help with drop shot

[willie525]

i want to learn to fish a drop-shot in time for a tournament in the first of december. i know to use a light wire hook then tie a palomar knot then the weight but i dont know anything about presentation. ive seen lines form japan that are like 2 pound, the waters not that clear hear.

if anyone could please help, what hook to use, where to use it, what kind fo worm, ect.

thanks, willie525

[LooksLikeSinbad]

I use braided line on a spinning reel / medium action rod, with a spro swivel and 8 # seaugur invisix flouro, Palomar knot, circle hook or a finesse hook or a stand out drop shot hook, then 1 - 2 feet, then a drop shot weight of 1/8 oz. I really like Joe's Jig Trailers Shakit worm but you can use whatever soft plastic you want. As far as presentation, put it anywhere you would any other bait but keep in mind that the hook is exposed so you can get caught up if your not careful. If you are using a good finesse worm you don't need to impart any action to the plastic at all, it'll come to life on it's own.

Good luck in your tournement.

[LooksLikeSinbad]

Oh, there is a lot of good info at bassresource.com too.

You can use the drop shot shallow too, it's not just for deep water presentations.

[willie525]

thanks, i think im going to use robo worms, 6 in. im not a big fan of flourocarbon, but ive got some 8 pound vansih trasition. hooks are the only thing i've gotta get.

I got some 1/4oz. drop shot sinkers, will that work?

[LooksLikeSinbad]

im not a big fan of flourocarbon, but ive got some 8 pound vansih trasition.

Transition is flouro!

I got some 1/4oz. drop shot sinkers, will that work?

Yes. I prefer 1/8 or 3/16 but that'll work.

[willie525]

yeah, i know i was just saying thats the only flouro i have, other that 25, lol.

[LooksLikeSinbad]

Oh, gotcha. I broke a couple of big fish off with cheaper flouro and decided I didn't want to have that happen again. I have been using the seagur ever since and I like it so far.

[willie525]

yeah the bait shop i go to carries power pro and all that realllly expensive japenese line, so i go to wal-mart.

[billwv68]

I see the drop shot as clear water flipping. Just like flipping a jig, most of the bites occur on the drop shots initial fall, whether its deep water of shallow.. I believe that the fall rate and the allowing of the bait to come in contact with the bottom as being the most critical aspects of the drop shot. I almost always use a lite sinker such as a 1/16 ounce. The only real time I drag the drop shot is when I feel structure on the bottom such as a brush pile or a drop, then I usally pull the bait tight then let it fall back down working my way through all the limbs. I fish brush piles usually with a regular size 2 offset wormhook. I see alot of people thinking that you need a circle hook to be effective. I dont see that as being true. 90% of the time I use the regular offset worm hook. You dont get hung up as much with the texas rigged drop shot. As for baits, I have caught fish drop shotting small robo worms, tiny brush hogs, tubes, grubs, lizards, beavers, trick worms, curly tail worms and senkos. If you have a lake with deep grass try longer leaders. I tend to use a 6 to 10 inch leader but with deep tail grass, I try to determine the height of the grass then 6 to 10 inches above that. I have used leaders up to three feet around grass and at times that is very effective. My favorite drop shot bait for this type of situation is the beaver.

[willie525]

it will most likely be deep structure and maybe trees in 5-10 feet of water, and docks if i dont get a spinnerbait or crankbait bite. this isnt really how i plan to catch most of my fish during the tournament. its kind of a no fish weigh in in 30 mins quick limit, type deal. What size reel do you recomend?

[GB GONE]

I really like the StandOut hooks. They cost a little more but your hook up ratio is near 100%...

Jim

[willie525]

who makes those??

[GB GONE]

I think Tru Turn. The guy that invented them is a TU member. Most Walmarts carry them and so does BPS.

Your hook is always in the "up" position on your line!!

Jim

[willie525]

cool, ill find some somewhere.

[Seasonal Depression]

Hello:

First off, Make sure you are tying the hook correctly. If you do use stand out (made by Daichi) they are pretty self explanatory. I use them but at times the extra metal will turn the fish off. When you tie your polomar knot to the hook, be sure to turn the tag end in and through the eye of the hook once you have tied the knot. Look on your fishfinder and if you see them, drop it down there and work is fast at first then kill it and then work it sssllloooowwww! I fish Erie all the time and this is they way the smallies are taking it now. I use the gulp minnows and the gulp alive minnows and leaches. Depending on the forage in your lake, this is worth trying.

[Mags]

Here's my two cent worth. This is my favorite clear water technique and I have spent about the last four years working on perfecting it. This works well for me.

I use two drop shot set ups. One with 6 pound line and a medium action spinning 6'0 rod. I use a 1/4 ounce pencil style drop shot weight with the line clip. I nose hook a zoom super fluke or super fluke junior with a Gammie number 2 drop shot hook.

Second set up is a heavy action 6'0 rod with 30 pound power pro and a 15 pound seagar flourocarbon leader. I tie the knot between the line types with a surgeons knot. I can tie this easily in all weather conditions. I use a 3/8 ounce weight (same as above) and use a 3/0 gammie light wire EWG hook Texas rigged. I use this set up around brush, but it will work everywhere and I'm gravitating to using this set-up exclusively. I use a Zoom super fluke.

You'll notice I use flukes exclusively for baits. I have tried all kinds of plastic for this rig and the fluke is the best and cheapest I have found. I carry other stuff, but rarely use it. If you want larger fish use the full size super fluke.

I fish the 1/4 and 3/8 ounce weights in depths from 10 to 50 feet. Works well for me.

One other thing is the braid/ flourcarbon set-up sometimes will get fewer bites. I know this since I have fished these rigs side-by-side with my tourney partner. Many times however the fish don't care and the braid set-up is so much more sensitive. You can feel a fish breath on the bait.

Steve