A detachable sinker automatically detaches from fishing line after immersion in water. The sinker includes weight attachable to the line by means of a rapidly disintegrating water soluble material that when dry withstands a casting load and when wet rapidly dissolves. The weight may be biodegradable or dissolvable. The sinker may include a wildlife attractant released by the disintegrating material or by the dissolvable weight, may be rated according to time or depth at which the weight or attractant will release from the line, may display readable indicia corresponding to a weight value, a release time, or a depth, and may include an attachment means coupling the disintegrating material to the line, such as an elongated clamp for compressing the fishing line and the disintegrating material or a perforated attachment for threading the disintegrating material therethrough. The sinker may be an assembly including the detachable sinker and a fixed sinker.
