Decoy DS-9 TX-DAN Sliding Sinker

The Decoy DS-9 TX-DAN Sliding Sinker lets you add this lead casting weight and bottom contact without fixing the weight directly to your soft plastic. Its raised line guide allows the sinker to slide along your line, giving you a different presentation from a tightly pegged Texas rig when working worms and creature baits for bass.

Cast toward a promising edge, let the weight settle, then pause before moving the bait. That separation between sinker and lure is the reason to choose this style: you can get the rig down while leaving room for the plastic to move independently.

Give Your Soft Plastic Room to Work

A conventional pegged rig keeps the sinker and bait close together. The TX-DAN design gives you the option of a sliding setup, with travel adjusted using a compatible sinker stopper. Its resin line guide is designed for smooth line movement, while the faceted, hexagonal body helps resist rolling compared with a rounded profile. It is not snag-proof, so work it carefully around rock cracks and tangled cover.

The Right Pick for Bottom-Contact Bass Fishing

Best for: free-sliding Texas-style rigs, dragging soft-plastic worms, hopping creature baits, and targeting largemouth and smallmouth bass along bottom transitions. Choose it when you want the weight and lure to move separately rather than as one compact unit. A tightly pegged setup may be the better choice when keeping everything together through dense cover is your priority.

Use the lightest size that lets you stay in touch with the bottom. Start lighter in shallow, calm water; move up when added depth, wind or current makes the rig difficult to control. Let the conditions and your bait's size guide the choice rather than using extra weight automatically.

Details That Make the Rig Different

• Raised resin line guide: routes the line above the sinker body for a sliding presentation.
• Hexagonal profile: a faceted alternative to a round sinker, designed to reduce rolling.
• Adjustable travel: use a compatible sinker stopper to control how far the weight slides.
• Three listed weight options: 1/4 oz (7g), 3/8 oz (11g), and 5/8 oz (18g).

Choose Your Weight

Let the Weight Settle, Then Work the Bait

Thread your line through the raised guide before tying on a suitable soft-plastic hook. Rig the plastic straight, check that the sinker slides freely, and add a compatible stopper if you want to limit its travel. Make a cast, allow the sinker to reach bottom, then use short pulls and pauses rather than a constant retrieve.

For a familiar worm profile, pair the rig with a Yamamoto 5-inch Senko Worm. When you want a bulkier alternative, consider the Yamamoto 5-inch Fat Senko, matching the hook to the plastic's thickness.

Tackle Express Tips

• After the sinker touches down, pause before moving it again to give the soft plastic time to settle.
• If you lose bottom contact, first take up excess slack and adjust your casting angle; add weight if control is still poor.
• Check the line guide and the line near your knot after fishing rough bottom, and retie when you find abrasion.

Questions Before You Rig Up

How is this different from a standard bullet weight?
The TX-DAN uses a raised line guide and a faceted body rather than routing the line through the center of a conventional bullet-shaped sinker. It is intended for a sliding Texas-style presentation.

Which weight should I choose?
Start with 7g for lighter presentations when conditions allow. Move to 11g or 18g when you need more control in deeper water, wind or current. Your rod's lure rating should accommodate the combined sinker and bait weight.

Can I adjust how far the sinker moves?
Yes. A compatible sinker stopper lets you limit its sliding range. Check the stopper's fit on your line before fishing.

Is this a fixed-weight rig?
No. The line passes through the guide so the sinker can slide unless you restrict its travel with your rigging setup.