Recently Ive started using one rod with 6kg line, a lighter siglon shock leader (Phil has these) and a 3oz sinker. The other rod has 8kg line, a 30kg shock leader and a 5oz sinker.

I'm just about getting the same distance with anchovies and bonito on both. And often the lighter line gets the hook ups. Obviously a big surf beach might not suit lighter line but its certainly opened my eyes to challenging the idea that a big sinker always equals better distance and more fish.