I've always heard that you should go with the lightest weight possible. Is this because the lighter weight allows the lure to fall slower, a larger weight will spook the fish, or something else?

Sometimes I go up to 1/2oz. Is that too heavy for water from 1-10 feet deep? I usually fish a large lake with braid (no leader).

Appreciate your thoughts.

The lighter the slower, but if you need to punch through weeds use heavy weights. Linders angling edge tv show once showed a rig called the punchin largemouth. Look up great rig. Weight also depends on water current will get to the bottom or just get pulled back

This is the rig

All depends on what I'm fishing.  I'm i'm cruising up the shore fishing brush piles and laydowns pretty shallow I'll usually use 3/16.  I might add a little more or less but almost never go over 1/4 oz.

 

If I'm fishing deeper structure 15-20 feet of water  I'll go up to 1/2oz or a little more.

Yeah...I'm bank bound so my dilemma is, do I:

1) go with the lighter weight, like most recommend. If I do this, I can't cast as far.

2) use a heavier weight (1/2oz) and violate the conventional wisdom, but gain casting distance.

I guess I could fish closer first with the lighter weight then take the minute or so to change weights to hit the spots a little further away.

This is the rig

That's a great-looking rig. Thanks.

You should be able to cast pretty far with a basic t-rig set up.

 

If you'd like more distance have you thought about a carolina rig?  Usually use heavier weights but because you use a long leader it doesnt really mess with the action so much.  I especially like to use slightly buoyant plastics for this and it'll help you feel bottom contours.

3/16.... or just some clinch weights I paint them w/e color

Sometimes the fast fall with a heavier weight will get more strikes than a slow fall. I use a 1/4 or 3/8 for a majority of my T-rigs.

Thanks fellas!

My "system" YMMV.

 

Shallow water ( 5 feet or less) 1/8,1/4, 3/8 or 1/2 oz in. wood/hard cover or colder water, 3/8-1 oz in grass depending on the thickness of the grass, bulk of the bait, and "what the fish are telling me". The warmer, and clearer the water, the faster I want it to fall, and just the opposite in dirty and/or cold water.

 

Mid depths (5-15 feet) 1/4 -1 oz..........many factors determine what size I am going to use. Generally 3/8's 1/2, and 3/4's get used the most in this range.

 

Deep- as heavy as it takes to get it there, and maintain feel. On a calm day it maybe 3/8's, or in the wind it maybe 1oz.

 

Not all baits are going to fall the same with the same weight on them, and line size plays a role in it too. A t -rigged senko or straight tailed worm with a 1/4 oz sinker pegged to it's nose on 12 or 15 lb line will rocket to the bottom as fast as a bulky bait with lots of flapping stuff on a big sinker, to give you an example, and t-rigged plastics will generally fall faster than a jig of similar weights.

1/4 and 1/8 from the bank all last year... 1/4oz gets down in most of the vegetation here (VT) easy.

1/8 if I am fishing shallow with little or no vegetations, or 1/2-1oz for punching grass.

95 percent of the time im using 1/8.. I just recently bought tungsten and man there's a difference that I really like

95 percent of the time im using 1/8.. I just recently bought tungsten and man there's a difference that I really like

Same here, 1/8 oz seems to be good

I use the smallest weight possible unless punching through weeds, or if the wind is strong. I fish weightless t-rigs whenever conditions permit.

 

When fishing with a weighted t-rig I like to put a bobber stop on the line above the weight.