What size sinkers do you guys use while fishing the mississippi in Illinois?

[Believer]

When you guys fish in the rivers, specifically the Mississippi, what size sinker do you use?

I have been using those small 1/2 (I think) egg sinkers & they seem to get dragged along by the current. I was wondering if maybe I should be using something like a 2-5 oz bank sinker. they seem like they would hold better but, i'm not sure if i'd be able to the bites with something that big.
What do you think?

I'll post this same question on a couple of other forums as well just to get as many opinions as possible.

Thanks!

Eric

[H2O Mellon]

My buddy Salmonid (BOC Mbr) fished w/ some other BOC mbrs a couple weeks ago on the mighty Mississippi & they sometimes used sinkers up to 16oz. :eek

[Dwednuts]

I haven't fished the Miss. in a long time but here on the Ohio River we seldom get away with anything smaller than 3ozs and up to 8ozs. That is when the river isn't raging. Egg sinkers work fine in a lake setting but rivers are a whole new ball game.

[ultima_cat_man]

i mainly use 5oz no rolls on the mississippi river, sometimes you can get away will alittle less but 5 is the rule of thumb, tim

[Rivercat2]

When I use a three way rig I use a 5-10oz bank sinker, on my slip rigs I use 5-12oz egg sinkers.

[Catfishhunter]

Eric, Are you fishing from a boat or off the bank? As a rule of thumb you use what ever it takes to hold your bait down where you want it.If your fishing from a boat you can fish either fast current or slack current. If you are going to fish the Miss. I would get a wide range of between 6oz. to 24oz. The lower Miss. is a whole different river compared to other rivers being the last dam is in Alton Ill. and from there it is a free flowing river, so there is always going to be current. Keep uping your weight until your bait stays where you want it and after awhile you will be able to look at the current and tell what size weight you will need...

[Skunk Master]

Ok now my question... where do you find sinkers bigger than 2 oz... I haven't been able to locate any or molds to make any:crying:

[JimF]

Ok now my question... where do you find sinkers bigger than 2 oz... I haven't been able to locate any or molds to make any:crying:eBay has them.... sinkers and molds all shapes and sizes

[Skunk Master]

Thanks.. i'm just kinda leary of ebay... brother got took by a guy..:crying:

[TeamCatHazzard]

It just depends man, I fish around Alton and have used up to 20oz. of weight to keep my bait down in times of high and running water. It just all depends on where your at and how bad the current is. Just keep adding weight until your bait does what you want it to. I havent had any better or worse luck using bigger weights all it does is hold it on the bottom. I do rig up to where the fish can just pull line though and not really feel the weight though. Just experiment with different size weights man. Good luck!

[Believer]

thanks for the replies, I really appreciate it!

I unfortunately am stuck fishing from the bank.

Eric

[Skunk Master]

I fish from the bank myself that is until i get the wife talked into a boat.. But then again i've always enjoyed fishing from the bank..:crying:

[bondman]

for molds check catfish connection. I have a mold that does the 2-5 bank sinkers and they seem to work very well for me. I am going to get one that does the no rolls next.. I hope this helps
bondman

[HARVRAD2003]

Will pyramid weights work O.K. in the Mississippi around the Alton area. I have quite a few 5 oz. ones, hoping to get some no roll from Catfish Connection in the 6 oz. size sometime.

[bondman]

I would think they would. I always tie them on a using a lighter line weight then my main line if I am fishing from the bank that way if and I should when they snag and a fish is on the sinker breaks off and I can fight the fish. This always seems to help from the bank and using a 3 way swivel
Bondman

[eogden]

Catfish Connection has about any size sinker you could want in the bulk. I also prefer the 5 oz no roll but keep bank sinkers up to 16 oz around just in case.
Eric

[fat_fish55]

when i fish in the mississippi from the bank at lock and dam 20 i usualy get by with 3-5 oz. any more then that wouldnt be practicle to cast anyway, usualy the weight is heavy enough to get down and get kinda snagged but not bad enough to lose it just to keep the bait there

[Droptine]

I use anything from 6 oz up to 16.

[shortshank]

Ok now my question... where do you find sinkers bigger than 2 oz... I haven't been able to locate any or molds to make any:crying:Cats4uanme(member BOC) has a thread in the swap section for about 80+lbs of sinkers for trade. Hope this helps.
Don

[catfishplaya]

cabela's is a good place to get heavy wieghts