gear and don’t throw back fish with hooks or lures attached.

Lead tackle, now banned in New Hampshire, can be picked up by diving birds and ingested. Loons, like many other birds, pick up stones and other hard objects to store in their crop (gizzard) and use to help grind up food. Nine adult loons were killed in New Hampshire last year by lead poisoning from illegal sinkers they picked up. You can help turn in your old lead tackle for a credit toward ANY MERCHANDISE in the participating stores below.