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What is the purpose of fishing sinkers?
Sinkers are metal weights designed to counteract the buoyancy of your fishing line and tackle to keep your lure and hook at a set depth in the water. Split shot sinkers are the most common type and are usually fitted directly onto your fishing line. Other sinkers can be tied or slipped onto your line.
How do I know what size sinker to use?
You'll want to use the lightest and smallest sinkers possible to keep your lure in the strike zone for the fish you're after and prevent snags. Using larger sinkers than you need can make reeling in fish less comfortable and increase your odds of getting snagged.
How heavy should a sinker be?
Sinkers range from sixteenths of an ounce to 15 pounds or heavier, and the weight you need depends on how and where you're fishing. For shallow and calm waters, lighter sinkers will help you get your lure to the right depth. Fishing in strong currents may require heavier sinkers, while fishing in deep water requires the heaviest sinkers to weigh down the line and keep your hook at the correct depth.
Are fishing sinkers pure lead?
Lead is still used to make many sinkers as it's easy to use and dense, but it's worth noting that lead-based sinkers are banned from national parks in Canada and the United States. Brass and tungsten are popular alternatives to lead.
