The 411 on when and where to fish the plethora of lead weights under a variety of circumstances.

Walking sinker
This lead weight resembles a small shoehorn. Back in the ’60s, top guides designed it for backtrolling Lindy Rigs with live bait. To create this rig, a walking slip sinker was threaded onto the main line followed by a barrel swivel, a leader and a plain hook. This rig was pure gold with live bait, slowly backtrolled along rocky structure. The walking slip sinker provided a dynamite system, because its design allowed it to walk over gravel and rocks.

Bottom bouncers
The walking sinker cut down on snags in gravel. The bottom bouncer allows anglers to troll and drift in rock and boulder areas where rock crevices snag other sinker types. Bottom bouncers also slide over logs and other bottom debris.

The bottom bouncer is a piece of wire that has an open safety pin shape or a single wire with an eye for tying the main line to it. A hunk of lead is molded onto the wire, about 4 inches from its end. The thin wire’s tip slides between the rocks and boulders. The elevated weight usually doesn’t get wedged between snags.

Most anglers choose bottom bouncers that are heavy enough to keep the line almost perpendicular to the boat. This reduces snags, and provides a better feel for the bites. Some models have four or more ounces of lead. These are great for windy conditions or when fishing deeper waters.

Pencil leads
This sinker got its name because it is shaped like a pencil with an eyelet on one end. They are fairly snag-free when drifted or trolled. Plus, they are cheap. Connect the pencil lead to a three-way swivel with a 12-inch leader. Tie the lead with a granny knot. If it gets snagged, the weak knot breaks the weight loose, saving the rest of the rig. Bounce it along the bottom right under the boat. On the other eye of the three-way swivel, tie on a leader with a spinner or plain hook with live bait.

When slowly backtrolling or drifting any sinker, here’s the general depth rule: for every 1/8 ounce of weight, the sinker descends 10 feet. A 1/4-ounce sinker, under ideal slow speeds, sinks to 20 feet. However, increased wind velocity, faster current, or increased trolling speeds raise the weight up.

River sinker
This lead looks like an Indiana spinnerblade. Some also call it a snagless sinker. It effectively holds the bait down in a river with moderate current. The water flows over the curved back of the lead. This keeps the sinker and bait tight to the bottom. Catfishermen really like this weight. It can be fished in snaggy areas. When retrieving it, give it a jerk and crank the reel handle rapidly. This causes the weight to plane up and glide over snags.

Slip sinkers
While there are many slip sinker models, two styles should be in all tackle boxes. The egg slip sinker is aptly named because it looks like an egg. Slide it onto the line and rig it like a Lindy Rig or Carolina rig. Put a plastic worm or live bait on the hook at the end of leader. When fishing current, cast it out with the reel’s bail open and let the current roll it to a depression. Often, this is where the fish are. Use this model where there aren’t thick weeds.

When fishing weedy areas that call for a slip sinker, choose one with a cone shaped head. It’s bullet-shaped. Fish soft plastic baits on this model. Its pointed shape lets the angler pull it through the vegetation. Both styles of slip sinkers work for both boat and shore anglers. Slip sinkers let the fish pull the line through the weight with little to no resistance.

To learn more, check out the March issue of MidWest Outdoors magazine, available the first full week of March on newsstands near you, or by subscribing on our website.