# Why aren't sputnik sinkers more popular?



## sand flea (Oct 24, 1999)

I've been using them more and more to deal with heavy current. You can pick the weight that's appropriate for the rod and still hold bottom.

For instance, a 4 holds like a 6, a 6 holds like an 8, and an 8 holds like a 10 or above. They cast well and don't seem to have any problems I've figured out yet.

So why don't you see these weights used more often?


----------



## eric (Oct 24, 2007)

i use them all the time

i can cheat and use a 6oz , be adjusting the wires. i can get it to feel like a 9oz

i even got molds for pouring them.


----------



## Cdog (Mar 18, 2002)

*One word*

Crowds, whether it is folk lore or reality the idea of them tangling up lines with the spikes sticking out is why I never use em.

Plus I am a real man and always cast 8anbait....


----------



## bstarling (Apr 24, 2005)

I love them. Use them often, I'm not man enough to throw 8nB all day so I cheat. 

Bill:fishing:


----------



## Shooter (Nov 14, 2004)

The one big reason they are looked down upon is ya know sooner or later your going to break a few off and down South while wading out to the bar they will hurt when stepped on  and yes some folks wade barefooted.

And besides, real men cast 8 & bait


----------



## sand flea (Oct 24, 1999)

Shooter said:


> And besides, real men cast 8 & bait


Yeah, but what do you cast? 

So what about when 10 won't hold or when you're throwing lighter gear and still want to stick?

I guess my point is that you always match your gear to the task. It seems a little weird that we all argue about frog tongues and hurricanes (which aren't any fun to step on) but seem to ignore a sort of obvious choice.


----------



## junkmansj (Jul 23, 2005)

after shoulder surgury 8nbait hurts after a while,last longer with 6


----------



## Lip Ripper (Dec 8, 2003)

when 10 wont hold, i will go to sputniks. the reason i dont use them all the time is about half the time when i reel them back in, the leader is all tangled in the wire legs. it happens all the time, if im using live bait(fish/eel) but even when i use bait it happens from time to time.


----------



## Shooter (Nov 14, 2004)

sand flea said:


> Yeah, but what do you cast?
> 
> So what about when 10 won't hold or when you're throwing lighter gear and still want to stick?
> .


Lets see, during the striper tourny, I was thrown 10 & bait on 2 poles both days and if it takes over 10 to hold thats when I start holding a tall cup of Bourbon :beer:


----------



## eric (Oct 24, 2007)

Shooter said:


> Lets see, during the striper tourny, I was thrown 10 & bait on 2 poles both days and if it takes over 10 to hold thats when I start holding a tall cup of Bourbon :beer:


amen to that.
when nothing holds. just let the rods drift and catch lines.

while you sit with a cold beer and chitchat with the neighboring truck.

maybe magically a fish is in the wash, and takes your bait. then youd only have to wind in about 15 yards of line


----------



## mud (Sep 23, 2007)

Well I dont know about many other places but in VA I know that sea weed has to be a factor and especially with the windy weather we have had recently.


----------



## sea witch (Mar 25, 2008)

also,

alot more chit in the water

and when 10 wont hold (at all) it may be a little too ruff to feesh


----------



## stonemason (Aug 4, 2006)

b/c it cost more?


----------



## Kwesi W. (Apr 14, 2006)

I agree with SJ.... They seem to cost ALOT more.... Not sure why, but when you snap off a $3 sinker it stings a little more..





stupidjet said:


> b/c it cost more?


----------



## Sandcrab (Mar 20, 2002)

kmw21230 said:


> I agree with SJ.... They seem to cost ALOT more.... Not sure why, but when you snap off a $3 sinker it stings a little more..


K-Man,

Get the ones OW sells. They have heavy duty wire that holds forever. Normal sputniks have thin wire...

Sandcrab


http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/s...1_46438_151005006_151000000_151005000_151-5-6


----------



## Danman (Dec 13, 2007)

I only use them when I have to...but the sputniks save the day for me when the current is too fast to hold the pyramids....:fishing:


----------



## HellRhaY (Jul 6, 2007)

stupidjet said:


> b/c it cost more?


bingo. averagte joe fisherman would rather buy the opyramid sinkers ($.80) rather than the $4.00 sinker.


----------



## jay b (Dec 1, 2002)

I use them all the time on the yak...................as wreck anchors 

Seriously they work well, just two 8 oz.ers on a small piece of rope and they'll hold in the rocks or rubble everytime and so far have always come back to the yak.


----------



## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

I know guys that use them here but like Cdog said they can get a little dangerous in crowds. Ain't nothin like steppin on one when you're swimmin either. I personally don't use them.


----------



## Kwesi W. (Apr 14, 2006)

No way! those things are close to 5 bucks.. You must think im made of money..
lol


Sandcrab said:


> K-Man,
> 
> Get the ones OW sells. They have heavy duty wire that holds forever. Normal sputniks have thin wire...
> 
> ...


----------



## Kwesi W. (Apr 14, 2006)

not sure I agree with that statement.. I know tons of die hards that don't use them.. some people feel basic tackle is best... I guess it all depends on what you're willing to pay... I would rather throw 10oz... 




HellRhaY said:


> bingo. averagte joe fisherman would rather buy the opyramid sinkers ($.80) rather than the $4.00 sinker.


----------



## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

I have a buddy who uses them all the time, I rarely do. He doesnt like tossing more than 5 oz. and can usually hold with the 150 gr sputnik.

While I agree thye do generally hold better, I find they work better with some types of terminal set up than others. I don't personally like them with a standard fish finder or cannonball rig, but they seem to work better with a long range clip down rig and similar rigs.

With the standard fish finder I do find they tangle around the wire legs, especially if the rig goes to helicoptering, and if they tangle during the cast it increases the likelihood that a fish is going to feel the weight because the fish finder is not going to slide away from the sinker properly. 

So for me it just boils down to wanting to increase the likelihood of a hook up, tho cost is certainly a consideration.

Last but not least, safety is a valid concern. There is at least one documented case of an angler losing an eye to a wire sputnik. The odds of that happening may be extremely slim- but I guarantee if it happens to you or a buddy- it won't have been worth the extra holding power.

A green fish , such as a strong cobia- can thrash around and imbed a sputnik in you in a flash, freak accident perhaps, but nonetheless- you get the point- pun intended


----------



## Orest (Jul 28, 2003)

*I use them*

but I have more of the frog tongue and hurricanes. When you need a little more distance in your cast, they are the sinker to use.


----------



## jlentz (Sep 11, 2005)

Surf Cat said:


> While I agree thye do generally hold better, I find they work better with some types of terminal set up than others. I don't personally like them with a standard fish finder or cannonball rig, but they seem to work better with a long range clip down rig and similar rigs.
> 
> With the standard fish finder I do find they tangle around the wire legs, especially if the rig goes to helicoptering, and if they tangle during the cast it increases the likelihood that a fish is going to feel the weight because the fish finder is not going to slide away from the sinker properly.
> 
> So for me it just boils down to wanting to increase the likelihood of a hook up, tho cost is certainly a consideration.


I agree with the above comments that is why I never use them. They are also a pain to store and transport. With pyramids, storm, hurricanes, and frog toungue sinkers I just throw them in a side pocket of my backpack. The wires on the sputniks would poke through if I didn't put them in a seperate box. I use mainly storm sinkers, if they don't hold. "Go heavier or go home".

John


----------



## saltandsand (Nov 29, 2007)

I've used them, although not my favorite. I may use them again, depends, but likely to sit in my box more than in the drink.


----------



## dirtyhandslopez (Nov 17, 2006)

Used to make our own, so cost wasn't an issue.. But where we fished, people weren't swimming or wading. Carrying them is a bugger. But, I still have a bunch for just the right time


----------



## Kwesi W. (Apr 14, 2006)

jlentz said:


> "Go heavier or go home".
> 
> John



That's what im talking about!!!!! It amazes me when I see people surffishing with poles rated 3-6oz.. AI Normally demands more weight than DE, but I wouldn't even bring a pole like that to 3R's. 5-8 is the smallest you should go.. whis is more like 6nbait.. I have seen AI\DE 's cause people to pack up and go home early. If you need to throw 10 you better have the rod to handle it.. If not you're wasting your time. Just my personal opinion..


----------



## Lipyourown (May 11, 2005)

They are pricey, don't cast quite as well and they collect grass easily imo. Minor issues really but they are not for me.


----------



## Hannibal (Aug 10, 2007)

I use them a lot but prefer to use pyramids when possible. To me, they have issues with getting tangled with leader lines on a drum rig for example. Additionally, when casting near other people - it always seems to collect someone's line on the way in. And when they do get tangled up - they are a PITA to get undone.


----------



## fishhead (Oct 18, 2004)

Shooter said:


> Lets see, during the striper tourny, I was thrown 10 & bait on 2 poles both days and if it takes over 10 to hold thats when I start holding a tall cup of Bourbon :beer:


I start when 8 won't hold


----------



## MRC (Jan 4, 2008)

If a pyramid up to an 8 will hold, I will use the pyramid. But if it does not hold I switch to the 6oz sputnik.

Why don't I use them all the time? Cost, difficult to break free when there is a lot of moving sand, leader tangles, and they collect more grass and garbage.

I like the wire style sputnik from BPS shown in an earlier post. The style with the arms that break away upon reeling in I avoid. When I need to set the bait in a little closer than my cast and the arms break away, it no longer holds. The wire style does continue to hold.


----------



## OtterPop (Oct 24, 2006)

there was a thread on stripers online ( or here i forget ) .. You just take a screw and drill it a lil over 1/4 into the sinker and it works just as well , 8 cents for the scre 80 for the weight ( you guys are lucky im paying 1.29 for 3-5oz ( 5oz being 1.89 )

from the gander mountain store which isnt that great.


----------



## eric (Oct 24, 2007)

thats why i make myself, and i pour them by the dozens.
and insert wires only when needed.


----------



## HellRhaY (Jul 6, 2007)

where did you get the mold eric?


----------



## Newsjeff (Jul 22, 2004)

Matt, I don't think there is anything wrong with them. 

I just don't like em. They pick up too much grass for me.

I was told by a very good angler that if there's grass on my lead, there's probably grass on my bait.

That might be true, but I still don't like reelin' in more grass than I should.

They're a little more difficult to store and transports, too.


----------



## rattler (Jul 3, 2004)

try a triangle...I got s few from e-bay and I could drop2-3ozs for the holding power...


----------



## GoBow (Oct 13, 2003)

I'll use a Sputnik, if I have to... I'll stick with my frog tongues up to 8oz, then swap out to Sputniks if need be. I managed to pick up a few 10 oz Sputniks this winter, can hardly wait to throw those...

BTW, I take a small file and file the sharp edges off of the ends of the four wires on all of my Sputniks. It's a royal PITA, but I think that taking those sharp ends off has saved me more than a few breakoffs.


----------



## toejam (Jan 28, 2005)

two reasons for using sputniks while surf fishing-- optimum distance and circle hooks. It a proven fact that optimum distance can be had when casting about 5 oz,,, so if you need to hold bottom like a 8 oz pyrimid but want to fish farther out than you can cast 8oz, the sputnik is the ticket. IF you fish circle hook at long distance , you need a weight with optimum holding power to set the hook, since you can not set the hook with the rod and mono line while fishing beyond 100 yds.


----------



## eric (Oct 24, 2007)

toejam said:


> two reasons for using sputniks while surf fishing-- optimum distance and circle hooks. It a proven fact that optimum distance can be had when casting about 5 oz,,, so if you need to hold bottom like a 8 oz pyrimid but want to fish farther out than you can cast 8oz, the sputnik is the ticket.  IF you fish circle hook at long distance , you need a weight with optimum holding power to set the hook, since you can not set the hook with the rod and mono line while fishing beyond 100 yds.


ya fishing from far far away with mono, you need to set your hook,, like your own a boat.

and a shark is on the other end of the line..

basically yank yank and YANK


----------



## Sea2aeS (Jan 7, 2005)

If I cant hold with 12, im not fishin...


----------



## rsieminski (Jun 13, 2005)

ooeric,
Where did you get that mold?




ooeric said:


> [
> thats why i make myself, and i pour them by the dozens.
> and insert wires only when needed.


----------



## TitusV (Mar 29, 2007)

Sputniks are freakin expensive! I would only use em under very harsh conditions because they are around 5 bucks a pop in tackle store.

However, I found a seller on ebay that sells 5 - 5.5oz sputniks for 10 bucks including shipping. Ever since I found this seller I loaded up on 3 oz and 5.5 oz sputniks and have been using them ever since. 5.5oz is the sweet spot for my 12' ocean masters. They hold up great and are great quality. They do tangle up with my leader but nothing that I havent been able to work out. I think the benifits of casting a lighter sinker outweigh the cons. I mainly fish AI.


----------



## rsieminski (Jun 13, 2005)

So who is the seller???


----------



## Leithan (Oct 19, 2005)

I use Gemini’s, they are a lot easer to store (legs fold back and the nose can be unscrewed from the sinker), I bought a mold and parts from Veals, every season I order enough parts sets to make about fifty of them, with shipping from England and such it works out be around few bucks apiece, I don’t bother with various sizes I just use the long tails with long grips with sinker weight around 6 1/2 oz., the mold is adjustable and will cast a verity of weights. If they won't hold, then conditions are probably too crappy to fish any way. I mainly use an up and over clip down rig with the sinker on a slide on the trace, almost no tangles even with snoods 36" long. Also my hook up percentage using circle hooks has gone way up since using them, 3 bucks on an occasionally lost sinker is a pittance compared to the fish I have caught and might have lost had I been using a pyramid. I don’t loose that many, most end up as gifts to the curious. Plus only having to lug around one size and type of sinker has freed up a lot of space in my tackle bag.


----------



## TitusV (Mar 29, 2007)

Seller is Brad and Sons Tackle. Didnt want to post with my original message cause I didn't want people to think I was advertising. But someone asked.

http://stores.ebay.com/Brad-and-Sons-Tackle

Prices went up a little bit over the past 3 months. Checked yesterday and now 5 sputniks (he calls them claw sinkers) are 13 bucks including shipping.


----------



## rsieminski (Jun 13, 2005)

I thought they were like the breakaways, and the legs would fold out of the way. I make these type weights for nearly free. I use #8, 10. or 12 gage copper wire for the legs, and poor the lead into the socket of a 4 way lug wrench. The problem is that they are a biotch to reel in, but hold great.


----------

