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Old 07-10-09, 12:21 PM   #1
Willvdh1
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Default My first attempt with a drop shot

OK, great little story here, I went out to my local lake, fished from the shore for 30 minutes or so with only 4 total casts'... I had my drop shot rig set up with 10lb floro and a 3/4 oz sinker. For bait I used a 10inch zoom junebug worm. My first cast got caught up in the wind a little bit and blew over a stump, I knew that if I reeled it in I was most likely going to get hung up, which is what happened... Next cast I took in acount the wind and hit the targeted area. ( about 14 feet deep, just off the end of a series of stumps and bush piles near the mouth of a cove.) I twitched it for about 5 seconds and landed the biggest bass of the year for me. 5 lbs 2 oz!!! It was awesome. Anyhow, I got the fish to the bank after I wore it out for a good bit. I was so excited and am definetly becoming a fan of the drop shot. Mind you this was only my second cast.. Ok, so I wanted to hit the same area again, maybe catch a large male that was still in the area.. I made a cast to the same spot only to get hung up on the sharp rocks below... I had to cut my line again and set up another rig. 10 minutes later the same thing happens. So my question is for drop shotting... Is it ill advised to use from the bank since you aren't reeling strait up? and your weight drags over the rocks? I suppose if it was gravel I wouldnt be having this problem, but because of the rocks I lost some gear. This same thing also happened to me with a jig I was dancing along the bottom last week. What insight do you guys have? And thanks to our fearless leader Kevin.... I learned everything about a Drop shot from the videos. And now have a 5 lber to brag about.
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Old 07-10-09, 12:35 PM   #2
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try a lighter weight, like a 3/16 ounce weight
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Old 07-10-09, 12:40 PM   #3
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Absolutely not. The better attitude is to accept that getting hung up is part of the fishing game and experience. After all, any bait can get hung up.

In addition, the drop shot is not an exclusive vertical fishing technique. You have already discovered that indeed it can be worked and is effective when used in a horizontal fashion as a Texas or Carolina rigged bait.

I fish rip rap most of the time. I can lose 10 weights in 30 minutes. That is the price to pay. There are cheaper alternatives to curb the high price of using ds weights. Let me know if you're interested.

Also, 3/4 oz. weight is perhaps your biggest culprit in getting snagged. Try to use the lightest weight you can get away with, like 3/16 or even 1/4 oz. You can still get snagged up, but it ought to be easier to free.

Congrats and welcome to club drop shot.
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Old 07-10-09, 12:47 PM   #4
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well, you must not have watched too closely. Kevin suggests using 3/16, which is what i use,

try and get something below 3/8 at least but even at that, they are a big weight
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Old 07-10-09, 01:18 PM   #5
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When I fish areas where losing the rig is a high possibility, I use a split shot instead of a DS weight. I wrap the line once around the bottom of the weight before crimping it. If I get snagged, the line will pull out of the split-shot. I do lose some of the sensativity, but it is an offset on the price. I use the round split shots rather than the ones with ears to reopen. I found that the ones with ears did not stay on the bottom well enough.
DS can be quite effective from the shore. In fact you have a great ability to change the depth of the worm without adjusting your leader. Simply raising or lowering your rod tip can make a few inch adjustment quickly.
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Old 07-10-09, 03:07 PM   #6
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I'd also go to a lighter sinker, probably 1/4 oz. If you're using dropshot sinkers, when they get caught in the rocks, the clip should cut the line or the line should slip out, leaving you with a complete rig, minus a weight.

I fish the DS from shore a lot, and even when I'm in the boat, I cast it 98% of the time.


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Old 07-10-09, 04:29 PM   #7
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Cool deal, good advice. I'll lower my weight and see what happens. Was still way worth the fish, dont get me wrong.
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Old 07-10-09, 06:20 PM   #8
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or just break off some the weight with pliers if they are the pencil looking ones
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Old 07-11-09, 07:14 AM   #9
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Go to nybass.com and click on Tackle and Fishing Tactics, then scroll down and click on A "Newb" to the DS rig.....scroll down to the post by RichZ and click on "All you need to know about drop shotting." Be sure to click on the final link in the article which takes you to more dropshot information. Rich Zaleski is an excellent outdoor writer and fisherman. You can also see a couple videos of Rich fishing the dropshot by going to Lunkerville.com and finding the videos called Chico and the Man, Part I and Part II.

You may find good articles on dropshotting, but in my opinion, you won't find a better one.
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Old 07-11-09, 09:36 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mac2 View Post
Go to nybass.com and click on Tackle and Fishing Tactics, then scroll down and click on A "Newb" to the DS rig.....scroll down to the post by RichZ and click on "All you need to know about drop shotting." Be sure to click on the final link in the article which takes you to more dropshot information. Rich Zaleski is an excellent outdoor writer and fisherman. You can also see a couple videos of Rich fishing the dropshot by going to Lunkerville.com and finding the videos called Chico and the Man, Part I and Part II.

You may find good articles on dropshotting, but in my opinion, you won't find a better one.
Thanks for the link it was a great info. I'm actually taking my 4 year old this morning and using a dropshot set up. I'll let you know how it works.

Brian
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Old 07-11-09, 02:37 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by swimbaitkid View Post
or just break off some the weight with pliers if they are the pencil looking ones

This is what I do to save money. A typical 10 pack of DS weights costs about $3.00 for a bag of 10 weights, which I can lose in an hour's time.

With the pencil lead, I can buy a lb. of it for about $4.00 and can make far more and at whatever weight I need.

There is a kind of pliers that salmon and steelhead anglers use that can cut the pencil lead to size and poke the hole to tie your string. You can even use a snap swivel to ease line twist. I am going to put together a piece on this when I get the chance.


In the pic above, to the right of the upright piece of pencil lead in the jaws of the pliers are the sections of the pliers that cut and flatten it. To left of the piece of pencil lead is a little stud that will pierce the lead to make a hole to tie the line to the weight or enable you to attach it to a snap swivel.

I have been testing it out this season and if I didn't know it, I would think I was actually fishing with a standard ds weight. I have not noticed any losses in feedback, but I have noticed the money savings.

-ib
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Old 07-12-09, 05:24 PM   #12
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Good article Mac2, the production video on the main site on the DS also is very helpful. I use the DS as my go to rig. It is effective in many situations and I have grown comfortable in using it.
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