TUTORIAL[7]: About Hooks and Sinkers

Sinkers serve an important purpose: to bring your bait to the bottom of the seabed. Most of the time, fishes are at the bottom of the sea. Normally, if your bait is not at the bottom (due to strong current), there will be no bites. Depending on the current, you would need a different weight. But only use the smallest effective weight possible. Sinkers add to the load of the line, and if you get a big fish with a heavy sinker, the total weight may be more than your rod can bear.

The more aerodynamic shaped sinkers are for casting accuracy. The ball like weights are for jetty and boat fishing. Some sinkers have sharp grip to act like an anchor. Usually for beach fishing. Do not use those for rocky areas.

Split shots are more specialized and are meant to hold the leader down in the current. These are usually clippable types. Split shots are commonly used for luring, when there is a need to bring the lure deeper in depth.

Some weights have a hole in the centre to let a line through. This is for use in the running sinker rig. Running sinker enables the fish to run with the bait with less resistence and in some cases, a better approach. Some fishes let go of the bait the moment they feel resistance.

From top to bottom
1. Long shank hook
2. Bait hook
3. Bait hook
4. Offset hook
5. Circle hook


There are many kind of hooks, for different purposes. The general one is your bait hook, for clipping on a bait.

However if you are using worms, a longer shank one is needed to properly thread the worm. Offset hooks are better (with the slight turn near the eye) but are more costly. Offset hooks are also used for luring with a soft plastic bait.

Circle hooks are for preventing fish from being hooked in the gut (sure die). When using circle hooks, do not strike. Fish will self hook themselves when they run. In some case, this approach is a good one while parking your rod. (leaving the rod in the rod holder while attending to some other things).

As for hook size, if fishes are not biting, downsize until you get something. A small hook may catch a big fish, but a big hook cannot catch a small fish.