Experts in OEM Lead Free Fishing Lures
Jeff Zernov, founder of Dragon Hunter has over 15 Patents to his credit and over 100 successful product launches. Most recognized for inventing Zercom Marine and Aqua Vu underwater cameras, his inventions include video bird feeders, hunting blinds and digital trail cameras, fishing rods and lures, security monitors and test equipment and much more.
This vast experience in a number of manufacturing disciplines allows Zernov to “see things not as they are but as the could be.” Zernovs calls this a gift and not a talent and his proven track record of successful designs and product launches.
Contac Jeff ZernovI started my outdoor recreation career in 1972 when at 19-years old I was hired by Al and Ron Lindner to move from Okauchee Lake in Waukesha WI to Brainerd MN and work for them at Lindy Fishing tackle. Fast forward 52 years and I am back working a project for Lindy Tackle (now owned by PRADCO of Ft Smith Arkansas). I thought it would be neat to end my career where it began. I approached them last year to consider incorporating into their product line a non-lead, eco-friendly metals formula I had developed. My primary metal is an element on the periodic table and we add a little magic to make it work. They liked the idea and wanted me to redesign 4 of their jig lines. In addition, PRADCO wanted the packaging be 100% sustainable, not using any plastic, so I designed a unique retail header card using a jig hang hole solution to display the product and protect the hook point. Totally sustainable.
My wife and I have been setting 9-loon nesting platforms on Clearwater Lake, south of Deerwood Mn for 29 years and we have worked with the USGS on their researching the impact of the Deep-Water Horizon oil spill on loons. Minnesota loons’ winter in the Gulf of Mexico and the chicks spend their first 2-years there, so this work has made us very cognizant of the danger to loons not only from oil spills but from lead fishing lures. We are passionate about protecting loons.
For nearly 20-years The US Fish and Wildlife Services has been warning of the danger of lead to loons and eagles and trying to get the sport fishing industry to take this seriously, but the fishing industry (for the most part) just ignores it. I am working to change that. I’ve kept a copy of the periodic table on my desk for a couple decades and have been testing different formulations as time permitted. Then in 2023 an article from USFG and the response from ASA just ticked me off so I committed to complete my research. I had one large metallurgy company refuse to make samples of my proposed formula saying it would not work. I found a new company and had to pay in advance to get them to make a 5kg sample batch. Guess what, it worked. Bismuth in its natural state is a crystal and shatters when dropped on a hard surface, (not good for fishing in rocks). Others using bismuth add a larger percentage of tin to change the crystal state to be less brittle but that changes the specific gravity which make comparable weight jigs about 25% larger in mass. My formula is harder than lead giving a better bottom feel and nearly the same size as a comparable lead jig. Yes, it’s a bit more expensive than lead but much less than tungsten so get over it. This is 2024 and a Happy Meal is $12.00.