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24-460: It comprises a bullet weight or similar sliding fishing sinker , an offset worm hook, and a soft plastic lure. This rig is most commonly used to target freshwater fish such as largemouth bass and smallmouth bass . The Texas rig is typically fished in a cast-and-retrieve style; it is cast into a body of water and worked slowly along the bottom in a manner designed to entice nearby fish. However, fish will often strike this rig as it first sinks into

48-489: A Texas rig, while others embed it fully within the soft plastic of the lure. The former approach, sometimes referred to as a Texpose rig , increases the likelihood of a fish being hooked when it strikes, while the latter approach, sometimes referred to as a weedless Texas rig, reduces the likelihood of the hook getting caught on underwater debris. In order to reduce the rate of the lure's descent and allow for greater finesse in moving it to entice fish, some fishermen leave out

72-562: A fishing sinker is environmentally acceptable, cheap and dense. Density is desirable as weights must be as small as possible, in order to minimize visual cues which could drive fish away from a fishing operation. In ancient times as well as sometimes today, fishing sinkers consisted of materials found ordinarily in the natural environment, such as stones, rocks, or bone. Later, lead became the material of choice for sinkers due to its low cost, ease of production and casting , chemical inertness (resistance to corrosion), and density . However, lead

96-432: A micro ecosystem for other reef species. The reproductive habits of tilefish are not well studied. Spawning occurs throughout the spring and summer; all species are presumed not to guard their broods. Eggs are small (< 2 mm) and made buoyant by oil. The larvae are pelagic and drift until the fish have reached the juvenile stage. The relative extant of Branchiostegus in the archeological record: Tilefish from

120-542: A narrow hole through which fishing line is threaded. These sinkers are desirable on rock or debris covered substrates. Split- shot sinkers are small and round with a split cutting halfway through the sinker. The split can be placed on a piece of fishing line and then crimped closed. This feature makes adding and removing the weights easy and quick. Bullet sinkers are bullet-shaped and used widely on largemouth bass fishing for rigging plastic worms " Texas-style ". Dipsey sinkers are ovate or egg-shaped and are attached to

144-454: A non-toxic alternative to lead sinkers at a lower monetary cost than alternative metallic sinkers. Tilefish see text Branchiostegidae Jordan , 1923 Tilefishes are mostly small perciform marine fish comprising the family Malacanthidae . They are usually found in sandy areas, especially near coral reefs . They have a long life span, up to 46 years (females) and 39 years (males). Commercial fisheries exist for

168-480: A weight of 30 kg (66 lb). Both subfamilies have long dorsal and anal fins , the latter having one or two spines. The gill covers ( opercula ) have one spine which may be sharp or blunt; some species also have a cutaneous ridge atop the head. The tail fin may range in shape from truncated to forked. Most species are fairly low-key in colour, commonly shades of yellow, brown, and gray. Notable exceptions include three small, vibrant Hoplolatilus species:

192-469: A wide range) to evade predators. Many species form monogamous pairs, while some are solitary in nature (e.g., ocean whitefish , Caulolatilus princeps ), and others colonial. Some species, such as the rare pastel tilefish ( Hoplolatilus fronticinctus ) of the Indo-Pacific , actively builds large rubble mounds above which they school and in which they live. These mounds serve as both refuge and as

216-499: Is just under twice as dense as lead and thus found desirable. The environmental effects of tungsten, however, are essentially unknown. Another variant of lead-free fishing weights is presented by the Czech brand UFO Sinker, which offers weights made of heavy concrete, that can be pulled out of the water using a magnet. More recently, terminal tackle manufacturers are experimenting with high density composite resins. These materials present

240-536: Is known to cause lead poisoning and enter the environment as a result of the inevitable occasional loss of fishing sinkers during routine fishing. Thus, most lead-based fishing sinkers have been outlawed in the United Kingdom (under 1 oz weight), Canada , and some states in the United States . Lead based fishing sinkers are banned in all of US and Canadian National Parks . These bans have motivated

264-679: The Eupercaria is still uncertain. The 5th edition of Fishes of the World classifies them within the Perciformes but in a grouping of seven families that may have a relationship to Acanthuroidei , Monodactylidae , and Priacanthidae , while other authorities place it outside the Perciformes, at an order level but with its true relationships being incertae sedis . The following two subfamilies and five genera are classified within

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288-465: The purple sand tilefish ( H. purpureus ), Starck's tilefish ( H. starcki ), and the redback sand tilefish ( H. marcosi ). Tilefish larvae are notable for their elaborate spines. The family name Malacanthidae, is based on the type genus Malacanthus which is a compound of the Greek words malakos meaning "soft" and akanthos meaning "thorn", possibly derived from the slender, flexible spines in

312-507: The 1882 mass die-off, great northern tilefish were thought to be extinct until a large number were caught in 1910 near New Bedford, Massachusetts. Active fish, tilefish keep to themselves and generally stay at or near the bottom. They rely heavily on their keen eyesight to catch their prey. If approached, the fish quickly dive into their constructed retreats, often head-first. The chameleon sand tilefish ( Hoplolatilus chlupatyi ) relies on its remarkable ability to rapidly change colour (with

336-467: The Texas rig call for the weight to be "stopped" (i.e. made unable to slide back-and-forth on the line). This is usually accomplished by inserting a toothpick through the weight and breaking it off so that part of the toothpick is lodged between the weight and the line. Others attach a bobber stop just above the weight to keep the latter in place. Some fishermen keep the point of the hook exposed when rigging

360-481: The dorsal fin of Malacanthus plumieri . Generally shallow-water fish, tilefish are usually found at depths of 50–200 m in both temperate and tropical waters of the Atlantic , Pacific , and Indian Oceans . All species seek shelter in self-made burrows, caves at the bases of reefs , or piles of rock, often in canyons or at the edges of steep slopes. Either gravelly or sandy substrate may be preferred, depending on

384-808: The family Malacanthidae, in total it contains 45 species. The two subfamilies appear to be morphologically different, with members of the Latilinae having deeper bodies bearing predorsal ridge and heads rounded to squarish in profile. In contrast, members of the Malacanthinae are more slender with elongated bodies lacking predorsal ridge and rounded head. They also differ ecologically, with latilines typically occurring below 50 m and malacanthines shallower than 50 m depth. Tilefish range in size from 11 cm (4.3 in) ( yellow tilefish , Hoplolatilus luteus ) to 125 cm (49 in) ( great northern tilefish , Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps ) and

408-433: The fishing line with a loop of brass wire embedded in the sinker. Bank sinkers are long and ovate and have a small hole at the top for the fishing line to thread through. A claw sinker consists of a sinker weight which is typically of round shape, and a number of metal wire spikes grouped around the sinker weight acting as barbs. Claw sinkers are used in surf fishing on sandy bottoms with strong currents, mainly to prevent

432-615: The largest species, making them important food fish. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns pregnant or breastfeeding women against eating tilefish and some other fish due to mercury contamination. Exceptionally colorful smaller species of tilefish are favored for aquariums . The family is further divided into two subfamilies: Latilinae , sometimes called the Branchiosteginae, and Malacanthinae . Some authors regard these subfamilies as two evolutionarily distinct families. The placement of this family within

456-583: The sinker from getting carried off with the current. Upon casting a claw sinker, the line is briefly tugged so that the claws will dig themselves into the sand, allowing the rig to stay in place. A deep drop weight is used to reach the bottom in deeper offshore fishing applications. These fishing weights are typically cylindrical in with a brass eyelet at the top for attaching to a rig. Weights for this style of sinker range from one pound to as much as fourteen pounds. Target species include tilefish , grouper , and swordfish , among others. An ideal material for

480-404: The species. Most species are strictly marine; an exception is found in the blue blanquillo ( Malacanthus latovittatus ) which is known to enter the brackish waters of Papua New Guinea 's Goldie River . Tilefish feed primarily on small benthic invertebrates , especially crustaceans such as crab and shrimp . Mollusks , worms , sea urchins , and small fish are also taken. After

504-461: The usage of lead and other materials in fishing sinkers. A large variety of sinkers exist which are used depending on the fish being pursued, the environment, the current and personal preference. Pyramid sinkers are shaped like a pyramid and are used when it is desirable to anchor on the bottom of water bodies. They are attached to the terminal end of fishing line by loops of bra . Barrel or egg sinkers are rounded and often bead -like with

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528-485: The use of various other materials in sinkers. Steel , brass , and bismuth sinkers have been marketed, but anglers have not widely adopted them due to their lower density and higher cost compared to lead. Sandsinkers have also been developed, using sand as weight. However, sand has a comparably low density to that of lead and makes a poor replacement. Tungsten is now in use, especially among largemouth bass anglers. Although several times costlier than lead, tungsten

552-434: The water. In some cases, a glass or plastic bead is threaded onto the line between the weight and the hook. Some anglers believe that the added noise or color provided by the bead serves some advantage in attracting fish, especially in stained or muddied water, as the clicking sound of the weight hitting the bead may imitate the sound of a crayfish , a common food for freshwater bass and similar trophy fish. Some variants of

576-764: The weight altogether; this is often referred to as a weightless Texas rig . One can attach a soft plastic lure to a hook using the below steps, which may be followed either before or after tying the hook to the line. Fishing sinker A fishing sinker , plummet , or knoch is a weight used in conjunction with a fishing lure or hook to increase its rate of sink, anchoring ability, and/or casting distance. Fishing sinkers may be as small as 1 gram (0.035 oz) for applications in shallow water, and even smaller for fly fishing applications, or as large as several pounds (>1 kg) or considerably more for deep sea fishing. They are formed into many different shapes for diverse fishing applications. Environmental concerns surround

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