<h2>About Tungsten Hooks</h2><p>Over recent years, <strong>wolfram or tungsten</strong> has been making serious inroads into <strong>angling</strong>, and for good reason.</p><h3>Advantages of Tungsten</h3><p>Tungsten has a <strong>greater density than lead</strong>, so at the same weight it is noticeably smaller and sinks proportionally faster. It is also considerably harder, which delivers <strong>excellent feedback from the bottom structure</strong> and means it holds its shape far longer on hard ground - whereas lead weights often look battered after only brief use.</p><p>A further advantage is that tungsten is <strong>chemically very inert</strong>, unlike lead, which can have a toxic effect on a water in larger quantities.</p><p>For the angler, <strong>uncoated lead weights</strong> also pose a long-term health risk. Anyone who pours their own lead jig heads or weights, or works extensively with uncoated lead, can develop elevated lead levels in their body over time - making the switch to tungsten a genuine alternative from a health perspective too.</p><h3>What Tungsten Tackle Is Available?</h3><p>Tungsten is now offered in almost every weight form used in angling. Tungsten jig heads are available from 0.8 g up to over 20 g. You will also find tungsten bullets, tungsten drop shot weights, tungsten beads, tungsten rubber jigs, and tungsten ball and stick weights.</p><p>All of these share the advantages of tungsten described above. Finesse techniques in particular benefit greatly from the compact dimensions of tungsten weights.</p><h3>Disadvantages of Tungsten</h3><p>There is one downside to these products. Tungsten has a high melting point and is very demanding to process, and the raw material itself is more expensive than lead. This means tungsten hooks cost more than their lead counterparts. That higher price is partly offset by the superior properties. There are also ways to keep costs down - on tungsten jigs in particular, hooks are often glued in place, so a blunt hook can simply be swapped for a new <strong>jig hook</strong> without replacing the whole head. Anglers fishing relatively snag-free waters often get far more use out of <strong>tungsten products</strong> over a longer period, since unlike lead weights they do not tarnish or become greasy. With a little luck they can be used for years, which puts the cost factor into perspective once again.</p>