Cat Tip of the Day: Vinyl Tubing No-Snag Sinker

[SteveD]

Need a little project to help pass the time during these cold winter months. You might as well make some sinkers to get ready for some open water fishing. I am always looking for good tips to pass along and this is one that I found in the Brotherhood of Catfishing HSOforum members library. I do a lot of drifting and trolling for channel cats and I have found that the best sinkers to use are slinky weights or No-Snag Sinkers. They are relatively snag free sinkers and if you make your own you can make them very cheaply as opposed to buying the expensive No-Snag sinkers. I made a couple of other Cat Tips of the Day with info on how to make your own slinky weights and another on how to make No-Snag sinkers out of large nails. I’ve made a good inventory of drifting/trolling sinkers using those methods but now I’ve found an even more effective way to make No-Snag sinkers so I figured I would pass on the info.

Materials Needed:

• Hot Glue Gun

• #4 Buckshot .240 diameter

• 3/8 in. X ¼ in. (Inside diameter) Clear Vinyl Tubing

• 3d 1 ¼” finishing nails

• Swivels or Snap Swivels

Making the No-Snag Sinker:

I have a digital scale so as I make the sinkers I am able to weigh them to get close to exact weights on each sinker. I was primarily interested in making 1 ounce and 1 ½ ounce sinkers. I found that the 1 ounce sinker used a 4 ½” piece of vinyl tubing and 15 #4 buckshot and the 1 ½ ounce sinker used a 6 ½” piece of vinyl tubing and 22 #4 buckshot.

To make the sinkers, cut the vinyl tubing to the length desired. Insert the #4 buckshot into the vinyl tubing, I found it to go in easily but you may need to push it along with a small screwdriver if it hangs up. Leave yourself a gap at the bottom and at the top to be filled with the hot glue gun. I did the top of the sinker first, I had a bunch of 1/0 swivels gathering dust so I used them to make the top of the sinker. I inserted the swivel to the depth desired and marked the bottom of the swivel on the vinyl tube. Using a 2X4 scrap piece of lumber as a base I pounded a 3d 1 ¼” finishing nail through the vinyl tube so the nail went through the swivel loop inside the sinker. After I had the nail lined up, I backed it out about half way and pulled out the swivel. I then filled the top of the tube with hot glue and then quickly inserted the swivel back to its original position and pushed the nail all the way through the tube and out the opposite side insuring that it was pinning the swivel to prevent it from coming out. I pushed the nail flush with one side of the tube and then used a snips to cut off the other end of the nail on the other side of the tube flush with the side of the tube. I used a small file to make the cut end of the nail smooth. After the top of the sinker was done I packed the buckshot up to the top and then filled the gap in the bottom of the sinker with hot glue and I was done with the sinker. Set it aside to let the glue setup. It only takes a few minutes to make a sinker and you get better and faster the more that you do. I’m a tinkerer by nature so this little project helps to keep me busy and the winter to go by faster.

[Gordie]

Great Idea Steve but one question the hot glue what type do you use as I have used some in the past and when it gets chilled or wet tends to let loose.

I really like this idea and will be trying to make a few for cats as well as other spieces(bait fish) but I think I will use silicone to close off the tubing

[SteveD]

Gordy - I just use the cheapest glue I can find for my hot glue gun. It seems to set up hard and I don't think it is going to come loose. I haven't dragged one of the sinkers through the water yet but I will let you know how they work once I get the chance.

I like your idea of using silicone and that may be a better way to seal the ends of the sinkers.

[pureinsanity]

I think an epoxy would work even better. two part fast drying epoxy would bond much better then hot glue and silicone.

[SteveD]

I don't think we are going to have a problem with the hot glue - it looks pretty rock solid in the tube. I was just banging one around on the work bench and it held up like a champ. The epoxy idea sounds like a pain in the buttocks.

[pureinsanity]

I know with rod building the clear hot glue can melt if left in your car, but if its the brown stuff than you are good to go. (what I use on my rod tips)