How to Tie a Weight on a Fishing Line: Split Shots, Texas Rigs & More

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Pro fishing teachers share when and how to use popular sinkers

Co-authored by Michael Reynolds and Amy Bobinger, BA

Last Updated: October 1, 2025 Fact Checked

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• Split Shot Weights
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• Rubber Core Sinkers
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• Sliding Sinkers (Carolina Rig)
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• Ring Loop (Tied) Weights
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• Bullet Sinkers (Texas Rig)
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• Video
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• Expert Interview
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• Tips

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Want to catch more fish swimming below the surface? Adding weights or sinkers to your rig can help your bait sink to deeper water where fish are more likely to strike. Even though there are a few different kinds of weights to use, they're all easy to add to your line on your own. We talked to fishing instructors Kathy Sparrow, MA and Michael Reynolds to find out how to use popular sinkers like split shots, rubber cores, sliding sinkers (also known as a Carolina rig), ring loop weights, and bullet sinkers for a Texas rig. Keep scrolling to learn more!

Adding Weight to a Fishing Line: Quick Steps

1. Place 1-2 split shot weights 1–2 ft (30–61 cm) above the hook.
2. Use one hand to hold each weight in place around the line.
3. Squeeze the weight with pliers so it clamps around the line.
4. Pull on each weight to make sure they’re secure and won’t move.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Putting Split Shot Weights on a Fishing Line

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1. 
   1
   Use a split shot weight for fishing less than 6 ft (1.8 m) deep. Split shot weights look like small metal balls with a large slit on one side. Since split shot weights are lighter, they won’t pull your bait as deep as other sinkers, but they’re great for catching any type of fish in ponds, lakes, and rivers.

   • If you have reusable split shots, you’ll be able to take them off the line if you want to change them out. If you have non-reusable split shots, you’ll have to cut the line if you want to take them off.

   Meet the wikiHow Experts

   Kathy Sparrow, MA is a fly-fishing instructor, author, and co-founder of Kingfisher Inn.

   Michael Reynolds is a professional fishing instructor and the Owner of Fishing Lessons by Michael Reynolds.
2. 
   2
   Position 1 or 2 weights 1–2 ft (30–61 cm) from the hook. Leave a little space between the hook and the weight so your bait can float above the weight. Measure up about 1–2 ft (0.30–0.61 m) from the top of your hook and set the line inside of the large groove on the weight.

   • For shallow water, use weights that add up to about ¹⁄₈ oz (3.5 g) in total.
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3. 
   3
   Pinch the weights onto the line with needlenose pliers. Hold the weight in place on the line with one hand. With the other, use the pliers to gently squeeze the sides of the weight until it closes around the line.

   • If you don’t have needlenose pliers, try pinching the weight closed with your fingers.
   • Be careful not to clamp down on the weight too hard, or it could damage the line. Try to tighten it just enough that it will stay in place without sliding.
4. 
   4
   Tug on the line to make sure the sinker doesn’t move. Hold the weight with one hand and the fishing line with the other. Lightly pull on the line and watch whether the weight moves at all. If it does, pinch the weight a little tighter around the line.

   • If you need to reposition the weight because it moved, just pinch the opposite side to release it from your line.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Putting Rubber Core Sinkers on a Fishing Line

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1. 
   1
   Use rubber core sinkers if you need a heavier weight that’s easy to remove. Rubber core sinkers are long metal cylinders with a slit on one side and a rubber center. They’re slightly larger than split shot weights, so they let you fish in deeper water.

   • Rubber core sinkers are easy to put on and take off, and they don’t require tying (or untying) any knots.
2. 
   2
   Attach the sinker about 2 ft (0.61 m) above the hook. Leaving space between the sinker and hook helps your bait float up so it’s more visible to fish. Measure up from the top of your hook and pinch the line so you don’t lose your place.

   • Positioning your sinker much higher on your line may make it difficult to cast.
3. 
   3
   Push the line into the slot and twist the sinker. Look for an opening with rubber on one side of the sinker. Hold the line tight and feed it into the slot so it wraps around the line. Grab the rubber ends of the sinker and twist them in opposite directions to secure it to the line.

   • The motion to secure your line is similar to unwrapping a candy wrapper.
   • If you want to remove or reposition the sinker, untwist the rubber and gently pull the line out from the rubber.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Putting Sliding Sinkers (Carolina Rig) on a Fishing Line

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1. 
   1
   Fish with a sliding sinker to reach the bottom of the water. Sliding sinkers come in many shapes, like eggs and bullets, and they have a hole running through the middle. They weigh your line down so your bait floats just above the bottom. When a fish strikes your bait, the sinker moves along the line so the fish doesn’t feel resistance and spit out the hook.

   • Egg sinkers work really well when you’re casting in windy conditions.
   • Bullet sinkers are a little heavier than egg sinkers, so they’re best for catching larger fish in deep water.
   • The sliding sinker setup is also known as a Carolina rig. They’re especially useful when you’re making long casts.
2. 
   2
   Slide the sinker onto the main line running back to your reel. Make sure your line is already threaded through your reel and rod so you’re ready to fish right away. Since sliding sinkers can move freely up and down your line, just feed the line through the hole in the middle of the weight.

   • Sparrow recommends always using a line that’s meant for the type of water where you’re fishing. For instance, use a saltwater line if you’re fishing in warmer, tropical waters.
3. 
   3
   Tie the main line to a swivel with a uni knot. A swivel is a metal piece with eyelets that you attach to the end of your line so you can easily change your fishing rigs. Reynolds recommends using a barrel swivel: “Tie the main line to one eye on the swivel. You can use a variety of knots, including the uni knot, palomar knot, and improved clinch knot.”

   • To make a uni knot, feed about 6 in (15 cm) of line through an eyelet on the swivel so the line is doubled up. Then, wrap the tag end around the doubled-up lines 5 or 6 times. Feed the tag back through the loop, then pull it tight.
   • Make sure that the sinker can’t slide past the swivel. If it can, then slide a stop bead onto the line before adding the swivel.
4. 
   4
   Attach a leader with your hook and bait to the swivel. A leader is a 12–18 in (30–46 cm) piece of line that you can easily add to the end of your main line. Reynolds says to use a uni knot to tie the end of your leader to the other eyelet on the swivel. Then, tie a clinch knot to attach the hook for your bait.

   • The leader will float higher than the sinker, so it’s less likely to get caught on any weeds along the bottom.
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Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

Putting Ring Loop (Tied) Weights on a Fishing Line

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1. 
   1
   Stick to tied weights for fishing in deep water or strong currents. Tied ring loop weights are shaped like a pyramid or a large ball with a metal ring on top. Since they’re the heaviest weights, they quickly sink to the bottom and stay put. That way, the current won’t make your line drift away.

   • You can use tied weights whether you’re fishing from the shore or a boat.
2. 
   2
   Form a 4 in (10 cm) loop at the end of a leader line. Attaching your sinker with a separate section of line makes it easier to remove and replace than putting it on your main line. Take the end of your leader line and fold it over itself so you have a doubled section that’s about 8 in (20 cm) long. Then, make a loop in the line about 4 in (10 cm) from the folded end.
3. 
   3
   Tie 2 overhand knots to secure the loop in place. Hold the loop in place so it doesn’t move around. Take the folded end of the line and tie it through the loop with two overhand knots. Pull the line tight so it doesn’t come undone.

   • This will leave you with a 4 in (10 cm) loop secured with a strong knot.
   • If there’s any excess line sticking out from the knot, trim it off with a pair of scissors.
4. 
   4
   Feed the loop through the ring on the weight. Pinch the loop in your line and pull it straight through the ring on top of the weight. It’s okay if the knot slides through the ring right now.
5. 
   5
   Pull the loop over the weight and pull it tight to the line. Guide the loop around the bottom of the weight and pull it back up towards the ring on top. The line will tightly wrap around itself at the top of the ring so that nothing in the water makes your weight come free.

   • If you ever want to change the weight, just slide the loop back over the bottom of the weight and pull the line out from the ring.
6. 
   6
   Attach the weighted line to a three-way swivel on your main line. A three-way swivel has 3 eyelets: one for the main line, one for the leader with the hook, and one for your leader with the weight. Tie a uni knot to connect the end of the weighted leader to one of the swivel’s eyelets.
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Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

Putting a Bullet Sinkers (Texas Rig) on a Fishing Line

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1. 
   1
   Put a bullet weight directly on your line to set up a Texas rig. Slide the bullet weight onto your line rounded-end first, then follow that with a bead to separate the weight from the hook.

   • Texas rigs are especially useful for bass fishing because there’s no free line that can get tangled up in weeds.
2. 
   2
   Use a Palomar knot to attach the hook to the line. To tie a Palomar knot, thread the free end of the line through the hook eye, then loop the line and pass it back through the eye of the hook, going the opposite direction. Tie an overhand knot in the doubled line, but leave the knot loose so there’s a loop in it. Push the hook back through the loop you just created, then pull the knot tight and trim any excess off the tag end of the line.

   • Reynolds says, “The Palomar knot is the fastest, easiest, and strongest fisherman’s knot.”
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Tips

• Sparrow says, “Make sure you have a fishing license if it’s required in your area. You can check the fishing license requirements online.”
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• Avoid using lead sinkers since they are toxic and could contaminate local wildlife that eats them.
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