The disclosed technology includes an apparatus and method for applying a fishing sinker directly to a fishing line. In one implementation, the apparatus comprises a lower lever, an upper lever configured to rotate around an axis of a hinge in a direction toward the lower lever, and a jaw located on a first end of the upper lever and terminating with a tooth, the tooth configured to move into an aperture in the lower lever to compress the fishing sinker located in the lower lever into a closed position around a fishing line.