Pegging a sinker to the worm vs. letting the sinker hang free?

[Bassboss]

Do you find that it works better to peg the sinker to worm or let the worm hand free? I've read multiple books and articles with this question in them, and I never get an answer to the question, about 50% say yes and the other 50% say no! So could y'all help me out with this!

[BassinSoldier]

To me it depends on what you're doing with the bait.  If I am punching matted grass or fishing heavy vegetation I will peg my weight because the grass will get pinched between the weight and the worm.  Any other time I won't peg my weight i.e. wood, rocks or any other kinda cover.  So just like evrything else in bass fishing, it depends on the conditions you face.  Hope this helps.

[Still a Bigbuckifan]

I always peg my sinkers. Ive never had any problems , thats just how I was tought .

[J Francho]

I generally run free, unless working pads or really thick slop.

[rboat]

I peg my sinkers. It works better for me and you can make more accurate casts with one piece. ( the two don't fly apart and swing around in the air). The sinker will not end up on one side of the cover and worm on the other. One piece casting is how we fish most other lures, except for a C-rig and thats another story. I also notice if the sinker is free sliding it can knock the worm down on the hook more. Just my opinion.

[J Francho]

My answer was too short above.

A couple of differences between pegging and not pegging.  The fish can take the bait, and not detect the weight when it grabs on the fall.  Popping the bait seems to work better with a free sinker, dragging with it pegged works better.  Add a glass bead to a free sinker weight for sound.  If you use a buoyant worm with a free weight, the worm stands on end at rest.

There isn't any right or wrong, except in the case of pads, lay downs, or extra heavy cover.  Then its pegged for me.

[Raul]

There is no right or wrong answer, it depends on where, what and how you are fishing, those tell you if you need to peg the sinker or not, about 80% of the time I don 't peg the sinker nor need to, the rest of the time if the conditions ask for it I peg the sinker.

[Catt]

99.5% un-pegged; when I set hook I want the plastic & the weight sliding up the line away from the hook.

The 0.5% when pegged is flipping matted vegetation  

[Pencil Pusher]

I never peg. If I need the weight to stay in place, flipping, I use a Jig.

[J Francho]

I find that's very true for me the past few seasons, since becoming addicted to flipping mats.  In spring though, I do well with a pegged 10" worm in the pads.

[Bassin_Fin@tic]

About 80% un pegged for me too.

If fishing drop offs or humps/ridges etc. there is absolutely no reason to peg the weight and the bait gets a lot better action when fluttering down into deeper water.

If the bottom is cover in vegetation like coontail moss you will want un-pegged because pegged will drive the nose of the bait straight down into the stuff.

If I am flipping mats or trying to skip into or under trees pegging the weight is a must.Also on the rare occasion that I swim a worm.

The thing that you must undersatnd the most when fishing un pegged the weight falls to the bottom first and then the bait lays more horizontally and SLOWLY flutters down with an erratic enticing action if allowed to fall on a slack line.

 A pegged weight always has the same predictable mechanical type of action to it, always nose down to the dirt.

 Try fishing a bait like a senko once with a pegged weight and then watch what it does with an un-pegged bullet on the tip.This is a dynamite way to fish these which is rarely discussed.

Blah Blah Blah, rambled enough. Just keep experimenting.It is a never ending process.

[shorefisher]

I never peg. If I need the weight to stay in place, flipping, I use a Jig.

X2

[flechero]

Trial and error is the best way to find out what is best for you.

I peg most of the time.  My experience is that skipping and pitching docks or fishing heavy brush, you will hang up much less when pegged.  I also think that you might give up a couple fish due to the pegged sinker, however, since I spend most of my time in brush and docks, the benefits far outweigh the trade off... especially since I feel like I'd miss many more if I was hung up all day.  ...lol