Tungsten Weight Questions

[skeletor6]

I've read and heard from some people that tungsten weights for leaders adds a great deal of sensitivity while texas rigging. So I am going to purchase some to try this out for myself, but I have a few questions.

1.) They are offered with inserts and without inserts. What are these inserts? Do the inserts reduce sensitivity since they most likely will not be the dense tungsten material?

2.) Can you peg a tungsten weight that does not have any inserts? I have the pegging kit (6th sense peg stoppers) I also sometimes implement the method that Glenn uses where he uses a piece of line and some strands of skirt material.

3.) Should the weight sizes I use be the same as the weight used for lead texas rigs. For example, if one suggests a 1/8oz weight on a t-rigged rage craw, would the 1/8oz tungsten weight work the technique the same? (Common sense tells me yes, but I just had to ask)

4.) What sizes should I get the most of? I realize this is subjective, but I will be fishing these for rage craws/paca craws, 5'' senkos, 4.20 Beaver's, and Twin Tail Hula Grubs. I was thinking getting an equavilent amount of 1/8oz, 1/4oz, 1/2oz and a lesser amount of 1/16oz, 3/16, 5/16, 3/4. Does that sound right?

5.) Regarding Tungsten jigs, would these be more sensitive than lead jigs? If so, where are some good places to buy some of these since I have all lead jigs and I've bought all of my jigs from Siebert Outdoors and NSCB. Unfortunately, they do not have a lineup of tungsten jigs. If someone could give me their experience with tungsten jigs that would be nice since I have many lead jigs at the moment and will continue to use those as well. Such as, what are the differences between the two?

Thank you all for your help and if you have any additional comments about tungsten materials in general that would also be helpful.

[quanjig]

My answers to your questions as to how I view tungsten.

1- I prefer tungsten weights without the inserts. Not because of the perceived "feel" but because I have encountered line fray with them.

2- I use a stopper type to peg them.

3- Weights are equivalent, difference is in s(703) 810-5217ize.

4- 1/8,3/16,1/4,3/8,1/2 all have a time and place.

5- I have only seen terminator jigs that were made of tungsten. Others are possibly made, just not sure by who!

Hope this helps. I think the big advantage to the tungsten is reduction in size, especially the larger sizes and the positive feedback.

[J Francho]

1.) Insert free. Get good ones.

2.) Yes, anything that works with a lead bullet will work with tungsten.

3.) Fall rate will be increased just a bit, since a tungsten weight is smaller.

4.) I use 1/8, 1/4, and 3/8 most often. For punching, 1 oz and 1.5 oz.

5.) It's all about the size of the head. I think the sensitivity thing is a little over played.

[iabass8]

1.) Insert free. Get good ones.

2.) Yes, anything that works with a lead bullet will work with tungsten.

3.) Fall rate will be increased just a bit, since a tungsten weight is smaller.

4.) I use 1/8, 1/4, and 3/8 most often. For punching, 1 oz and 1.5 oz.

5.) It's all about the size of the head. I think the sensitivity thing is a little over played.

x2.

and definitely agree with 5. You do "feel" the "clank" of the bottom contour a little better but using tungsten vs a led weight isn't going to increase sensitivity a dramatic amount that you will want to use it over lead all the time. The biggest benefit of using these weights, personally, is using them to punch grass as the weight is such a reduced size and it comes through grass so much easier.

[skeletor6]

On 10/8/2012 at 9:18 AM, quanjig said:

My answers to your questions as to how I view tungsten.

1- I prefer tungsten weights without the inserts. Not because of the perceived "feel" but because I have encountered line fray with them.

2- I use a stopper type to peg them.

3- Weights are equivalent, difference is in s(703) 810-5217ize.

4- 1/8,3/16,1/4,3/8,1/2 all have a time and place.

5- I have only seen terminator jigs that were made of tungsten. Others are possibly made, just not sure by who!

Hope this helps. I think the big advantage to the tungsten is reduction in size, especially the larger sizes and the positive feedback.

Thank you, I will go with the non-inserted ones then. Could you expand on your statement "especially the larger sizes and the positive feedback", I am unclear as to exactly what you meant. The reduction in size does make sense and since the material is denser, meaning it will fall faster, 1/4oz tungsten may have a similar fall rate to a 5/16 lead. That's just a guess.

On 10/8/2012 at 9:26 AM, J Francho said:

1.) Insert free. Get good ones.

2.) Yes, anything that works with a lead bullet will work with tungsten.

3.) Fall rate will be increased just a bit, since a tungsten weight is smaller.

4.) I use 1/8, 1/4, and 3/8 most often. For punching, 1 oz and 1.5 oz.

5.) It's all about the size of the head. I think the sensitivity thing is a little over played.

That is good news to me. I have all lead jigs and plenty of them and was not looking forward to having to change to something else. I will grab the sizes you mentioned since I am looking to experiment and tungsten is not light on the pockets.

On 10/8/2012 at 0:09 PM, iabass8 said:

x2.

and definitely agree with 5. You do "feel" the "clank" of the bottom contour a little better but using tungsten vs a led weight isn't going to increase sensitivity a dramatic amount that you will want to use it over lead all the time. The biggest benefit of using these weights, personally, is using them to punch grass as the weight is such a reduced size and it comes through grass so much easier.

I didn't think of it that way. The initial "clank" does make sense and the suggestions about its sensitivity seem more relative than what I heard. I was told that for texas rigging, using tungsten weights would be the equivalency of a rod upgrade sensitivity wise, such as going from a St. Croix Avid, to a Legend Tournament something like that. Not those rods specifically just one step up in rod sensitivity.

That being said, I do not see how it could hurt to switch my leaders to tungsten though for texas rigging and especially punching. I go through grass in a lot of areas I fish, its ability to slip through would be very helpful indeed.

One last question pertaining to the MOJO rig. I have found tungsten weights that are similar to the mojo style leader weights. Watching "BassResource's" videos on this rig one mentions its ability to go through grass well and is great for those situations. Would tungsten be preferable as well as the leader weight on this rig, or is the mojo rig designed to sit on top or in the grass and let the worm float behind? In other words, using the mojo rig, would tungsten be a better choice for the leader weight?

Thanks for all of your help.

[quanjig]

Comparing a 1 1/2 or 1 3/4 oz tungsten with lead of the same weight, you are going to see a fairly substantial difference. Less bulk makes it less awkward to do things like punching mats as iabass mentioned. The positive feedback is in my opinion, gives you a better feel, when pegged, as to what your bait is banging around and thru. Line has a lot to do with it as well, but I just think I have a better idea about where my bait is going thru with tungsten. I also think you are over thinking the whole weight thing.................. Which is heavier? A pound of feathers or a pound of lead?!?!

[Wayne P.]

FYI, if you use the heavier tungsten weights for Tx rigging without pegging them or not using the insert type, snell your hooks so the hard metal won't damage your knot.

[iabass8]

I personally use tungsten and find it works a lot better than standard lead. However, if i had genes specific weight id use it over tungsten (i think) because it looks skinny and narrow.

It wouldnt hurt to use it ovrr lead fishing your grass areas. I use it every time i fish any grass.

As for using tungsten being the equivalent of a rod upgrade (avid to legend), i dont have any avids to compare to any of my legends but i think that would saying an avid with tungsten is equivilant to a legend with lead is a bit of a stretch.

[skeletor6]

On 10/8/2012 at 2:23 PM, quanjig said:

Comparing a 1 1/2 or ***/4 oz tungsten with lead of the same weight, you are going to see a fairly substantial difference. Less bulk makes it less awkward to do things like punching mats as iabass mentioned. The positive feedback is in my opinion, gives you a better feel, when pegged, as to what your bait is banging around and thru. Line has a lot to do with it as well, but I just think I have a better idea about where my bait is going thru with tungsten. I also think you are over thinking the whole weight thing.................. Which is heavier? A pound of feathers or a pound of lead?!?!

That's exactly what I am going to do. Thank you for expanding on your statement those specifics are very helpful to me. When I was talking about the densities and sink rate I was agreeing with you that a substance that is 1.7 times as dense as lead is going to sink significantly faster. That should also allow one to use a lighter weight tungsten leader to accomplish the goals that a heavier lead material would do. To what degree, I don't know. But for instance, t-rig a 1/2 ounce tungsten leader rage craw, then do the same with 1/2oz of lead. I'm sure the tungsten will sink faster and hit the bottom first. That's all I was saying really.

On 10/8/2012 at 2:51 PM, Wayne P. said:

FYI, if you use the heavier tungsten weights for Tx rigging without pegging them or not using the insert type, snell your hooks so the hard metal won't damage your knot.

Something I had absolutely not thought of that is an excellent point. Thank you.

Would a parasite clip protect the knot as well? A-jay recommended these to me so I'm giving them a shot I have yet to use them.

On 10/8/2012 at 5:14 PM, iabass8 said:

I personally use tungsten and find it works a lot better than standard lead. However, if i had genes specific weight id use it over tungsten (i think) because it looks skinny and narrow.

It wouldnt hurt to use it ovrr lead fishing your grass areas. I use it every time i fish any grass.

As for using tungsten being the equivalent of a rod upgrade (avid to legend), i dont have any avids to compare to any of my legends but i think that would saying an avid with tungsten is equivilant to a legend with lead is a bit of a stretch.

No your absolutely right, I do remember him saying he poured his own in that video. Actually, there's a post that gene made saying he uses gremlin bullet type sinkers for his mojo rig, since it is easy to just pinch them on and open them off. I could find the post for you if you are interested. I believe he said he went to that purely for convenience.

As for your last statement, that was what I thought as well when I feast heard it, but I couldn't refute since I've never used tungsten. To be fair those werent the exact two rods he mentioned but the idea itself was what seemed exaggerated which is confirmed by you. He just really enjoyed the response he was receiving while t-rigging with tungsten.