use sinkers weighing between 1- to 2-ounces for punchin’.
On the opposite end of the technique spec- trum, the density advantages of tungsten are not lost on light tackle anglers. I fish a lot of small finesse plastics and tungsten enables me to strategically add weight to delicate baits without damag- ing them or altering their action. Whether it is inserting a nail weight into the head of a Neko rig or
fine tuning the balance of as soft plastic jerkbait, tungsten nails are the answer.
HEIGHTENED SENSITIVITY
Since tungsten is a very hard material, it does a better job at transmitting bottom composition
than lead. As such, it is much easier to distin-
guish between mud, brush, sand, shell bed or
rock.
In my own fishing, this has proven to be
invaluable when drop shotting in deep wa-
ter, even when using a light weight sinker.
For example, if I am targeting smallmouth
that are relating to scattered patches of
pea gravel, I can tell instantly when my
bait is in the strike zone or if I need to
make an adjustment. Tungsten really
helps me understand what is going
on with my bait under the water.
TURN UP
THE VOLUME
When tungsten
makes contact with
another hard ob-
ject the sound it
creates is am-
plified. In fact
a number
of lure
manu-
facturers
employ
tung-
sten
SUMMER 2017
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