carolina rig

[renagadebee34]

This winter( i wish it was spring right now) ive been thinking about drop shotting. Ive always been kinda a shallow water fisherman because most of the lakes are pretty shalow. Im kinda sick of catching small fish and everyone says big fish are deep. Of course im talking about after the fish are done spawning. What do i look for? How hard is it to pick up and how shallow can i fish it with success? Thanks

[carolina-rig-01]

it is possible to catch quality fish shallow most times of the year. a certain amount of fish stay shallow all year long (for some reason i think i heard 20% stay shallow). i think you should fish your strengths, if that is shallow water than fish it. if you decide to go deep, in the summer fish right around the thermocline (assuming the bodies of water you are talking about are deep enough to have one). look for deep structure and cover, rock piles, brush piles, ledges, and creek channels will hold quality fish. a good thing to do if your water doesn't have a lot of structure is to throw a heavy jig or carolina rig. drag it on the bottom feeling for it to drag over something, sometimes it's something as insignificant as a bigger rock that will have fish stacked up on it. when your bait hits it, just kill it and keep it around the cover as long as you can.

[lunker-lander]

I noticed your title was "Carolina Rig". You're talking about drop-shotting?

Anyway, I, too, want to learn about the drop-shot this year. I'm going to try my St.Croix Wild River 7'6'' ML Fast Action with 8 lb. Seaguar Inviz-X along with a River2Sea 3/32 and 1/8 oz. Tungsten Drop-Shot weights, and #1 Gamakatsu hooks.

I want to try Senkos, and especially the new Roboworm worms/craws I got.

-Lunk-

[jasonfish320]

If you have any kind of sonar depth equipment use that to your advantage..it will take some time to get used to breaking away from the shoreline..I had the same problem..A lot of luck shallow, but a lot dinks..my advice: look for structure like carolina said, also look for steep dropp offs, trust me there in there just gotta find 'em...try deep cranks or jigs..don't be scared of the dropshot either...I read an article in field & stream last year about a fishing guide using the drop shot in heavy heavy weedbeds in 8 ft of water..the idea was to get the bait down to the bottom and through the weeds without gettting hung up..I'm yet to try it, but sounds interesting

[Bob Smith]

For the deeper fish, I go to the Caronlina Rig first because I can cover a lot of water more quickly, and efficiently. Then if the fish are not so finicky that I can fish practically on top of them without making the long cast (with my C-rig I can reach great distances quite easily), then I will use my drop shot. Both will work but the fish will tell you what they want, just listen.
As for the theory that the bigger fish are always deeper, that's not always true. It has everything to do with the time of year, water temps, thermoclines, forage, type and available cover. Then you have to sort out the best technique.

[renagadebee34]

Thanks guys. yeah i am an idiot i meant to put drop shot

[BigBassin144]

I am planning on learning the dropshot this year too.
And the Carolina Rig for that matter.

BB

[lunker-lander]

I'm rigged-and-ready for the DS season! I got my weights (tungsten), hooks (#1 Gammies), and Seaguar Invis-X on my list! I can't wait!!!

-Lunk-

[basskicker]

whats the shallowest water you guys drop shot in because it doesnt get much deeper than 30 feet on the river by my house and thats on the main river channel.

[lunker-lander]

For me it'd probably be 10-30' ballpark range. Ask somebody like C-Rig-01 who fishes Table Rock and all that, 60' would be nothing. The clearer it gets, the deeper fish go.

-Lunk-

[Bob Smith]

Originally Posted by basskicker

whats the shallowest water you guys drop shot in because it doesnt get much deeper than 30 feet on the river by my house and thats on the main river channel.

Time of year and water temps, and type of cover dictate my drop shot presentation. I've caught them in less than two foot of water on a drop shot. I know that isn't what some folks would think a drop shot is best for, but it makes for an awesome presentation. It causes the worm to actually hang in a mostly vertical position.

I fished it as deep as 65' on lake Stillhouse in Texas.

[carolina-rig-01]

yeah there are guys on table rock who will verticaly fish a drop shot in water over 150 feet deep. but it is also deadly in shallow water. i like fishing it around docks a lot. sometimes i will vertical fish it around deep docks other times i will cast it to the bank. it can be used anywhere. don't be affraid to use it in shallow water at all.

[renagadebee34]

what type of weights are you guys using, round, oval, sharp, any more tips?

[carolina-rig-01]

i like the mojo weights. but some guys in my club will just use a splitshot. that way they can just slide it up and down to change the lenght of the leader.

[BigBassin144]

This spring I plan on using the mojo weights, or something like that. I found some pretty cheap on Tackle Warehouse, and they come in packs of 20 instead of stupid quantities like 5 or 6 or 7.

BB

[lunker-lander]

Wait until you find you don't like the weight you got and see how happy you are with 20 of them!

-Lunk-

[BigBassin144]

How much difference could there be between one brand weights and another. And If I really don't like 'em, I'll melt them down and make something out of them. And they are a lot cheaper than other dropshot weights.

BB