New Techniques, can be work!

[lizardsrule]

Well I went to the coal pit today to practice some deep water fishing. Now that is a relative term, to what lakes you fish, but today we are talkng about 10'-20'. I normally fish 6" to 10' of water, so this is a little different for me. I decided I would use PNJ's and Lizards, since those have both been good producers for me at the coal pit. I did fish a Buzzbait, and Jitterbug some(couldn't help myself ) without any success. I ended up catching 10 LM in 6 hours, I used a Standard PNJ( Mann's Stone Jig, with YUM Craw trailer). I also used a Mojo Rig for the Lizard, which was a Zoom Black with Blue Fleck. The 3rd rig I used was a variation of the drop shot. I had a Baby Fluke, rigged as the drop shot, but a Strike King Pro Model Jig, with Yum Craw trailer as the weight. I caught fish on all the rigs, the Mojo worked much better when weeds were around. I had a couple of fish on the PNJ part of the Drop shot rig, but couldn't ever get the fish on the Fluke. I saw them hit it a couple of times, but they just never took it well enough to get any hooksets. I will upsize my hook next time, and try a lighter weight on the PNJ. I believe the heavy Jig 1/2 oz put a lot of weight the fish felt as they would bite the fluke. I also would reccomend a long sidearm cast, making sure the weight is staying out, and the fluke and PNJ are not twisting as you cast. The reason, if it starts rotating, it will backlash, and give line twist. It actually took me awhile to get it down. It's almost like casting a c-rig, but the heavy weight is at the end, instead of like the c-rig. I missed probably 8 fish today, most were on the fluke part of the drop shot rig. I caught several over 14" but none over 15 1/12". I was actually pleased with the results, since I don't consider myself a deepwater guy, but have to learn to be better at it. I fished all day concentrating on the in and outs of these techniques, and ways to use them better It actually felt a little like work But it was a really good job though I have also noticed when drop shotting and using Braid or fused line the line can have a tendancy to twist up. So it would appear the same happens with mono or flouro, just not visible. Anyone else notice this issue?

Lizards

[H2O]

I also would reccomend a long sidearm cast, making sure the weight is staying out, and the fluke and PNJ are not twisting as you cast. The reason, if it starts rotating, it will backlash, and give line twist. It actually took me awhile to get it down. It's almost like casting a c-rig, but the heavy weight is at the end, instead of like the c-rig.

Any way, how did you rig your drop-shot setup?

[lizardsrule]

Originally Posted by H2O

Any way, how did you rig your drop-shot setup?

I use a Polamar knot and tie on a 1/0 hook, with approx 2 feet of tail left over. I then tie the Jig/Weight at the distance I want from 2' to 6". I had approx 12" in between the PNJ and the fluke. Trim the excess line. The weight of the hook, and fluke, would make it wobble as you casted it, if you didn't use a long sweeping motion, which would result in backlashing. I don't have this problem normally with drop shotting, because I usually use a spinning reel. Obviously I was using this on a baitcaster this time.

Lizards

[zooker]

are you saying the water was so clear that you could see the bass hit??

zooker

[pig n jig]

Lizards, why would you torture yourself fishing a damned dropshot rig ? If you must fish a dropshot , use a mojo weight on bottom with a spidergrub, and fish it through the weeds as well as the outside weed edge.I should encourage you to fish the jig and nothing else. Hey I bought another Castaway Bud Pruitt flipping stick. Its the higher end HG-40 series and I got out today and caught quite a few bass, brown ones as well as the green ones. The reason was you have got me thinking about the fluorocarbon line, I used 14 lb Seaguar carbon pro on it with a new Abu Torno reel.I boated one smallmouth that weighed 4lbs and some change, but I don't think it had anything to do with the line. P N J

[lizardsrule]

Originally Posted by zooker

are you saying the water was so clear that you could see the bass hit??

zooker

Yes, we have had a drought this year, all of the lakes, andponds are down 3' or more. The coal pit visibilty in one end is approx 10'-12' where there is no vegetation to obscure your sight. I WATCHED as the bass would hit the fluke quickly and immediately let go. L guess the could have just been hitting it, and not biting it. But you could definately see the fish go at it, and the fluke start jumping around. Made me mad to know they would hit, and I couldn't hook them.

PNJ,

The Jig didn;t work today. But the drop shot did put a couple in the boat
Mostly pitching and flipping was the ticket for anything of any size. I caught 2 that were in the 3lb range flipping within six feet of the boat in 12" of water. It was pretty slow fishing today, until 5 pm and it was like someone flipped the switch. I started throwing the buzzbait, since the trees were all blocking the sun, and it was picking up the wind. BOOM they attacked it with force. Probably caught 6-7 fish in 45 minutes. Then had to call it the day

Lizards

[H2O]

Talking about drop shot

I've found this stuff in INSIDELINE magazine.

""I mostly wacky rig 9S or 9 Senkos when I dropshot nowadays," says Russ. I nose-hooked dropshot baits for a long time, but now I find wacky (in the middle) mitigates the plague from line twist when you dropshot. Most any bait that can be hooked through the middle will twist line less than the same bait hooked in the nose. For example, I'll even wacky dropshot tubes, which is a weird deal because the tube tentacles make a big fluffy puff like a cotton ball exploding when you lift and drop a tube wacky dropshot style. Although I've used tube baits for decades, I have never seen a tube do that exploding cottonball puff except wacky dropshot style. This looks too weird, but bass belt it. The reason I do it is a nose-hooked tube or other lure nose-hooked on dropshot will twist the line miserably. A nose-hooked bait is usually spinning around the line like a boat propeller on its way up or down to deep water. Not so with wacky rigging on dropshot. The bait doesn't twist, but tends to act like a parachute, tips swayed upward and both tips quivering strongly like a finning or swimming baitfish.

Kinda interesting!

[lizardsrule]

Originally Posted by H2O

Talking about drop shot

I've found this stuff in INSIDELINE magazine.

""I mostly wacky rig 9S or 9 Senkos when I dropshot nowadays," says Russ. I nose-hooked dropshot baits for a long time, but now I find wacky (in the middle) mitigates the plague from line twist when you dropshot. Most any bait that can be hooked through the middle will twist line less than the same bait hooked in the nose. For example, I'll even wacky dropshot tubes, which is a weird deal because the tube tentacles make a big fluffy puff like a cotton ball exploding when you lift and drop a tube wacky dropshot style. Although I've used tube baits for decades, I have never seen a tube do that exploding cottonball puff except wacky dropshot style. This looks too weird, but bass belt it. The reason I do it is a nose-hooked tube or other lure nose-hooked on dropshot will twist the line miserably. A nose-hooked bait is usually spinning around the line like a boat propeller on its way up or down to deep water. Not so with wacky rigging on dropshot. The bait doesn't twist, but tends to act like a parachute, tips swayed upward and both tips quivering strongly like a finning or swimming baitfish.

Kinda interesting!

Thanks H2O,

Glad I wasn't going insane. I will have to try the wacky rig style next time, maybe even better hook ups with the hook in the middle of the bait.

Lizards

[H2O]

Originally Posted by lizardsrule

Thanks H2O,

Glad I wasn't going insane. I will have to try the wacky rig style next time, maybe even better hook ups with the hook in the middle of the bait.

Lizards

U r Welc!

Actually I tried wacky a yum dinger 4" on a Gamakatsu split shot hook when I did dropshot most times. Most time bass hits it very solid and set hook themself. I believe that is the advantage of Gamakatsu Split shot hook. Couples times, when bass struke it I felt like hooking a carp. Great fight even comes from a 2LB bass, cuz they always hook themself pretty solid on the side (or say edge) of their mouth.

Try it, and I think you gonna like it.