Tuna rig with inline sinker...

[Beer-Jig-Repeat]

I know this has probably been discussed ad nauseam, but does anyone put the sinker inline when using a sinker rig for tuna? I have seen the rubber band way and now tying the torpedo to the ring on a ringed hook. Why not inline? I know it's another connection, but it just seems to be a cleaner rig.
Educate me. Thank you in advance.

 

[Tunahead]

I know this has probably been discussed ad nauseam, but does anyone put the sinker inline when using a sinker rig for tuna? I have seen the rubber band way and now tying the torpedo to the ring on a ringed hook. Why not inline? I know it's another connection, but it just seems to be a cleaner rig.
Educate me. Thank you in advance.

For years, we fished deeper bluefin with a torpedo sinker tied top to mono topshot, bottom mono or flouro 6-8ft leader. IT
worked for many of us old guys FYI.

 

[ChicoBob]

Rarely fish the sinker/bait rig, usually it's a jig. The new drop shot set up has me intrigued, though. You can send it down pretty much like a jig without worrying about tangle. Looking forward to trying it next month.

 

[hucklongfin]

I used to use a 1oz chrome torpedo inline for albies.

 

[sealskinner]

Less knots to fail with the rubber.

 

[Beer-Jig-Repeat]

Less knots to fail with the rubber.

I've had rubbers fail too!

 

[Crowman]

I've had rubbers fail too!

I didn't that's why I can afford my own boat and don't worry about the price of fuel.

 

[Phishy Phil]

Less knots to fail with the rubber.

I don't see that. The leader is tied directly to the hook, any knots to the sinker are irrelevant to landing the fish. I would try using a very light line to the sinker with the hope that it breaks loose after the fish is hooked...

 

[terryc.]

I've had rubbers fail too!

Yep

 

[TOTW]

The rubber band method will allow the sinker to break off if the bait side gets all twisted up. If you’ve tied to the sinker and the leader helicopters up your mainline—and you get bit, it’s going to break at the sinker every time. I learned that the hard way back in the albacore era.

 

[solid72]

Less knots to fail with the rubber.

It’s still one knot to the hook end like a fly line. The other is for the sinker and that one wouldn’t matter.

 

[Almud]

I don't see that. The leader is tied directly to the hook, any knots to the sinker are irrelevant to landing the fish. I would try using a very light line to the sinker with the hope that it breaks loose after the fish is hooked...

Why not use a dropper loop instead of tying the sinker to the ring and mainline to the hook? I do not have much experience with sinker rigs but the rubber band version worked for me twice even though I struggled with helicoptering all day.

 

[ripped]

Direct tie to your hook is way stronger than a dropper loop knot and you’ll end up with a double line. Spider hitch is stronger than the conventional but if you’re going to go this route test it’s strength before you’re on the water.

 

[titan05]

Egg Sinker and Toothpick or Carolina Keeper.....inline and clean with no connection points. Connection points are failure points.....Less is More. Rubber Bands are tangle magnets or anything that is dangling but like I always say.....To each his own and roll with what you know
Take a long view and think about it....Fishing BIG fish is a mindset and there are so many variables that come into play....The Rod, The Reel, The Line, The Hook, The Knots and Connections, The Boat, Other Anglers, Swell Conditions and of course.....Yourself....Big FISH are in their element, they have tails and all they have to do is SWIM and be PISSED they have a hook in their mouth and they will test every variable I mentioned and some I didn't and sometimes they win and that's okay.

Have fun

 

[Almud]

Direct tie to your hook is way stronger than a dropper loop knot and you’ll end up with a double line. Spider hitch is stronger than the conventional but if you’re going to go this route test it’s strength before you’re on the water.

Great input. Will put the dropper loop idea to pasture.

 

[Beer-Jig-Repeat]

I've had rubbers fail too!

Maybe we should put condoms over the torpedo sinker? They're sure to fail and bust off.
They could double for your balloon rig!