Karl's Guide To Selecting The Right Fishing Sinker Weight

No matter what species of fish you target, you should have your tacklebox stocked with sinkers.

I remember when I was a kid, my Dad would use this type of sinker to tight-line for catfish on the Mississippi River. These flat, tear-shaped sinkers are ideal for fishing in heavy current because the weights lie flat on the bottom to prevent the current from rolling them. 

The no-roll sinker is a slip weight that allows you to feed line through it and attach the line to a swivel, followed by the leader line with the bait hook, similar to a Carolina rig for bass. This setup works best for fishing in strong current for catfish or sturgeon on the big rivers such as the Mississippi, Missouri, and Columbia.

The most popular dropshot weights are the ball-shaped sinkers, but there are times when you need a stick-shaped weight for catching bass around specific types of cover. The stick weight can be considered a finesse sinker because its slender shape allows it to slide through grass, brush, or other thick cover without snagging. 

You can also drop shot with this weight along the bottom with boulders because it slips easily through the rock crevices, whereas the ball-shaped weight tends to roll and get stuck in narrow cracks. The stick weight is also ideal for drop shotting in heavy current because the cylinder shape allows the weight to drift with the flow and tick the tops of the rocky bottom without rolling down into the rocks, where it can get snagged.

These are my favorite sinkers for Carolina rigging for bass. The egg-shaped weight is ideal for dragging along mud, sand, or gravel bottoms, where it stirs up silt and debris to attract a bass’ attention to the bait trailing the weight. As the weight bumps the bottom, the shape of the sinker allows you to keep contact with the bottom better than other weights. 

Keeping constant contact with the bottom also helps you determine the type of bottom you are fishing. I use a lightweight sinker such as a 1/4-ounce weight for Carolina-rigging at depths of less than 10 feet and switch to 3/4- or 1-ounce versions when I want to drag a rig in the 15- to 25-foot range.

I use split shots for a variety of fish, including bass, bluegill, crappie, and trout. Split shots are usually bb-sized or larger round weights that can be crimped on the line at various lengths above your hook. These small baits are best for use in shallow-water applications or for weighing down a bait set below a bobber. 

When fishing a bobber rig, I use the smallest weight possible for fishing a worm or cricket so bluegill will not feel the resistance of the weight when it inhales my bait. One of my favorite tactics for catching pressured spawning bass in murky shallow water is the split-shot rig. I pinch a Number 4 (about 1/8 ounce) split shot about 1 foot in front of a plastic lizard and drag it slowly along a gravel bank to tempt finicky bass on beds.

I have used these bell-shaped sinkers effectively for drop-shotting for bass, but this style of sinker works great for shore anglers because it casts well, allowing them to throw their baits long distances. 

When fishing from a boat, you can use the sinker on a three-way rig consisting of a three-way swivel with one eyelet for the main line, the second loop for a drop line attached to the sinker, and the final loop for a leader with a lure or live bait attached. 

The round shape of the weight reduces the risk of snagging, so the three-way rig is effective for bouncing along the bottom when drifting or trolling in open water.

The Ancient Egyptians believed in Pyramid Power, and you can too when you use these sinkers with an inverted pyramid profile. These work best in fast currents because their streamlined shape causes them to sink quickly, and the weight’s flat edges prevent it from rolling in the strong flow. 

When fishing in sand or mud bottoms, it will bury itself in the soft bottom to keep the bait in the same place. Its ability to hold fast in current makes it the top choice of striper anglers for surf fishing.