Sinkers

Japanese bass fishing has produced an extraordinary diversity of sinker styles, driven by the finesse-oriented techniques pioneered in Japan's clear, heavily fished reservoirs. Tungsten sinkers — denser than lead, producing a smaller profile for the same weight — are standard equipment for serious Japanese bass anglers. The compact profile of tungsten allows a bait to penetrate cover more easily and produces a sharper, more defined bottom feel through the rod.

Key sinker styles include: bullet weights for Texas and Carolina rigs; drop-shot weights in various shapes for different bottom types; nail weights for Neko and wacky rigs; and free-rig sinkers, a Japanese innovation that allows a bait to separate from the weight during the fall for an irresistibly natural action.