Choosing Fishing Weights

When it comes to rigging lures and baits, using the right amount of weight is crucial to getting your presentation in front of the fish. Too much weight can make a bait look unnatural and make it difficult to detect strikes and set hooks. On the other hand, too little weight may not get your lure or bait to the bottom where the fish are.

In order to choose the right amount of weight, anglers must consider the conditions where they plan to fish and the size of the species they are targeting. While there are many different types of fishing weights on the market, there are a few key categories that most anglers will find useful in their tackle boxes.

First up are a variety of small lead sinkers known as split shot weights. These rounded sinkers have a groove running down the center and can be pinched closed with your fingers or a pair of pliers to set them in place on your line. Split shot weights are incredibly versatile and come in a wide range of sizes to suit almost any situation. They are especially well suited to situations where you just need a few extra ounces of weight to get your rig down to the fish.

The next category of fishing weights that most anglers will use are pyramid sinkers. These triangular shaped weights have a slot that anglers can slide their line through and pinch shut. These are a favorite of bass fishermen who want to deploy their rigs quickly and easily. They are also ideal for situations where the current is moving quickly and you want to be able to hop your bait across the bottom rather than just drag it along.

Pyramid sinkers are often used in conjunction with a slinky-style fishing weight, which is another style of fishing weight that most anglers will have in their tackle boxes. These are often used by freshwater and saltwater anglers who want to add a lot of weight to their rigs for bottom fishing applications. These weights are a favorite of surf anglers for the same reason.

Finally, there are a number of other types of fishing weights that most anglers have in their tackle boxes for various applications. This includes cannonball-shaped weights that are used when trolling on a set-up called a downrigger, which enables anglers to use a light bait or lure at an excellent depth. There are also a number of clip-on weights that can be added to the belly of a lure or the eye of a hook for finesse rigs like the Jika type rig used for panfish and trout.

Most fishing weights are made out of lead, which is an easy material to heat up and shape into a variety of sizes and shapes for a multitude of different applications. However, many anglers are switching over to non-toxic alternatives like tungsten and bismuth because they are easier on the environment and do not deform as much in the water.