⚓ Sinker Weight Selection Calculator

Enter your fishing depth and the current strength to see a suggested sinker weight range. Treat this as a starting-point guideline — adjust based on conditions.

Water depth (ft)

Current strength

The rule behind the range

Depth sets the base weight, the current menu multiplies it, and the range is the midpoint plus or minus a quarter:

mid   = depth (ft) ÷ 10 × current factor
range = mid × 0.75  to  mid × 1.25

current factor:  light 0.15   moderate 0.375   strong 0.75

At the defaults, 30 ft in a moderate current, the midpoint is 3 × 0.375 = 1.125 oz, so the page shows 0.84-1.41 oz. Strong current at that depth asks for 1.69-2.81 oz, light for 0.34-0.56 oz — five times the lead of slack water.

Turning that into a sinker you own

Round to a real size. Sinkers come in eighths: 0.84-1.41 oz means reach for the 1 oz, or 1½ oz if you are at the top of the band.
Judge it by your line angle. If the line sweeps away and you cannot feel bottom, go heavier; if the rig plants and the bait looks dead, go lighter. That test beats any formula.
Thin line needs less lead. Water drags on the line as much as the sinker, so braid holds bottom with less weight than mono of the same rating.

Check the weight against the rod before you cast it. A rod rated to 1 oz will not thank you for 3 oz, and on a beach a heavy lead needs a shock leader sized to it. The tool knows nothing about your rod, your drift speed or the wind pushing the boat.

Frequently asked questions

What size sinker do I need for 30 feet of water?

In a moderate current this works out at 0.84-1.41 oz, so a 1 oz sinker is the sensible first choice. In a strong current the same depth wants 1.69-2.81 oz, which is a 2 oz.

How do I know if my sinker is too light?

Watch where your line enters the water. A sinker that holds gives a steep line and clear contact with the bottom; one too light lets the rig wander downstream and you lose the feel of a tap.

Does braid let me fish a lighter sinker?

Usually, yes. Braid is roughly half the diameter of mono at the same pound test, so the current pushes on less line. This page has no line input and cannot make that allowance for you.