Components of Fishing Sinkers

Body

The main part of a fishing sinker is its body, which is most often metal and can be a number of different shapes and sizes. Some of the most common sinker shapes include the egg sinker, shaped like an egg; cone or bullet sinkers, with a wider bottom and tapered top; pyramid sinkers, shaped like an upside-down pyramid; and bell sinkers, shaped like a bell or teardrop. Sinkers also come in banana, coin, torpedo and ball shapes and sport the same name as their shapes. Slip shots are another common sinker. They are round with a groove through the center where the line is attached.

Attachment

Another important component of the sinker is its attachment, or how it's connected to the fishing line. As mentioned, slip shot sinkers feature a groove through the center. Anglers insert the line into that groove and pinch the sinker's sides together to hold it in place. Other sinkers, such as the egg and cone sinkers, feature a hole that runs through the length of the sinker where the line is attached. On sinkers like the bell sinker, a loop or eye at the top is where the line is attached. Some feature swivel attachments while others are fixed in place.

Additional Features

More advanced sinkers feature a number of other components. The rubber core sinker, for example, features a groove down its side which is filled with a rubber core. Each end of the rubber core has a small tab. Anglers insert the line along the rubber core and twist the end tabs in opposite directions to keep the line in place. Sliding sleeves are a type of sinker that features a tube that surrounds the fishing line and a small attachment for a hook that freely slides up and down the length of the tube.