I first became aware of tungsten weights when attending ICAST three years ago. Tungsten seems to be a uniquely freshwater thing. Part of the reason is that tungsten is prohibitively expensive when compared to traditional lead weights I did a quick search on a popular retail fishing site; the price per unit on a 1/2-oz. tungsten weight came out to $3.25, as compared to $0.20 for lead. Ouch! I commonly use 2 12-oz. of lead when fishing in the ocean, so you can see why tungsten hasn’t really been an option for me.
On the flip side, tungsten is a denser material than lead. Given this property, there are some interesting advantages it creates in certain situations. In this article from Outdoors Unlimited, read about these advantages that have application in fresh or saltwater.
Sam Swett has a hard time figuring out why every bass fisherman doesn’t use Excalibur Tg Fishing Weights. “I don’t think a lot of fishermen fully grasp the advantages that Tg Weights offer,” said Swett, a professional tournament angler from Covington, LA. Tops on Swett’s list of reasons to fish Tg weights is the fact that they are 25 percent smaller than conventional lead weights. “That makes a huge difference when you are flippin’ matted grass, thick tree tops or other dense cover,” he said. “A Tungsten weight will penetrate in places another fishing weight of the same size would not.”
Swett pointed out that in a spot where another angler might have to use a 1/2-ounce worm weight to get through the cover, he would have the option of using a 3/8-ounce Tg worm weight, if he wanted a little more subtle action once the offering did punch through the cover.
Swett considers the smaller size a big advantage with Tg Drop Shot weights as well. “With drop-shotting, everything is really small. You’re using 6-pound-test fishing line and No. 2 fishing hooks. It’s all about finesse, and that smaller weight size can provide a big advantage.”
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Photo credits: Pur Tungsten (top), Lurenet (above)
