You may have heard the term LEI from Trapper Tackle and wondered what is it?
If you were to search for Low Environmental Impact (LEI) technology online, you are not likely to find anything.
So, to get the inside scoop we talked to Vince Hurtado with Trapper Tackle and found out just what LEI is.
LEI is a new lead alternative that Trapper Tackle has started to use, and soon, you might see it being used across the industry, as it is a great mix of affordability and function that is not harmful to the environment.
Lead is Going Away Eventually
You probably have seen the writing on the wall for lead’s future in the fishing industry, according to Hurtado.
“There have started banning lead in some states (Maine), and more are on the way. The fishing industry is looking for an alternative to lead, and tungsten is very expensive, because of this, we feel that LEI is the future,” he says. “I personally don’t like the direction things are going (with lead bans), but this is what is happening, and the positive is that we have discovered an environmentally friendly product that doesn’t sacrifice performance.”
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What is LEI?
While the exact material is proprietary, Hurtado says it offers similar qualities of tungsten, but with a much lower price. He also shared that it is a blend of three or four types of metals combined to make the unique blend that makes LEI.
“It fishes very similarly to tungsten, it is very sensitive and smaller than lead, and again, it is much cheaper. It is also not nearly as soft as lead,” says Hurtado. “It also has a great fall rate; I think sometimes tungsten can fall too fast actually. LEI is the perfect blend of materials that is an environmentally-friendly product that still performs well.
“Trapper Tackle is all about utilizing the latest technology and with the direction things are going with lead, LEI is a great alternative metal for fishing tackle. This material is a great solution, and people will soon embrace it. We at Trapper Tackle like to make our own lane and innovation is a big part of what we do.”
How LEI is Being Used
Trapper Tackle is the first fishing brand to utilize this new metal, and already they have included it in swim jigs, swing heads, nail weights, and drop-shot weights. More products are also on the way.
“This is something that we have been using for over a year and using it along with our 30-degree jig hook to make swim jigs and vibrating jigs,” Hurtado added.
Trapper Tackle has access to this technology, and they are the first company to utilize it for a commercially available product, and of course, they include it with their technology, the Trapper Tackle line of hooks.
“Really this material can be used with any product that currently uses lead. Beyond what we already have, we have plans for bullet weights and vibrating jigs,” he says.
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Here are the four products Trapper currently offers that include the LEI material:
Crawtail Swing Jig
These swing head jigheads can be used with just about any soft plastic, and they have a realistic head design that features a swinging hook. It uses Trapper Tackle’s award-winning hook design and the new LEI metal technology.
They come in two packs and three colors and in two of the most popular and versatile weight combinations used by bass anglers: 3/8 and ½-ounce.
Freestyle Swim Jig
Trapper’s take on this popular style of jigs features a sharp Trapper Tackle hook with their unique Trapper box to hold fish better. The head is the LEI material, and the head and line-tie are full of smart design features to make it the best swimming jig available.
Trapper LEI Weights
Both teardrop drop-shot weights and nail weights are included in this product line. Trapper says their drop-shot weights are harder, louder, and safer than other weights. This allows them to be more sensitive and smaller and also produce fewer hangups.
Insert: For the insert weights, the design allows anglers to break off segments to achieve the exact weight size they need for any given presentation. They are flexible, and since they use LEI, they are much smaller than lead nail weights.
Drop-shot: The drop-shot weights come in sizes from ¼ oz. to ½ oz. Pack sizes range from four to five weights depending on the weight size.
The nail weights are approximately 1/16 oz. each and come in packs of ten.
Times are slowly changing as lead continues to be a target for states and environmental agencies. Tungsten has already made headway as a product that offers an alternative to lead with the bonus of being more sensitive to anglers, even with its higher cost. LEI may be the compromise between the lead and tungsten and offer anglers another option. Trapper Tackle is betting that LEI is the future and will continue to innovate as they always do.
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