3/16oz vs 1/4oz is there a difference?

[Team9nine]

1 minute ago, Catt said:

 

The terminal boxes are not in this photo but it is what I call my attack bag.

 

I already posted a pic of my "attack bag" above :) Been using it for several years now. Inside, it has 3 different jig head weights in 3 assorted colors, and 5 different soft-bait styles in 6 different colors...and it fits in my back pants pocket with room to spare - lol.

[BigAngus752]

2 hours ago, TriStateBassin106 said:

I don't use 3/8oz or bigger weights because I don't have extremely heavy cover in my neck of the woods

Let's talk about this now that the other has been discussed.  3/8 is definitely not a 'heavy cover' weight.  If you are punching with a 1 ounce weight that is one thing, but you should try experimenting with a faster rate of fall than just 3/16 or 1/4 ounce will get you.  If you aren't getting bites these with light weights and you feel that you are in the right place for bass try putting on a 1/2oz to speed the fall, especially in warm water.  Sometimes they want something falling fast past them.  The don't always like slow.  

[The Bassman]

24 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

 

I'm a bank angler and aluminum boater, too. I carry one baggie with hooks, weights AND baits  If total poundage wins, then you've got this contest wrapped up  

 

That's my tackle bag, too. Have to remember to lay wet baits out when I get home. Elaztech is a real rust magnet.

[Deephaven]

How about between 1/4, 7/32, 3/16?

 

At some point you are at diminishing returns.  If it isn't between 1/4 and 3/16 then the next step surely does it, no?  IMO I would purchase ones with more variation first and then determine if you need more in between.  And stupid fractions...why we can't just use grams ugh.  The same above would be 7g, 6.2g, 5.3g -> would be so much easier to just think in 4,5,6,7,8 gram.  In that case I'd start with 6, then add 8, then add 4 and so on.

[T-Billy]

1 hour ago, Team9nine said:

You'd fall under my jig and worm specialist category

CONGRATULATIONS @Catt!!! You've been CATTegorized!!!

[Team9nine]

18 minutes ago, Deephaven said:

How about between 1/4, 7/32, 3/16?

 

At some point you are at diminishing returns.  If it isn't between 1/4 and 3/16 then the next step surely does it, no?  IMO I would purchase ones with more variation first and then determine if you need more in between.  And stupid fractions...why we can't just use grams ugh.  The same above would be 7g, 6.2g, 5.3g -> would be so much easier to just think in 4,5,6,7,8 gram.  In that case I'd start with 6, then add 8, then add 4 and so on.

 

This is TW's list of Bullet Weights lead worm sinkers. I feel sorry for all those guys that can't get hold of 9/16, 11/16, 13/16 and 15/16 oz weights, not to mention all the 1/32 oz missing variants. Hope their fishing doesn't suffer too much because of it. Tungsten selection is even worse.

 

[Columbia Craw]

I apply 3/16, 1/4 and 5/16 and the selection is based on rate of fall and penetration needed.  Bait design also comes into play. I find some baits need a quicker drop speed to get those wiggles moving.

[GreenPig]

Yes there's a difference. Details no matter how minuscule and sometimes make all the difference. Sometimes you only need to dip the feet of your lizard and not the tail, sometimes both, and sometimes the head too.

[Team9nine]

10 minutes ago, GreenPig said:

Yes there's a difference. Details no matter how minuscule and sometimes make all the difference. Sometimes you only need to dip the feet of your lizard and not the tail, sometimes both, and sometimes the head too.

 

...And sometimes you need to paint the nails of the lizards feet one color and the feet themselves another different color, often contrasting 

 

(Please tell me you're joking and don't really take your fishing that serious)

[Mike L]

Now I got a headache!

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[NHBull]

Truth be told, I usually start with that ever I have tied on.....

 

I usually base my decision on depth, current and wind speed.

.....and don't paint the toe nails of the craws I am throwing 

[king fisher]

I have no doubt that for some anglers 1/16 oz of  worm weight difference can and has been been the difference between getting skunked, and filling the boat.  I'm sure that the difference has won or lost more than one tournament.  My problem is I am not a skilled enough worm fisherman to know which one to use. so I rely on random luck when I choose between the two.  Now if you ask me if there is a difference between 3/8 and 1/2 ounce spinnerbaits, My reply would be a complete night and day difference, and I would give 101 reasons when, where, and why to choose one over the other. Add blades to the equation and that discussion could easily go down an endless rabbit whole.

      I am currently working on my worm fishing skills, and hope to someday be able to use experience and skill rather than intuition and luck when deciding on a worm weight.  My problem is the big Mexican bass. where I fish have never seen any lures, and love to crush crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and top waters.  Making it hard for me to be patient enough to learn to fish worms.  I guess I could have worse problems. 

[Mobasser]

3 hours ago, Catt said:

 

Built custom cabinets for years, cut one side whatever & 3/16 and the other side whatever & 1/4.

 

I will fire you! ?

 

Catt, as you know, the difference between 3/16 and 1/4 is a saw blade width. I know you understand my example. Carpentry is not fishing, but I still think this example applies- as a visual.

And not all carpentry is precision work. Tell a concrete form builder to measure in 16ths on a 100 degree day. He'll tell you to get off his job.

[GreenPig]

1 hour ago, Team9nine said:

 

...And sometimes you need to paint the nails of the lizards feet one color and the feet themselves another different color, often contrasting 

 

(Please tell me you're joking and don't really take your fishing that serious)

I'm only serious about 3 things and fishing is one of them. No I don't dip the feet. Come on, it was a joke. But I do put a 4, 5, or 6 lb on both sides of my plastics with my dye pen so the correct size bass will hit it.

[Mobasser]

I rarely go over 1/4 oz weight, and use lighter most of the time. The 1/16 oz difference probably and does affect the rate of fall. Most times, lighter weights have worked best for me.

[Big Hands]

49 minutes ago, Mobasser said:

Catt, as you know, the difference between 3/16 and 1/4 is a saw blade width. I know you understand my example. Carpentry is not fishing, but I still think this example applies- as a visual.

And not all carpentry is precision work. Tell a concrete form builder to measure in 16ths on a 100 degree day. He'll tell you to get off his job.

That's because they are usually long gone by the time the cabinets and doors are hung.

[GRiver]

I try and use the least amount of weight I can get away with to get the presentation I want…. or what they want and are biting. I try to weightless if I can, then I add as needed. 

[Mike L]

I carry 1/8, 3/16, 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 3/4, 1, 1 1/2 and 2oz. 
Those cover 100% of my plastics presentations for both swimming and bottom contact. 
 

The vast majority of the time the 1/8, 3/16, 1/4, 3/4 and 1 1/2 get the most play. 
Keep in mind the deepest water I fish in is around 10ft with the majority of the time 2-4ft. 
 

My choice of weight is totally dependent on cover, rof is considered but secondary. 
 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[Catt]

3 hours ago, Mobasser said:

And not all carpentry is precision work.

 

In today's world of carpentry 1/4 - 1/2" off is acceptable which is why I would never buy a new house. After hurricane Laura the old houses faired better than the newer one. 

[jbsoonerfan]

I was fishing with my buddy this past Spring, both throwing a sweet beaver (low blow) into the same areas with braided line. He was using 1/4 oz and I was using 5/16. I was out-fishing him 5-1. He said there was no way 1/16 oz made a difference, then a couple hours later he said, I guess I need to order some 5/16 oz weights.

[Mobasser]

7 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

In today's world of carpentry 1/4 - 1/2" off is acceptable which is why I would never buy a new house. After hurricane Laura the old houses faired better than the newer one. 

I agree Catt. Lots of sloppy stuff out there. I think all this talk on 3/16 or 1/4 oz weights comes down to experience. A skilled angler knows and can feel the difference here. A novice, probably not. It no doubt affects rate of fall, which is super important.

[MGF]

6 hours ago, Deephaven said:

How about between 1/4, 7/32, 3/16?

 

At some point you are at diminishing returns.  If it isn't between 1/4 and 3/16 then the next step surely does it, no?  IMO I would purchase ones with more variation first and then determine if you need more in between.  And stupid fractions...why we can't just use grams ugh.  The same above would be 7g, 6.2g, 5.3g -> would be so much easier to just think in 4,5,6,7,8 gram.  In that case I'd start with 6, then add 8, then add 4 and so on.

Ounces are easy enough and I know what an ounce or fraction of an ounce looks, feels and fishes like. 

 

 I don't see how changing units would make anything easier.

[Big Hands]

On 8/27/2021 at 8:11 PM, MGF said:

Ounces are easy enough and I know what an ounce or fraction of an ounce looks, feels and fishes like. 

 

 I don't see how changing units would make anything easier.

There are people that think 3/16 is larger than 1/4, but maybe those people should not be allowed to operate a rod and reel, let alone operate a motor vehicle and reproduce ;~) but I digress. . . .

 

I am not necessarily a fanboy for the metric system, but I also would have no qualms if weights all used a metric system. A gram is a gram is a gram. When it comes to fractions of ounces, the unit is all over the place and I can understand that there could be confusion. And why should I have to do the conversion in my head when there could be a single standard where the larger the number, the more it could weigh. 

 

Using 1/8" graduations assumed made working with rebar very easy when I was building forms for foundations way back when pterodactyls freely roamed the skies.  Number 3 was 3/8", number 4 was 4/8" (or 1/2" if you break it down), number 5 was 5/8". If we we are so resistant to go with the metric system, cuz you know. . . 'Murica', we could at least adopt a standard common denominator and just use the numerator to express the size. Eighths, sixteenths, whatever, just agree on one and use it. If someone needed to, they could even use a .5 if they need to go in between.

 

As long as I am up here on my soapbox, teetering though I may be, I would also like to implore weight makers to actually give us the weights they advertise. I have 1/4 ounce dropshot weights that actually have "1/4" stamped into them that weigh 5.5 grams. That's 1.5g light for each weight. I noticed that they didn't perform the same and looked physically smaller than other 1/4 ounce dropshot weights and that is why I weighed them. I can't imagine that a weight manufacturer wouldn't know their 1/4 ounce weights are 1.5g short.

 

As for noticing a difference in small increments of weight, I probably can't tell the difference in RoF from 3/16 to 1/4 ounce, but the fish might. I can however usually tell the difference in castability and maybe to a lesser extent in certain kinds of structure, how easily is gets hung up. Sometimes it makes no difference in how easily it snags, sometime it does.

 

I do like having different weights available as tuning options for those times that it does make a difference.

 

I grabbed a handful (if my hands were teeny-tiny, but their actually not. . .) of worm and flipping weights from the 3700 box I keep in my one satchel that I bring on my boat most days, and this is what was in there. 

[Bluebasser86]

I carry 1/16, 1/4, and 1/2 in any real number. I carry a few specialty weights, but those make up a majority of the worm weights I carry.