Definately switch to pencil lead. Several methods can be used to attach it to your line. I find that fishing from the bank I prefer sliding weights, and in a boat a fixed weight. 1/4" pencil lead and rubber tubing. To rig sliding slip a swivel into 1" of tubing till the swivel is comletely buried in the tubing with the tip of the swivel even with the end of the tube. Very tightly tie (I use kevlar) a couple wraps around the rubber toward the end around one of the eyelets of the swivel, then pull the rubber back over itself and you have a rubber tube with a one swivel eye exposed. I use this methond instead of a snap swivel because the swivel eye will foul less frequently with your mainline in a boil. Cut the lead and place it in the tube. You can easily cut lead off if you need less weight and add a longer piece if you need more weight. As for the bite, it's actually more like the lack of feeling. What I mean is a fish picks the bait up and because the bait is drifting with the current the fish will generally slide back with the bait and take a hold of it, still sliding back down stream. At least initially. You go from feeling all the taps to oddly feeling nothing, but you'll notice something just feels different as a slight feeling of weight will start to build and it will become kinda "mushy". Note that this feeling occurs in about a second btw... have fun with that! SET THE HOOK like your going to slap yourself in the arse with the rod tip. Rarely will you get a fish that smacks that bait and tries to rip the rod from you hands. Once you start to get the feel you start to learn to define that split second. Good Luck!