If you are new to fishing or just a curious angler, you have probably wondered if fishing sinkers or fishing weights scare fish. Let’s take a deeper dive into this question by looking at the facts.
Do Sinkers Scare Fish?
Sinkers can scare fish; however, if you maintain a natural bait presentation and choose the correct size and type, sinkers should be highly beneficial to your fishing success.
Fishing sinkers can scare fish when the proper size sinker is not used. For example, if you are fishing for small Bluegill in 36” of water and you tie on a 6-ounce sinker to your rig, chances are the sinker will scare the Bluegill away. The large sinker will create commotion in the water and limit the natural presentation of your bait or artificial lure.
Choosing the right sinker size to eliminate unnecessary sound and commotion
If you have spent much time on the water, you probably know that the slightest sound or commotion can send fish darting into the nearest cover. Because of this, I always recommend going as light as possible, only using enough weight to adequately hold the bottom in the area you are targeting. By using a light sinker, you will dramatically decrease the commotion of your bait or lure entering into the water.
Since water conditions change without warning, I always recommend bringing various sizes and shapes of sinkers to hold the bottom adequately. Optimal sinker size can vary depending on a variety of factors but on average, you will want 1 ounce per 30’ of depth. If currents are strong, you will definitely need to increase sinker size to hold the bottom effectively.
Keeping A Natural Bait Presentation
Fish can be extremely sensitive to how your bait is presented. If your bait or lure seems unnatural, fish can quickly become bait shy or completely scared of your bait and dart off in the opposite direction.
Choosing The Right Sinker Type
Choosing the right sinker type is another important factor to consider when targeting fish that may be sensitive or scared of larger sinkers. Sinker types can vary depending on the type of fish you are targeting.
Here are a couple of examples
Egg/Sliding Sinker: A sliding sinker is ideal for bottom fishing because it allows the bait to drift freely when it hits bottom. This is great when you are fishing live bait because it will have a natural presentation that is able to attract more fish.
Pyramid Sinker: When shore fishing, using a pyramid sinker is ideal. The pyramid sinker has a sharp tip that lodges itself into the sand when cast allowing you to use a smaller sinker while still having the ability to hold the bottom.
Bullet Sinker: When fishing plastic worms, bullet sinkers are an absolute must. Bullet sinkers become camouflaged with the rest of the bait when you choose the right color and size.
The more natural your bait presentation, the more likely fish will strike your bait.
Are All Fish Scared Of Sinkers?
Not all fish are scared of sinkers. In fact, some fish could care less that there is a heavyweight attached to the bait they are after. Some fish, including catfish, grunt, and shark, are known for rarely being scared or shy of bait no matter the size or color of the sinker on the fishing rig.
Other fish, on the other hand, including Bonefish, Tarpon, Snook, Redfish, and Trout, are known to be sensitive to large sinkers, frequently passing up a free meal altogether because the bait seems unnatural in presentation.
Do You Need A Sinker To Fish?
Typically you do not need a sinker to fish, but they often are used to hold bottom in areas where fish are best known to congregate. If you are bottom-fishing, sinkers are almost always a necessity, whereas flats fishing rarely requires the use of a sinker.
Are Fishing Sinkers Made Of Lead?
Most fishing sinkers are made out of lead. Lead is the most popular material used for fishing sinkers and weights because lead is an extremely dense and cheap material compared to other materials, such as tungsten and steel.
Do Certain Sinker Colors Scare Fish?
There is minor evidence that suggests certain sinker colors can scare fish or limit their interest in your overall fishing setup. To be safe, I always recommend a darker sinker that can quickly disappear the moment it hits bottom. Some colors anglers recommend include black, green, and dark brown.
In conclusion, sinkers are a very useful tackle that can aid in catching fish. If you are not knowledgeable in choosing the right setup, sinkers can scare fish. So be sure to follow the tips outlined in this article, and you should be set to fish with a sinker.