Surf fishing, with the right equipment, can be an extremely riveting experience. Not only is it a highly immersive way to fish, but it also allows you to enjoy the water while you do. However, your surf fishing dreams are presently on hold because you’re in the market for a new sinker — and you won’t rest until you find the right one. You’ve had enough of the unreliability; you’re sick and tired of sinkers that pop up from the ground no matter what it is you do to try and anchor them. This exceeds inconvenience; lately, you feel stressed out by the very thought of the water and, as a consequence, your passion for surf fishing. Well, fret no longer — we’re here with the information you need to ensure you’re using the best sinker moving forward.
Now, you might be wondering why having the right sinker even matters. With enough time, practice, and patience, you’ll learn to love the one you’ve got, right?
Wrong. Sadly, sinkers are not one-size-fits-all, and using the wrong one can serve to altogether sabotage your surf fishing experience. Not only will the incorrect sinker not cast well, but the bait presentation will also be way off. Worse yet, using the wrong sinker can actually scare all the fish you’re trying to catch away! Not good!
Using the correct sinker will serve instead to enhance your surf fishing experience, and allow you to better acquire skills along the way. Let’s get into it.
The Pyramid Sinker
Thick, dense, and shaped like a somewhat condensed prism, the pyramid is probably the most used sinker among surf fishers. Made simply, the pyramid sinker digs itself into the sand, and maintains its firm hold so long as the surf and bait you choose are agreeable.
Designed for smoother waters, the pyramid sinker can handle small bait and low surf. It’s not reliable for high tide fishing, and shouldn’t be used with large bait. Since the pyramid sinker easily springs out of the ground under strain, it’s best to use it only as intended.
The Wedge Sinker
Also known as the “frog tongue,” the wedge sinker is made for those looking to use large bait in large waters. The frontal, concave nature of the wedge allows for it to dig itself deep into the ground, therefore making it among the sturdiest options for surf fishers passionate about using big bait in tough surf. The concave tip ensures that the wedge sinker — or, if you prefer, “frog tongue” — remains firm in the ground and serves its anchoring functions accordingly.
One drawback many wedge-friendly surf fishers know all too well is the difficulty of recovering a “frog tongue” from the ground. Its persistent hold makes removing it from the sand a major challenge. Still, the trouble is nearly always worth it in the end. The wedge sinker makes sure of it.
The Storm Sinker
The storm sinker sometimes referred to as the “Hatteras-style” sinker, is more or less the happy medium between the pyramid and the wedge. It has a stronger, firmer grip on the ground than the pyramid, and it casts better. However, its grip pales in comparison to that of the wedge.
It, in part, resembles a flat hammer, or a slightly rounded ax. Of course, due to its very peculiar shape, its appearance is extremely hard to articulate, and this description of ours should be taken with a huge grain of salt. Your best bet is to see one for yourself and make your own assumptions about the shape of the typical storm sinker.
Despite it not being as sturdy as the wedge, the storm does have a major advantage when it comes to murkier, muddier waters. For those surf fishing in muddy areas, the storm sinker is ideal. Its unique shape allows it to hold up against the specifically slicker conditions the combination of water and mud create.
Want to cast farther while surf fishing? Here’s how to do so.
The Sputnik Sinker
One of the more popular sinkers among surf fishers, the sputnik resembles a raindrop, a cocoon, and/or the “Sputnik” satellite for which it is named. This sinker is ideal for a nice day spent surf fishing in calm waters. Intertwined with a series of firm wires, the sputnik sinker sinks, grips, and maintains itself in the sand.
Generally, 2-4 oz. sputnik sinkers come the most recommended. They’re the perfect weight for surf fishing under normal conditions and should remain firm in their grip so long as the weather and/or the water don’t become too turbulent. The sputnik sinker is often categorized as a spider weight since its wires act as legs, and allow it to anchor itself firmly in the ground.
Its spider-like tendencies are what make it a generally more reliable option for surf fishing than the pyramid sinker. It can endure slightly larger bait and stronger surfs without sacrificing its anchoring abilities in the process.
The Coin Sinker
Kingfish lovers — this is the sinker for you! Not only is the coin sinker fabulous for catching kingfish, but it also moves across the ground with you without mitigating its reliability as an anchor along the way.
As you may have already guessed, the coin sinker is shaped like a coin. It’s small, flat, and circular. This construction allows it to skip and burrow across the sand with you as you move, providing versatility, flexibility, mobility, reliability, and grip in a way the other sinkers don’t. When it comes to catching kingfish especially, it’s extremely rare that the coin doesn’t outdo the pyramid regarding anchoring and reliability.
The No-Roll Sinker
Last, but not least, the no-roll sinker is perfect for those surf fishing in calm, idle waters. Those who enjoy rivers and catching catfish generally tend to prefer the no-roll sinker. This one somewhat resembles the coin sinker — if the coin sinker was thicker, stretched, and pinched at the top. In other words, the no-roll sinker resembles an egg smooshed flat.
Unlike the coin sinker, the no-roll sinker doesn’t skip along with you or the current. Rather, it lies flatly wherever you anchor it and doesn’t generally yield to the chaotic whims of water in nature.
Please note: This blog post is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal or medical advice. Please consult a legal expert or medical professional to address your specific needs.