Why shot and not tungsten?

[Dave H]

I have never understood why anglers use shot if they want to pop it up or lay it flat on their end rig. Tungsten Putty is so so much better and safer.

 

Perhaps members could enlighten me otherwise?

[Newt]

I'm not sure how the putty is any safer than shot since you aren't using lead any more. Fish can certainly poop out any shot they happen to swallow.

 

Putty - use a blob or two of approximate weight and play around a bit getting it just right or live with not just right.

Shot - known weight so you can put the exact amount you need on the line first try.

[Dave H]

I'm not sure how the putty is any safer than shot since you aren't using lead any more. Fish can certainly poop out any shot they happen to swallow.

 

Putty - use a blob or two of approximate weight and play around a bit getting it just right or live with not just right.

Shot - known weight so you can put the exact amount you need on the line first try.

 

I agree Newt but i find that a much finer balance can be had with tungsten until a perfect balance especially species like finicky bream

[Guest Chris Perch]

I prefer to use tungsten over a korda sinker / never comes off no matter how far you cast and can balance it perfectly

[Anderoo]

It's the same difference isn't it? If you have a shot that's the right weight you may as well use it; if not, a blob of putty.

[Andy Macfarlane]

I kinda failed to grasp the difference myself. I understand that certain rigs might demand putty but if shot will suffice, surely they're quicker and easier to use/manipulate?

[Guest Chris Perch]

In my experience using shot as pop up weight is a bit unreliable and they occasionally come off either on the cast or when pulling through weed and theres nothing worse than winding in to find your critically ballanced pop up may have been 8" off the bottom all night.

Also they can create a weak spot in the line if pinched on too tight.

Edited May 7, 2012 by Chris Perch

[PeterNE1]

Might it simply boil down to nothing more than the fact that most, or all anglers will have shot: conversely few will have tungsten putty to hand?

[Phone]

Dave,

 

I agree with Newt. Putty is for fiddly fishermen. The goal is to catch fish. I don't agree with your easier or safer statement. I have used a small pack bait (method ball) harder than a marble to determine the depth of a pop-up. That worked.

 

Chris,

 

All night?

 

Phone