Carolina Rig Sinkers

[Jerry V]

I wanna hear from you guys that fish a C-rig once in a while.  What type of sinker do you prefer?  It's a technique that I've only begun to play with.  As much as I've tried to keep it all tied on, I just end up fishing something else that I'm more comfortable with in the end.

I've been using an Egg Sinker / bead combo and have a few troubles in my rocky structure getting hung up.  I thought about a Crescent Sinker to help things slide through that kind of structure better.  Is that a reasonable thought?...  It's not a slip type sinker (but I might be able to modify that mold a bit) and it starts at 1 oz.  Seems a little heavy to me, but maybe not.  I've been trying to stay around 1/2 or 3/4 oz.  Usually only in 10-20 feet of water anyway.

Any other sinker ideas? 

Thanks,
    Jerry

[kipbass]

I fish C-rig a lot and love it. I use a standard slip sinker w/beads. Not too many rocks in Toledo Bend, or if there is I can't tell. If I hang up, it's usually a stump's root system. C-rig fishing is faster than T-rig in my opinion, so I cover more water.
I marshaled a BASS event here last June, and C. Pace fished it with an egg sinker and one bead. I had never seen it done that way. He caught a few with it, but had better luck with a jig.
I'll continue to fish it.

[Lamar]

   I would think in 10 foot of water a 3/4 or 1 oz sinker in to heavy. We have always used an egg sinker and a glass bead. I personally don't c-rig unless it's the only way I can get a bite because we have found that we hook allot of fish deep. With the heavy weight and slack line you can't always feel the bite right away.

[matt]

I use a sinker slide then on that I take string of 1/8oz egg sinkers and clip on the sinker slide it will walk over anything you want to drag it over but I wish then you made a 1/32 and 1/16 egg sinker so I the can make 1/2oz and 1oz  know snag rig it looks funny if you are use to seeing a worm sinker

[Jerry V]

I use a sinker slide then on that I take string of 1/8oz egg sinkers and clip on the sinker slide it will walk over anything you want to drag it over but I wish then you made a 1/32 and 1/16 egg sinker so I the can make 1/2oz and 1oz  know snag rig it looks funny if you are use to seeing a worm sinker

You might be on to something here... like the "slinky sinker" with lead slipped into a parachute cord... you can change the weight by adding or subtracting lead weights and the longer profile helps to keep it more snag free. If I use the parachute cord to hold it all together I can use most any small "roundish" sinker... say a split shot or sling shot pellet.

One of our Catfish staffers showed me this a few years ago and I plumb forgot about it.  I think it could work well for where I'm trying to work, and it leaves room to play with the size.  Like this:

http://catfishtraining.com/no-snag-slinky-weights

[matt]

I don't like that I run modified sinker like this http://www.teamcatfish.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=469
 sinker slide like this http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sinker-Slides-Sliders-Black-100-Count-1-Length-/221015626376?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item33758ed288 my fishing part I put alot of time in this but people like to copy thing so I give up some things

[Jerry V]

I like that too... especially the sinker slide.

It's all the same idea really.  I'm just trying to figure out how I can make my own with the least amount of effort. (not that I'm a slacker, I just don't have any excess time or money) so I kinda like the parachute cord / boot lace idea.  This video makes it seem pretty easy:

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=F8RaSKgHc4E&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DF8RaSKgHc4E

 I think I'll give it a try this weekend and see what I can come up with. 

[pjmcla]

Most folks I have fished with used either a traditional worm weight or an egg sinker. ( old school ) Water depth, line test, and current ( where present ) were the primary determiners of weight.  But; enough weight to feel the bottom type.  Mud vs sand vs gravel vs rock. Some say tungsten is THE weight for feel but it they are too pricey for me.  Flourocarbon really helps here.  Typically in 15 - 25 feet - 1/2 to 3/4ths was what was used.  Very little larger chunk rock in the lakes; but if you found some you really slowed down and worked it over.  Around rock; seems like egg style worked some better ( hung up but could be worked loose better ).   Bluff walls were texas rigged or Charlie brewer sliders.

[Jerry V]

I've been trying the egg sinkers Paul, but I get hung way to often for my liking... I don't mind tying knots but I ain't that fond of it either...  I'm looking for something that won't have a tendency to get hung as much and I think the slender design might be the way to go.

I won't be sure of course until I can get some "soft water" around here, but I'm gonna try something.

Jerry

[DobynsTriton]

what about something thats the shape of the do-it finesse drop shot sinker but with a hole in it like a egg singer & a slightly rounded nose? I use tungsten thats shaped like this & i can pull it thru shell beds (softball sized shells)& off shore rock without a prob.

[Jerry V]

I wish I had a mold to make something like that, but I haven't, at least without some mold modification.  Though this brings another idea to mind...

The Line Grip Swivel that goes in the Do-It mold can be poured either direction.  One side has a line grip "V" and the other is just a round eye.  I think that would help me accomplish what I'm trying to do as well.  I'm gonna play with both of those ideas.  One or the other (or both) should be functional and help reduce some snags I would think.

I believe it was Hank Parker that I saw take a finesse drop shot sinker and bend it in a "C" shape to mimic a Lindy sinker.  They're pretty good in rock I've heard.  That might be another little adjustment I could make to it, but the fact that the slinky sinker isn't rigid and can move (like a snake) makes me think that it might be even less snaggy.

Time will tell I guess.  Thanks for the ideas guys...  suredopreciader.

[pjmcla]

I have found the slinky style sinkers to be the least likely to permanently hang up on rock and you get nothing back ( from cat fishing ). Especially combined with a small cork "pegged" on the leader side of the barrel swivel.  I guess feel is not the most critical aspect because you are fishing almost all rock.  The cork will dampen the feel a little as well but will aide in bait separation from the bottom.   I have found fishing the bottom in larger chunk rock leads to a lot of lost tackle and retying due to hangups & nicks ( esp. tailrace fishing ).   I try to vertically fish just off the bottom whenever possible.   

[t-billy]

 I normally use a regular bullet weight with a bead. I don't go any heavier than I need to to maintain bottom contact. It doesn't hang up excessively, and when it does hang up, I can usually pull it free by pulling in the opposite direction I was retrieving it in. This thread got me thinking though. Football jigs are great in rock, so it stands to reason that a similar style sinker should be too. I'm gonna drill crossways through some egg sinkers this spring and see how they work threaded on that way.---Tim.

[Muskygary]

Another thing you can use around grass is the lure body you make from the LB-5-A do-it mold. Works good as a sinker!

[Jerry V]

The weekend has arrived... well it's winding down now I guess, but I've made good progress on slinky sinkers:

fire up the melting pot and get everything warmed up.



I poured the three smallest sizes in this mold about a dozen times




And wound up with this after it was all trimmed up.  I cut the larger ones in half so I was predominately working with about 1/16 and 1/32 oz. pieces:



introduce a pair of boot laces that I got at the local "dollar store".



lop off one end and pull out the center.



make a tip on a soda straw and insert.




insert sinkers into straw and work them down into the bootlace.  Heat with a torch and crimp with a pliers.  Cut the lace and repeat on the other end.  Keep the torch on low, I mean just enough pressure to keep it lit.  We ain't starting the world on fire here... just melting boot laces.



I drove a 18 guage nail through one end and installed a snap swivel. (#10 crane swivel and a #52 duo lock snap) all from Do-It.



and repeat again...



I won't know how they fish for a while yet, but I think I've got something that will help me keep my rig out of the rocky structure that IS my home water.  I just gotta play around with weight now.

Thanks for looking'

Jerry