The present disclosure relates generally to fishing sinkers and weights, and more specifically to a fishing weight having optimized buoyancy characteristics such that the weight tends to rest on top of foreign submerged material, e.g. water-milfoil, rather than sinking into and becoming entangled in the material. In a preferred embodiment, the fishing weight comprises a cylindrically shaped body made of a synthetic cork material, e.g. a synthetic wine bottle cork, which on its own tends to float in water. The fishing weight further comprises a weight element inserted into the body to achieve optimal buoyancy characteristics of the apparatus as a whole. Finally, each of two opposing ends of the cylindrically shaped body have attached thereto means for connecting the fishing weight to at least one of fishing line and/or a leader line having a hook at the end thereof.
