School me on drop shot

[apiazza]

A local guy who is an excellent fisherman highly suggested trying drop shot in a few areas around me due to the rock nature of the areas around the bridges. I understand the concept. Weight on the bottom with a finesse style hook up the line running pretty light tackle. So do I make my own rigs or buy them? It seems like a setup that is best suited for a dedicated rod with light tackle but I dont have too many rods myself so is there a way to be able to easily switch it out? The lightest rod that it's a clearance rack combo is my dobyns colt 703 baitcaster but I suspect I might struggle with a baitcaster running drop shot. Any feedback is appreciated.

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[Smallie_Stalker]

While you can certainly drop shot with a baitcaster IMO the traditional approach with a spinning rod is a better option. It will help prevent the bait from penduluming away from the bridge walls if you are trying to stay close to them. It also allows for a strighter drop in more open water.

If you are fishing Dobyns then a 2 power, or maybe even a 1 power rod depending on how light weight you need to go would be better than a 3 power. It can also double for other things like the Ned Rigs if you want to try them at some point.

And you can use braid to get the small diameter line while still giving you enough line strength to not break off fish.

Here is the way I do it (remember this is just my setup. Others will have different suggestions).

Rod: 7' to 7' 3" medium-light or light power rod (equivelant to dobyns 1 or 2 power)
Reel: Large diameter spool spinning reel
Line: 14 pound (6 pound mono diameter) Berkley Fireline Tracer. I will drop to 10 pound (4 pound mono
         diameter) if I feel the fish need a little more action from the bait.

I use the strait braided line with no leader. Hi-Vis line has no effect in the gin-clear waters I fish. I don't buy the line shy fish theory. And it helps you see bites you may not feel.

You can nose-hook the bait around the rocks you mentioned or T-rig it if you are fishing around or even in vegetation. Hook gap depends on the thickness of the bait, NOT it's length.

I don't use any swivels unless the weight has one attached.

Tie your knot (I use a double palomar) by going in from the point side of the hook leaving a long enough tag end to position the bait the correct amount above the weight. Then bring that tag end back through the hook eye so the line hangs straight down and the hook stands out straight with the point facing upwards.

Hooksets are a sweep and reel style versus a cross-their-eyes kind of thing.

Like i said, this is the way I do it and i may have left something out, so if you have any other questions post away. Others amy have some advice that fits you better. 

[apiazza]

Thanks for the detailed info. That definitely helps a lot. I was actually thinking to go to a 4 or 5 power for my next rod, but I may consider going light instead to give me a reliable setup for finesse fishing. Even the couple of cheap spinners I have around are shorter and in the medium heavy power range.

What's a typical height to run the hook above the weight?

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[Smallie_Stalker]

Where you place the hook depends on where the fish are. If you can see them on a graph I would recommend 6 inches to a max of 1 foot above wherever the majority of them are holding.

Not to make this a more complicated subject for you, but just to give you more options on presentations, it isn't always necessary to have the weight on bottom. A dropshot rig can be very effective on suspended fish too. If the fish are suspended at 15 feet over 30 feet of water, dropping the rig down so the bait is that same 6 inches to 1 foot above their head will get you some bites when other methods won't. You might have to play with different weights to see what rate of fall is gonna trigger the fish, but that weight doesn't need to be on bottom in a case like this.

Just another option to keep in the back of your mind somewhere.

[apiazza]

Good to know. At the moment I'll be fishing bank with no electronics and minimal information of the true topography of the bottom being it can vary if the lake is drained at all.

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[D.W. Verts]

Smallie hits the "light" rig spot on, and we share an agreement on "line shy" bass.

I shouldn't talk about this, but it's all relative as to what you need to accomplish.

One of my favorite (secret) rigs is a 10" worm tied about 2-3' over a 3/8 or 1/2 oz. bass casting sinker. I fish this in water up to 40' deep or so for a different look, or for fish when they're suspended over the brushpiles. Works like you cannot believe.

So you can rig it light, with a finesse worm on a Guppy pole, with the big worm like above, or anywhere in between.

This whole "finesse" thing has really took folks to new levels of stupid.

[Smallie_Stalker]

Smallie hits the "light" rig spot on, and we share an agreement on "line shy" bass.

I shouldn't talk about this, but it's all relative as to what you need to accomplish.

One of my favorite (secret) rigs is a 10" worm tied about 2-3' over a 3/8 or 1/2 oz. bass casting sinker. I fish this in water up to 40' deep or so for a different look, or for fish when they're suspended over the brushpiles. Works like you cannot believe.

So you can rig it light, with a finesse worm on a Guppy pole, with the big worm like above, or anywhere in between.

This whole "finesse" thing has really took folks to new levels of stupid.

Also spot on.    Up here in the northeast they call that Bubba-shotting.    There's definitely more than one way to skin this cat.

[Bassinkorea]

I love fishing a dropshot. I fish in a DDEP and VERY CLEAR reservior and mostly fish the below set up.

This is for fishing from a boat, so if fishing from the bank where long casting the rig, I would probably consider fishing with a much longer rod to keep the bait up off the bottom to a desired distance.

A 6' 6" medium light spinning rod and reel
6lb fluorocarbon line
For a hook, I mostly use a size 1 or 1/0 VMC Spinshot hook to help with line twist
For lures, ribbon tails, cut tails, and occasionally I have good success with Zoom tiny brush hogs
1/4oz ~ 3/8oz weight with a dropper length anywhere between 8" ~ 24"

This works well with casting the rig as well as vertical fishing.


If I want a bigger bait presentation, I just upgrade everything, including using a bait caster setup.

[zippyduck]

One thing to think about is a longer leader when casting a drop shot.

Say you make a 50 yard cast, what angle is your line at now. Maybe 30 degrees that puts a bait that is on a 12" leader at about 3 inches. I always put my wifes leader at 18" because she casts and drags it. The bait is now somewhere between 9" to 15" depending on where it is at during the retrieve.

Never forget to put a senko on wacky rigged. It is killer at times. and you can use from a 4" to a 7" and just adjust the hook size.

[Angus]

One thing to think about is a longer leader when casting a drop shot.

Say you make a 50 yard cast, what angle is your line at now. Maybe 30 degrees that puts a bait that is on a 12" leader at about 3 inches. I always put my wifes leader at 18" because she casts and drags it. The bait is now somewhere between 9" to 15" depending on where it is at during the retrieve.

Never forget to put a senko on wacky rigged. It is killer at times. and you can use from a 4" to a 7" and just adjust the hook size.

I'm with Zippy on this.  I do the exact same thing.  18-22inches in order to get the bait about 8-12 inches off the bottom when it's at an angle.  Just last weekend my wife used a drop shot all day (with live red worms) and caught a mess of bluegill and a channel cat. 

[apiazza]

All great info. Thank you everyone. Hadn't really considered how much customization there is to a drop shot, but obviously there is.

Do you guys typically create a "rig" or tie direct? By that I mean do you just use the mainline to tie on the hook and weight or do you use line separately to build the setup and then attached to mainline by either tying direct like a leader or using some sort of barrel swivel etc. I'm just thinking it would be much easier if you elect to change tactics.

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[llomichalchik]

Some great information here... now if only there was somewhere to get some awesome drop shot baits that won't break the bank.....   

[zippyduck]

I tie direct to the line or leader. I need all the connection to the bait for sensitivity.

And yes Lockett lures has lots of great choices for baits.

[Bassinkorea]

Unless I'm using the VMC Spinshot hooks, I tie direct. Meaning I tie the hook onto my main line with a polomar knot with the tag / waste end being the length I want for the dropper to the weight. Do not cut off that tag end.

Next, (as an extra tip that noone has mention yet, I think), pass that long tag end back through the eye of the hook so that the hook point is facing up when you pull down on the tag end. You should always have the hook point facing up for better hook ups.

[zippyduck]

Unless I'm using the VMC Spinshot hooks, I tie direct. Meaning I tie the hook onto my main line with a polomar knot with the tag / waste end being the length I want for the dropper to the weight. Do not cut off that tag end.

Next, (as an extra tip that noone has mention yet, I think), pass that long tag end back through the eye of the hook so that the hook point is facing up when you pull down on the tag end. You should always have the hook point facing up for better hook ups.

Sorry I didn't notice it wasn't explained.

Now you can also put more than one hook on. I did it once and caught two smallies but the second chance the line broke at the first hook.

I do use multiples for perch on Lake Erie. Many a triple have come to the boat.

[Bassinkorea]

Could also use a jig instead of the weight  ;-)

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[loomisguy]

If your going to drop on them in rock with braid I wouldn't do it without a leader. You don't have to get fancy with the weights ,a bell sinker will work but they all get hung up.
I'd rather break off the weight on 6lb. flouro than trying to break off 15lb braid and lose the whole deal.

[Oldfart9999]

I use drop shot quite a bit, both finesse and bubba shot. My main drop shot set up is a 6'9" medlite CARBONLITE setup, with 10 pound braid to a 6 or 8 pound leader, distance of bait to weight varies depending on what I'm seeing on the water. I took lunker with 4 pound plus fish in 3 tournaments using this rig but I'm changing my mind. When using it tight to docks, breakwaters or other cover I have to move the boat away from the cover and let the fish wear itself down, cost me some good fish. I'm experimenting with a 7' med action rod, everything else being the same for my main outfit, it lets me fight the fish fish better and the ability to pull a fish away from cover faster.
Keep it simple, don't over complicate the gear, it's amazing the fish you can put in the boat with 6 pound line if you have some patience. You don't need to have a ton of tackle for the technique, just several different baits in 3 or 4 colors will work well. 80-90 percent of the time I use BPS 3 inch STICKOS in 3 different colors, don't get much cheaper than that. I can rig them 2 ways, nose hooked, bring the hook from the bottom half way through the bait then out the front, less line twist , better action. I also wacky rig it. My main color is watermelon. I use Gamagatsu # 1 dropshot/splitshot hooks they work great and not that costly. I make my own weights, if you live where you can by lead weights, BPS pencil style weights will do everything you need, they don't hang up in rocks and get down through grass well. Again, with patience, you can use an open hook in sparse to med grass without hanging a ton of grass.
All the rest of the info you've been given is right on, just keep it simple and save for a better outfit.
Rodney

[apiazza]

You guys are all seriously fantastic. I didn't expect to get this level of feedback. If i'm gathering the information well (which I could be totally missing), what I'm thinking I will do is take one of my spinners (fairly cheap 6'9" M) and respool it. The crap line has really bad memory right now, anyway, so I had planned to. I will go lighter tackle. Either braid to leader, or possibly straight flouro (which I've never used) and make that rod a more "dedicated" light tackle/drop shot rod. I will tinker around with several of the tips next time I fish that rocky bridge cliff.

[D.W. Verts]

I've caught so many bass this last three years (since I returned to fishin' serious) on straight braid, without a leader, that it would be hard for me to return to it. On that "Bubba Shot" (I LIKE that) rig I'm using 50# braid in that deeper water.

On my "light stuff" which I seriously use very little (Winter) I'm using 10# braid no matter what technique on both spinning and casting set ups and I dig the no leader program. One less thing, you know? But this is the cool set up (braid to leader) nowadays, and I'm far from cool. I'm not even a little chilly.

[Oldfart9999]

I use a 7 foot medhvy bait faster with 20 pound braid in heavy grass along with Texas rigged larger baits. It's boring technique but at times can be the best way to load the boat.
Rodney

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[zippyduck]

Apiazza,

Next spring come join me in Erie for a weekend and you can catch all the smallies you want on a dropshot.

[coldfront]

Unless I'm using the VMC Spinshot hooks, I tie direct. Meaning I tie the hook onto my main line with a polomar knot with the tag / waste end being the length I want for the dropper to the weight. Do not cut off that tag end.

Next, (as an extra tip that noone has mention yet, I think), pass that long tag end back through the eye of the hook so that the hook point is facing up when you pull down on the tag end. You should always have the hook point facing up for better hook ups.

yep.  when tying the hook, first pass of line goes through from 'point side' of the eye.  then back through, palomar knot.

I tie on a snap swivel at tag end.  if I'm needing to change, adjust weight, it goes easy.

I prefer spinning rod for lighter weights, but if I am fishing bigger weights in heavier current, baitcasters are fine.

love roboworms (green pumpkin, morning dawn) or conquistador finesse (green pumpkin).  recently been playing a bit wih zman finesse TRD baits, nosehooked too.

fish often kind of vertical out of boat, but do a bit of casting too.  might go a little longer on leader.  pull, pause.  pull=shake.  tightline, deadstick.  drag... all retrieve options on table.  snug up to a rock, shake a little...

[apiazza]

Apiazza,

Next spring come join me in Erie for a weekend and you can catch all the smallies you want on a dropshot.

Careful what you wish for it might just come true lol.


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[zippyduck]

Careful what you wish for it might just come true lol.


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I'm serious. Come to my camp and have a blast with brown bass.