What size sinkers to buy?

[Christopher Quast]

What size sinkers do I (need) for catfishing and when do you use each size.

[DTro]

Basically you want the lightest sinker to keep you bait on the bottom without the current sweeping it away. That will vary from day to day and spot to spot.

I keep a supply of all sizes from 1oz to 5oz. Some guys carry em all up to 8oz. There aren't too many spots that will require more than 5 oz.

In a pinch you can always double up. It's not recommended but will work if needed.

[Christopher Quast]

Thanks Dtro for the insight on this subject I know this is off subject but what kind of paint did you use on your boat and what kind of primer did you use and how is it holding up

[UncleKes]

Gold Tip: That will depend on the particulat water you are fishing, the speed of the current (if any) and the size of the bait you are using. Like, DTRO says, you want a sinker that is just light enough to keep the bait on the bottom without the current rolling it around.

Any type of sinker will work. I have caught cats on split shot, egg sinkers, bell sinkers, slip sinkers and flat sinkers. Each has advantages and disavantages. Cats don't care. They quite simply do not know what a sinker is and in my expericnce simply would not care even if they did.

It used to be that in 90% of current situations most catmen used bell sinkers or egg sinkers. But in recent years people (myself included) have started using the flat river sinkers. These are usually a modified type of slip sinker that are flat and pear shaped. You can buy them in any size you like and they work well in about 80% of catfishing situations where you are fishing moderate current.

Like I said, sinker type and size is not all that important. Fish a sinker that will keep your bait down on the bottom without rolling around or moving about and you will be OK.

In catfishing the rule is to "fish it not sweat it!"

Tight Lines;

Uncle Kes

[DTro]

 Originally Posted By: GOLDTIP

what kind of paint did you use on your boat and what kind of primer did you use and how is it holding up

Funny you should mention that as I was thinking about it today as I was giving it a good powerwash.

I didn't use any primer as the original paint was still there. I used good old Rust Oleum for the paint.

I have noticed a few small spots that have been nicked off and a scratch on one side. All in all I'm pleased with the $20 paint job

I imagine I will have to at least touch up and or repaint in 4 yrs if I still have it.

My theory is that it looks better than it did before, and I'm not trying to win any beauty contests. If I was, then I would have been upset that I've already put a nice shine on my just refurbished props

I wouldn't say I beat my boat, but it's impossible to baby it on the river.

[Christopher Quast]

Ok thanks UncleKes for the inside scoop on what is what and you too Dtro from what I'm gathering by watching the cat pro's talk on here is that no roll and bank sinkers are the way to go but I remember as a kid my uncle would take me down to some rock bar by henderville and all we ever used was egg sinkers and we caught cats, sheephead, walleye, shoot you name it and alot of those leatherbacks those things are ugly!!!

[Christopher Quast]

Nope I'm in the same boat so too speak LOL! I dont want to win no beauty contests either it's just that I bought this boat last fall and it was puke crestliner green color and I wanted to make it not such an eyesore shall we say so I bought a boatload of rattle cans from Wally World and sanded it all down and cleaned it up and took all the decals off and started spraying until I couldn't feel my index fingers anymore.

Long story short it turned out ok but I started looking at and it looks dumb because of the fact that I didnt stick with one color and used white on the bottom of the upper part and Dark blue on the upper part and once I saw it in the water it looks retarded because of the waterline level. So was curious what you used did you use any clear coat at all?

[harvey lee]

One can purchase there no roll sinkers here.

http://www.outdoorprostore.com/catfish-sturgeon-tackle.html

[UncleKes]

GoldTip: The Flat "River Sinkers" I mentioned earlier did not come out until about the late 1980's-90's so it is quite possible your Uncle was using what was available back then. I too used egg and bell sinkers for many more years than I like to think about.

For Channel Cats (especially) you do not want your bait to move around a lot. Channels do not like to chase after their food. Flatheads are another story, With Flats they will follow the bait. With Channels, you will turn them off if the bait is not staionary.

However, like I said, it does not matter as far as sinkers go. Anything will work. I remember seeing an old guy when I was a kid fishing cats. He tied a rock to his line and used it as a sinker and he caught around 20 catfish (back in the 60's remember, catfish were classified as rough fish and you could catch as many as you wanted) in an hour.

Like I said, in catfishing the rule is TO FISH IT NOT SWEAT IT!

Tight Lines;

Uncle Kes

[UncleKes]

GoldTip: The Flat "River Sinkers" I mentioned earlier did not come out until about the late 1980's-90's so it is quite possible your Uncle was using what was available back then. I too used egg and bell sinkers for many more years than I like to think about.

For Channel Cats (especially) you do not want your bait to move around a lot. Channels do not like to chase after their food. Flatheads are another story, With Flats they will follow the bait. With Channels, you will turn them off if the bait is not staionary.

However, like I said, it does not matter as far as sinkers go. Anything will work. I remember seeing an old guy when I was a kid fishing cats. He tied a rock to his line and used it as a sinker and he caught around 20 catfish (back in the 60's remember, catfish were classified as rough fish and you could catch as many as you wanted) in an hour.

Like I said, in catfishing the rule is TO FISH IT NOT SWEAT IT!

Tight Lines;

Uncle Kes

[AceintheHole]

2-5oz no-roll and bank sinkers

[Shack]

Uncle,

I have been doing a lot of research on flats and channels as of late and found the info different from what you just stated about bait placement. What I have found is the channel cats are a more aggressive species at finding food than a flat’s. This is only what I have read, plus some on the water what not.

Now, on the weight/sinker thing. I found out first hand tonight fishing a slack water eddy, that a 2 once weight out did a 4 once weight on getting a channel to bite. I started out with the 4 ounce, had some weird tugs on my poles, switched to a 2 once weight and got a couple fish.

What I am finding, there is a science to these fish. Time, knowledge and trial and error are the key to catching more and bigger fish.

Good luck.

[hanson]

 Originally Posted By: shackbash

Now, on the weight/sinker thing, I found out first hand tonight, fishing a slack water eddy, that a 2 once weight, out did a 4 once weight on getting a channel to bit. I started out with the 4 ounce, had some weird tugs on my poles, switched to a 2 once weight and got a couple fish.

Thats a good observation Shack.

When fishing channel cats at this time of year, one doesn't need the big cat rods, 80lb PP, 4oz sinkers, Garcia 7000s like we use during the rest of the year. Water temps are cool still and the channels still aren't fighting like they will be with 70+ degree temps. Think finesse fishing, downsize, and you'll pick up a lot more of the biters. Fight is more fun on the light gear too! Of course you need to be fishing water that enables you to lighten up.... slow current.