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Old 07-16-10, 12:57 AM   #1
sarlonui
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Default Choosing the right sinker when fishing and more tips ?

What is the best way or method or whatever to choose the right sinker weight when fishing ? Also include any tips in general on the topic of fishing, choosing the right bait, sinker, and fishing for bass and trout!
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Old 07-16-10, 06:35 AM   #2
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This may sound like double talk, but it isn't. Use just enough weight to do the job and no more. A lot of folks use too much, not allowing the bait to have a natural appearance in the water. When fishing for trout, having the sinker too close to the bait will spook the fish at times.....about two feet and more is ok, but closer than that, the rainbows will often swim up to the bait, nose bump it a couple times and then lose interest. Sliding the split shot farther away up the line helps greatly. As for bass tips, Welcome To the Board!!!

You should also include your location in your avatar information.....it can make a huge difference in the worth of the advice you get when asking questions. Even if you just include the state or province and country.
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Old 07-16-10, 08:40 AM   #3
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I generally use the lightest weight I can get away with. When t-rigging I use 1/8 and 3/16 oz weights the most. If it is really windy or deep water I might go heavier. When c-rigging I normally use 3/4 to 1 1/4 oz weights. I like to make sure that I always keep contact with the bottom.
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Old 07-16-10, 08:42 AM   #4
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Mac is right. Use the smallest weight you can get away with. You want to keep in contact with the bottom so you can feel what's going on.

When normal t-rigging, I rarely ever go higher than 1/4oz and normally use 1/8. But it just depends on where you're fishing and the conditions. You aren't going to throw an 1/8oz weight in 25mph winds, or in 20' of water.

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Old 07-16-10, 12:39 PM   #5
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How to determine which sinker weight is the best to do the job depends on many factors, two important ones are current ( if there is ) and wind speed, others would include rate of fall and depth to be reached, the "rule" thumb is to use the lightest you can get away with but to determine which one is the lightest you can get away with can only be done by experimenting right there at that moment.

Letīs say you get to the lake and thereīs no wind, you are going to fish a bottom contact bait, the catch is to maintain the bottom contact, so no wind, then you are talking about 1/8 oz and below, how below ? well, then the other factors come into play, depth to be reached and rate of fall so you start with a less than 1/8 th oz limit, from 1/8 th you have a big bunch of sinker types you can use bullet sinkers, nail weights, split shots and such.

So that was now but an hour later the wind begins to blow, the first thing that tells you your sinker is too light is that you donīt feel the bottom, why ? because the wind is dragging the line and as it does it the line and bait lift from the bottom and what you want is to maintain the bottom contact, itīs time to cut and retie with a heavier sinker to neutralize the effect of the wind drag on the line, the rule of thumb is use the lightest one you can get away with, you have experiment again until you feel what you want to feel ( bottom contact ) without being too much ( the bait falling to the bottom like a rock ).

In my experience seldomly I can rig a bait, pick one sinker weight and fish with that all day long, on the contrary, all day long I have to adjust the sinker weight. So thereīs not an absolute answer like "use this and youīll be okay", you have to experiment.
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Old 07-17-10, 12:34 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jrob78 View Post
I generally use the lightest weight I can get away with. When t-rigging I use 1/8 and 3/16 oz weights the most. If it is really windy or deep water I might go heavier. When c-rigging I normally use 3/4 to 1 1/4 oz weights. I like to make sure that I always keep contact with the bottom.
Same here. I do go a lot heavier-1/2 to 3/4 oz. when pitching/flipping, but I usually start with a 1/8 oz. and adjust to the conditions. When it is real windy I'll often go with 1/4 oz. so I can keep in contact with the bait.

Also, the bigger the bait the heavier the weight you want to use. A 10" worm needs a heavier weight than a 4" finesse worm.
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Old 07-17-10, 09:47 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jrob78 View Post
I generally use the lightest weight I can get away with. When t-rigging I use 1/8 and 3/16 oz weights the most. If it is really windy or deep water I might go heavier. When c-rigging I normally use 3/4 to 1 1/4 oz weights. I like to make sure that I always keep contact with the bottom.
Ditto, here.
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Old 07-17-10, 11:35 PM   #8
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Personally I don't buy into the "lightest weight I can get away with" theory. First we need to know are you fishing shallow, brush, rocks, vegetation or suspended fish over deeper water. For a long time I tried to make the fish eat what I wanted to fish with but realized I needed to experiment and see what they wanted. Sometimes a light weight works best and sometimes a large weight will cause a good reaction bite as the lure falls quickly by their nose. Personally I have rods rigged the same way with different size weights. I usually start with a lighter weight unless the fish are suspended over deeper water, then I start with at least a 3/8 oz. weight. Different lures also have a different rate of fall and would require a different weight. Sorry if I am making this sound confusing but some days a bass wants a turtle and some days they want a jack rabbit.
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