Bassmaster Pro Josh Bertrand Weighs in on What Size Worm Sinker to Use
Article by: Jonathan LePera, for BassProShops1Source
When largemouth bass are tucked into cover in 5-feet of water or less, nothing beats swinging back on a trophy largemouth bass after seeing your line twitch ever so slightly after pitching your Texas-rigged bait or flipping jig into the sweet spot. That can only happen if you pair your bait with the proper sized weight so that your rig can penetrate cover and fall properly to trigger those key bites. Bassmaster Elite Pro Josh makes a few weighty decisions and weighs in on what size worm sinker to use.
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| Bass Pro Shops XPS Tungsten worm weight |
A Starting Point: Determine the Weight of the Sinker
The density of the cover ultimately determines the weight of the sinker you should rig up. Bertrand starts off with a 5/16-ounce Bass Pro Shops XPS Tungsten worm weight or the XPS Tungsten flippin weight as they are a versatile weight that allows him to penetrate sparse cover, light grass, and dissect docks and wood. It also works perfectly when Bertrand needs to skip a bait way up under cover.
Lighter Rigs for Lethargic Fish
“Whenever the fish are lethargic, and during the colder months, you don’t want to overpower them with something that falls too quick. You aren’t looking for a reaction bite,” Bertrand said. Selecting an offering that falls slower when the water is colder and registers between 40- and 50-degrees allows bass the necessary time to go to the bait and eat it.
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| Bass Pro Shops XPS Tungsten flippin weight |
Especially during the spawn, or immediately thereafter, is not the time to pitch out a bait that falls fast with a heavy weight. “When you have a lot of cruising fish that aren’t thinking as much about feeding as they are about spawning,” he said. In post-frontal situations which are known for creating finicky appetites, he’ll sooner downsize his bait or fish slower before lightening up his weight.
