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Old 04-20-11, 12:41 PM   #1
IowaBasser
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Default I'm learning to drop-shot

First let me say I really appreciate all the help I've gotten from everyone on this web-site. Everyone is extremely helpful and very understanding. So... thank-you!

I've never tried a drop-shot rig. I've done a little research, and I understand the basics.

Here is my first question: is drop-shotting primarily a verticle presentation? I mean is a drop-shot usually done in deep-water (12 to 20 feet, or deeper) under or close to the boat? ...or can you fish a drop-shot in shallower water (say 6 to 8 feet) by casting it out and slowly bringing it back to the boat like you would a jig for walleye?

Here's my second question: what types of lure/bait do you use on a drop-shot rig? I plan on trying senkos (I call them wacky-worms) and beyond that I'm pretty much clueless. The tacklewarehouse has a wide variety of drop-shot baits: http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Drop_...BDROPSHOT.html ...any reccomendations?

My third question is about line. How important is it to use a leader? I typically fish 10 pound fire-line. (Yes, my fire-line has lost a lot of it's color, so I may take a black sharpie and try to make the last 10 feet or so black.) I suspect is supper clear water I'd use a leader, probably 8 pound mono; 'cause that's what I have - or a flurocarbon, whichI would have to go out and purchase. If the water is slightly stained or down-right murky, I'll probably just use the 1o pound fire-line.

Editing: I just found this article which answered some of my questions, but I'd still like to hear from those who have experience at drop-shotting! http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/guides/dropshot.html

Last edited by IowaBasser; 04-20-11 at 12:47 PM.
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Old 04-20-11, 01:07 PM   #2
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Well living on Erie, dropshotting is a major part of our lineup for catchin bass here on the great lakes. The DS rig can be fished vertically or it can be casted, even from the bank. It is limitless in the way to fish it.

As for equipment, I use a BPS Carbonlite 7'2" Medium spinning rod with a Pflueger Patriarch 9535 reel spooled with 8 lb. P-Line Fluorocarbon. Favorite baits for me include a 4" Strike Kng Finesse Worm, Jackall Cross-Tail Shad, Gulp Crawler, Gulp 3" & 4" Minnow, and a Mizmo Scorpion. Others really like a roboworm, but I am not a fan of them. I like the Gamakatsu Finesse Wide Gap hooks, but the split shot/drop shot hooks from Gammy are also pretty good. Although I am going to toy around with the Mustad DS hooks shortly. Weights range from 1/8 through 5/8 for us here on the great lakes, but 3/16 & 1/4 would probably be the best overall weights.

I feel that fluorocarbon line is a very important part of the rig. It gives superior feel to the rig. Although I have heard that some people prefer a light braided line with a fluorocarbon leader. Leader range can vary from 4 inches to 3 feet or more, depending on location of fish relating to the bottom. The average range for the DS rig leader seem to be 12-16 inches.

Lastly check out the video that Kevin has put together for bf.com. It is all about the DS rig and he does a very good job of explaining everything.
http://www.bassfishin.com/fishing-vi...-shot-fishing/

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Old 04-20-11, 02:15 PM   #3
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You can use any bait you want.

No, drop shotting is not an exclusively vertical presentation. I can tell you this as a shore-bound angler who fishes the drop shot quite a bit with decent.

If you fish clear water, fluorocarbon is not a bad choice at all.

As for the importance of using a leader, I think only the fish can tell you that. If I had a super line as my main line, I would be inclined to use a leader. However, with that said, there have been times where line choice has been an observable factor and times when it wasn't.

Be sure to check out Kevin's stuff on this subject too as RRW recommends.

This is something I wrote based on what I learned through my experience using the Drop Shot.


Just My Take on the Drop Shot Fishing Technique

I am no expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I have grown fond of the Drop Shot technique in my short, six-season fishing journey. I found this technique to be a very productive method to catch fish in a variety of states. In my first outing for fishing for smallmouth bass ever, I hooked and caught three smallmouth bass on three consecutive casts. It is the only method that has done this for me to date, and from the shore to boot. At the very least, I can share with you what I have learned through trial, error, and experience (which isn't much).

As a method of catching fish, I believe the Drop Shot, as many bass anglers call it, has been around for a very long time. In its most basic form, it consists of having a weight at the end of the line with the hook a set distance above it.

Basic Drop Shot Diagram
Here is a generic set up:





As previously noted, the weight that gets this rig to the bottom is attached at the end of the line and the hook is placed above it. Although weight of the sinker can be of just about any shape, there are some that are available that have a clip at the top of the weight that can be quickly attached to the line. It is not necessary, but it can be a convenient to use. A teardrop shaped weight with a clip for the line is used in the photo above.


Rod Selection
You don't need a Drop Shot specific rod. A medium-light to medium-powered rod with a moderate to extra-fast action, and a length ranging from 6'3" on up to just over 7' should work for you for now, unless you plan to fish heavier cover. If you find drop shotting to your liking, you can then opt to go with a Drop Shot specific rod of your choice. As a rule of thumb, a longer rod will enable you to have more line control, which is a plus when using the drop shot.

Unfortunately, many anglers perceive the drop shot to be an exclusively finesse (fishing with lighter line, and smaller baits) technique. I do not limit myself to such a narrow view. I believe that the drop shot technique can be successfully employed not only in finesse but also heavier situations. One would simply have to adjust the rod and line to suit the environment.


Reel Selection – Spinning or Casting?
The decision to use a spinning or casting reel is up to you. I will use either, depending on the conditions I face.
I prefer spinning reels (a size 20 or 2500 reel is an excellent choice) if I am going to face light cover, use lighter line and a lighter weight (1/8 oz. or 3/16 oz.). This is because they require less work on my part to give the bait a better vertical drop than a baitcast reel ever could. I realize it is minor, but it is a major peeve of mine to have to strip line off when using 1/8 oz. or 3/16 oz. weights just to produce a vertical descent of the bait. This is not an issue with a spinning reel. A vertical descent is achieved without any extra effort when the bail is kept open.

With that said, casting reels can also be used. Even a Barbie pole can get it done for drop shotting! I will not hesitate to use a baitcast reel if I were going to fish cover that required the use of heavier line, heavier weights, and larger baits.

Drop Shot Weight and Type
A 3/16 - 1/4 oz weight is a good starting weight. Going any lighter might make it harder for you to read what is going on until you get experience. As for the shape, I like to use either the teardrop (like the QuickDrops sinkers. They are my favorite.) or cylindrical shape and prefer the former as my first choice. I have not experimented with other shapes. When facings windy conditions, strong currents, or if you have to fish a greater depth, you might want to consider using a heavier weight.

Line
Because you are drop shotting, lighter line is preferred if the cover you are fishing allows it. Use a heavier line if the cover dictates it. The conditions I generally face allow me to use six-pound fluorocarbon line. I usually use Seaguar's Invizx or Cabela’s house brand. Seaguar’s Invizx line is surprisingly limp and that is what I like about it. It is very manageable on spinning gear, which is something that cannot be said about other fluorocarbon lines whose stiffness can make it a pain to use on a spinning reel.

I know that some also like to use braid. I know the benefits of braid and am not against it and maybe someday I’ll use it with a fluorocarbon leader. Given the amount of sensitivity my rod and line already provide me, I just don’t have a need to take it up another notch to braid for the depths I typically fish, which is usually no more than 25’. If you plan to fish greater depths, braid may very well be the ticket. The enhanced sensitivity braid provides should be helpful.

Baits
I keep an open mind when it comes to the baits I use. Many types of baits can be used. The general rule of thumb is a tendency to use smaller baits since we are "finesse" fishing (translates to downsizing in general). The length of a typical drop shot bait usually ranges from 3" - 4.5". However, this is not set in stone.

Senkos, Sniper Snubs and Bolts, Roboworms, Reaction Innovations Flirts, Baby Brush Hogs and Tubes can be used. Think out of the typical angler’s zone. Do not limit yourself to using just a worm.

Here is a picture of a smallmouth bass I caught on a longer Roboworm hoping for a bigger smallie. Bless its little heart. The Roboworm is nearly as long it is!




Hook, Knot, and Rigging
I prefer to use size 1 or 2 (mostly size 2) Owner Mosquito or Gamakatsu Split Shot/Drop Shot hooks. If I am fishing a grassy area in which grass can catch the exposed hook, I opt for the Owner Down Shot hook, which is in essence a mini version of an EWG (extra wide gap) worm hook. Naturally, if you plan to drop shot much larger baits, you might need to go up in hook size.

When tying the line to the hook to fish the drop shot, many anglers like to use the Palomar knot.

Tie the Palomar knot as you usually would but do so with an extra long tag end. After the knot has been tied, position the hook with the point facing skyward and feed the tag end through the eyehook from the top. Next, tie, or if you have a drop shot specific weight, attach the weight to the tag end.

TIP: To ensure that the point of the hook will face up after tying the Palomar knot, hold the hook so that the point is facing skyward in one hand. Then, initiate tying the knot by inserting the line through the hook’s eye from the top (the point’s side). If you start the Palomar knot by inserting the line the other way, the hook will be oriented point down upon completion.

The two most commonly used ways to place the bait onto the hook when fishing the drop shot rig are to hook the bait through its nose, as shown in the first picture in this article and wacky rigged, or through the middle of the bait as shown below.



A “Wacky-Rigged” 3” Senko


Tag End Length (Distance from the hook to the weight)
The best way to figure this out is to experiment. I have had success with the tag end being as short as 4-6" to nearly but not quite 24”. Because drop shot method is not limited to a purely vertical presentation, a longer leader is an option if you wish to work it like a Texas or Carolina rig (i.e., dragging it on the bottom from spot to spot). When fishing from the shore and as I do most of the time, a longer tag end will enable you to keep the bait off the ground with the shallow angle that results from a long cast and being on the bank. For a more vertical presentation, a shorter distance from the hook to the bait could work. Another influencing factor is the depth at which the fish are staying. You might need to adjust your tag end accordingly to get the bait into the fish’s strike zone.


Imparting Action and Giving Life to the Lure
Despite my initial perception of working a bait on a drop shot rig, I have learned that it is not all about jiggling and wiggling the bait to death. An angler can indeed work the bait this way, but I can tell you from personal experience, that wiggling and jiggling the bait to death (continuously) has accounted for the fewest number of catches. By no means am I saying to not wiggle and jiggle it to death. It is however, just one method that can be effective on certain occasions.

So what should one do in addition to the wiggling and jiggling tactic?

Keep the weight on the bottom for the most part and leave enough slack in the line to let the bait sink/float/suspend on its own accord. For lack of a better term, I call that slack, “semi-slack.”

Then, when you think the bait is near the bottom lift/twitch the rod just enough to move the bait a little (without moving or minimizing the movement of the weight on the bottom) and repeat. In effect, what you are doing is working a semi-slack line, which in turn, imparts action and life to the bait. No hits? Repeat if you wish, or add a little dead sticking to the mix or, drag your bait to the next spot. All are good choices. The dragging of the weight from one spot to the next also imparts life and action to the lure and can help to draw a strike. Working a semi-slack line and dead sticking have usually very effective and productive for me. Give it a try and see if it does the same for you.

Not sure what the bait will do? Find shallow water and drop your bait down. The depth should be one where you can see all the way to the bottom. Once the weight is on the bottom, let your bait fall by lowering your rod. After the lure hits the bottom, raise the rod’s tip enough to bring the lure up a little while keeping some slack in the line, and do your best to keep the weight in place. Watching this will give you an idea of what will likely be happening when you are not able to see the bait with your own eyes. Visualizing what the bait is doing when I can’t see it helps me to focus on what I am trying to do, and that is catching fish.

Concerned about not being able to feel the bite on this semi-slack line if you are using fluorocarbon or braid? Let me put you at ease. It is not an issue. Either of those lines combined with a sensitive rod is more than adequate to feel the bite when the line has a bit of slack.


The Strike or Hit
The strike or hit can vary depending on the activity level of the fish, the quality of your set up to a certain extent, and the line you are using. More sensitive rods do a better job of transmitting what is going on to you. I have had the blessing of drop shotting with my Berkley Cherrywood Rod, which is decent and not too shabby, but comparing it to my Lamiglas Certified Pro Drop Shot rod is something else. Here is my analogy:

If the Cherrywood rod provides stereo sound to me while watching a DVD movie, the Lamiglas rod gives me the sound in THX and Blu-Ray for the mental image, for the full cinema experience. The latter rod is not necessary to enjoy drop shotting, but it makes it a lot easier to feel and detect the subtle strikes.

The line you use can also influence the feel of the strike. My experience working with both mono and fluorocarbon is that the latter always seemed to give me a better picture. We all know now that although FC line can have as much or more stretch than a comparable monofilament line, it is likely that its density still enables it to beautifully transmit information from the end of our line, to the rod and to our hands. We all know how well braid transmits data back to the angler too so I don’t think I need to elaborate further.

The hit or strike can feel like:
A) A mushy tug or tick, which could translate to a complete inhalation of your bait or the fish attacking the lure from the hook's side.
B) A nibble or nibbling, that transmits vibrations through the line to you. Sometimes you can see or feel the line vibrate through your semi-slack line. More sensitive rods tell you this much better and more clearly. I believe when the hit is like this (my best guess anyway as I visualize the strike), it is possible that the fish might have taken the lure from the side opposite the hook and the nibbling/vibrations you feel is the fish taking in the bait into its mouth, eventually getting to the hook.
C) Bam! An aggressive hit and it's on!

The Hook Set
For one and three, just reeling up the slack and adding enough tension to make the line taut is sufficient for most cases to drive the light wire hook home. For case two, you have to wait until the fish gets to the hook and then do as mentioned above. If you don't, you will pull the lure from the fish's mouth. Since it didn't get to the hook, there is no way the fish can get hooked.

I have written this based on the experience I gained from drop shotting. Take it for what it’s worth, an opinion at best. I will close by giving you a final warning:

WARNING: Drop Shotting is as addictive as it is effective.

Good luck and go get’em!

A.L. Arceo

Review of My First Season Using the Drop Shot Technique


The Drop Shot technique has been so effective for me that in my first season learning and using it, it has accounted for 100% of the smallmouth bass and about 70% of the largemouth bass I have caught in that season. I caught a lot, the most ever!!! There is one thing that makes this even sweeter. They were all caught from the shore. No, this is not a testament to my skills, but a testament to the effectiveness of the Drop Shot technique.
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Old 04-21-11, 08:02 AM   #4
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island bass,

It's an incredibly well written and thorough post and honestly deserves your receiving a medal for your effort and thorough presentation of the subject. As a wiggle and jiggle to death guy until recently, just wanted to second the idea of a slow drag being more effective. Thanks for the fine post......Good Fishing, Mac
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Old 04-21-11, 08:23 AM   #5
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Thanks a bunch! ...I'm fishing a small local tournament on a private lake in southern Iowa in 1-1/2 weeks. There are usually about 15 boats and this will be my 3rd tournament ever. The weather has been cold and crappy. The water temperature will be around 55 degrees and I think the bass are gonna be in pre-spawn mode with some of the smaller males starting to search out bed locations.

This lake is man-made; only 500 acres and is basically a damned up valley. There are several valleys feeding into the main lake that form bays, and even smaller valleys that feed into those bays. If the weather forecast remains the same my strategy will be to look for staging females in 8 to 20 feet of water in those valleys (which resemble creek beds). Deep water (and that is deep for me) has always been my achieles heel, so I'm gonna try a drop-shot and see what happens. Not the ideal situtation: learning a new technique during a tournament, but I am optomistic that I will be able to catch my 4 bass limit of keepers from 8 feet to shore, but will need a couple of bigger bass from deeper water to be in contention to win and I think a drop-shot is the perfect technique for the areas I'd like to fish.
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Old 04-21-11, 03:22 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by IowaBasser View Post
Thanks a bunch! ...I'm fishing a small local tournament on a private lake in southern Iowa in 1-1/2 weeks. There are usually about 15 boats and this will be my 3rd tournament ever. The weather has been cold and crappy. The water temperature will be around 55 degrees and I think the bass are gonna be in pre-spawn mode with some of the smaller males starting to search out bed locations.

This lake is man-made; only 500 acres and is basically a damned up valley. There are several valleys feeding into the main lake that form bays, and even smaller valleys that feed into those bays. If the weather forecast remains the same my strategy will be to look for staging females in 8 to 20 feet of water in those valleys (which resemble creek beds). Deep water (and that is deep for me) has always been my achieles heel, so I'm gonna try a drop-shot and see what happens. Not the ideal situtation: learning a new technique during a tournament, but I am optomistic that I will be able to catch my 4 bass limit of keepers from 8 feet to shore, but will need a couple of bigger bass from deeper water to be in contention to win and I think a drop-shot is the perfect technique for the areas I'd like to fish.

I think you meant dammed...
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Old 04-21-11, 10:20 PM   #7
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lol... I guess you're right!
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Old 04-26-11, 10:41 PM   #8
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I just joined this forum and am extremly happy to find this post right away. This is some of the info I was looking for I just got into drop shot and finesse fishing last season and cannot wait to for this year. I got some qaurry fishing I can't wait for! Thanks for the info I love this site.
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Old 04-27-11, 10:51 PM   #9
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island bass, luv that post... been wanting to learn the drop shot... thanks for the tips.. have tried it but not long enough...
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Old 04-27-11, 10:57 PM   #10
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I'm new to the drop shot also but am going to give it a damn good try.
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Old 04-27-11, 11:10 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by akuser47 View Post
I just joined this forum and am extremly happy to find this post right away. This is some of the info I was looking for I just got into drop shot and finesse fishing last season and cannot wait to for this year. I got some qaurry fishing I can't wait for! Thanks for the info I love this site.
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island bass, luv that post... been wanting to learn the drop shot... thanks for the tips.. have tried it but not long enough...
I started fishing a dropshot for the first time in late 2009 and soon caught my first-ever 5+ pound bass (5lb 2oz LM). It didn't take long and this became one of my favorite ways to fish. I use it all the time and don't feel like it's just for use when the bass are finicky like some people might say. IB wrote a great response about it above and about the only thing I do differently is use only a 1/16 oz weight. I don't know why, but I just got used to using it and when I tried a 3/16 last year for a little while, it just didn't seem like I had as much "feel" that way, so I went back to 1/16. I'm sure there are little differences and nuances that everyone who fishes a dropshot has, but I would encourage you to give it a fair try and see how it goes. 3 of my top 8 all-time bass (5-2, 4-8, 4-7) have now come when using the dropshot. Those are decent-size LM here in MN where the state record is under 9 pounds.

I caught a total of 276 bass (LM + SM) last year and 35% of them came while dropshotting, almost all of them with a wacky-rigged 5" senko as the dropshot bait. And I even caught 14 pesky little Rock Bass that same way.

Good luck with it and hope you enjoy it 1/2 as much as I do.

P.S. to Alex (islandbass) - thanks for the awesome write-up you shared above!
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Old 04-28-11, 05:51 AM   #12
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Guessing the difference in the size of the weight has to do with your line size & how much the wind is blowing & how deep your fishing?...I tried the light weights & have trouble keeping it in contact with the bottom.. maybe Im a little heavy handed.
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Old 04-28-11, 07:50 PM   #13
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Guessing the difference in the size of the weight has to do with your line size & how much the wind is blowing & how deep your fishing?...I tried the light weights & have trouble keeping it in contact with the bottom.. maybe Im a little heavy handed.
Good points, Sam, all of which I somehow never thought of. I vary between 6 & 8 lb fluorocarbon line and it is often fairly windy (15-20+ mph), but the key might be that I'm pretty much always fishing in 8-9 feet of water or less. My fishing buddy uses 3/16, but he doesn't dropshot much.
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Old 04-28-11, 09:40 PM   #14
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Great post IB, I could see it being a sticky! As some one who's also starting Drop shopping this year, I'm loving this thread, thanks Iowa!

One thing I'd like to add is that the Jackall Cross tail seems like a great bait to me. From tank testing it, it seems to suspend in the water pretty evenly on a semi slack line like IB was talking about. Next to a GYCB Shad Shape, it looks great, much better in fact. The Shad Shape seems to sink more, and have to much a dead action IMO. lol. Just my opinion though, could be wrong. I've yet to fish the two side by side, so I'd hate to say which is better. Just saying I will opt for the jackall.
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Old 04-29-11, 06:09 AM   #15
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I've seen some Z- Man baits that float & stretch.. I picked up 2 bags of finesse style worms & 1 bag of trick worms this week & will report on how they work.
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Old 04-29-11, 06:34 AM   #16
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Generally speaking what is a good size hook?
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Old 04-29-11, 09:36 AM   #17
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Generally speaking what is a good size hook?
It depends on the size of the bait, but I use a Gamakatsu Finesse Wid Gap in Size 1/0 for big baits, and I also use a Mustad Drop Shot Hook in Size 1 for smaller baits.

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Old 04-29-11, 01:20 PM   #18
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Guessing the difference in the size of the weight has to do with your line size & how much the wind is blowing & how deep your fishing?...I tried the light weights & have trouble keeping it in contact with the bottom.. maybe Im a little heavy handed.
I always try to use the lightest weight I can and still keep in contact with the bottom. For me, that's usually a 3/16oz, some times down to an 1/8oz. When it's really windy, I'll go up to a 1/4. In heavy current, it's usually 1/4-3/8oz.

the depth of water you're fishing affects what size weight to use too. I sure wouldn't be throwing an 1/8oz weight if I was fishing 50' of water.

Having the right rod really helps you keep contact with the bottom. a 7' ML F/XF rod is a great rod for general dropshotting. You don't need anything heavier because you don't need a hard hookset with the tiny hooks.

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I've seen some Z- Man baits that float & stretch.. I picked up 2 bags of finesse style worms & 1 bag of trick worms this week & will report on how they work.
The floating baits work decent. My favorite DS bait lately has been the Chomper's 4" DS worm.

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Old 04-29-11, 01:21 PM   #19
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Generally speaking what is a good size hook?
Like Ryan, I also use either a 1 or 1/0 hook, although I use a Gamakatsu DS/SS hook. 1 for finesse worms and other thin bodies baits, and 1/0 for flukes, gobies, etc.

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Old 04-29-11, 02:17 PM   #20
g_rigor
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I read somewhere a while back that to eliminate line twist you either had to use braid with a leader or tie on a small ball bearing swivel to your line and attach a leader to that. Since i already had good flourocarbon line and didnt want to spend the money to put braid on my reels i tried a very tiny swivel(spro) makes some really small ones. I havent had any line twist at all since i did this, before i always had to run my line behind the boat to eliminate the twist. I know people may say adding a swivel may not be a good thing, but it sure is nice not to have to go through the trouble of untwisting your line everytime you go fishing.
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Old 05-02-11, 03:31 PM   #21
IowaBasser
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...I'm fishing a small local tournament on a private lake in southern Iowa in 1-1/2 weeks. There are usually about 15 boats and this will be my 3rd tournament ever. The weather has been cold and crappy. The water temperature will be around 55 degrees and I think the bass are gonna be in pre-spawn mode with some of the smaller males starting to search out bed locations.
The tournament was this past weekend, and we didn't do very well! There were 18 boats; we were one of six boats who didn't weigh a single fish. We caught a lot of little fish including 3 that were within 1/4" of the 14" length requirement. We sheared a pin in our trolling motor with about 2 hours left in the tournament... but it was clear before then that we weren't going to be in contention.

I did try the drop-shot technique: before during and after the tournament. I wasn't able to catch a single fish on it, but did get a couple bites. I ended up fishing a 5" finesse worm - wacky rigged. I started out with 1/4 oz weight which seemed heavy so downsized to 1/8 oz.

I was fishing a creek bed in about 14' of water and there appeared to be some type of log, stump, something down there. I felt a little tick-tick-tick... I pointed my rod down to give the fish just a little slack and when my line started to move I turned the handle once to take up some slack and WHAM... set the hook-closely followed by SNAP... closely followed by a string of obscenities. The fish had wrapped my line around the stump and my rod snapped in 3 different places! It was a cheap rod that I had bought for a 12 year old cousin to use some time ago, so I wasn't too dissappointed.

I'll give it another try later this summer and let ya know when I start catching fish on the drop-shot.
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Old 05-02-11, 07:15 PM   #22
Bender
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When fishing the drop shot I try not to set the hook, just reel into them and let the rod load up. With those really small, super sharp hooks they basically set themselves. I've broken off a number of fish on this rig as well when I get excited and set the hook, or a big smallie makes a run. Remembering you are using light line and need to play the fish helps, and I have landed many big ones with it.
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Old 05-02-11, 07:32 PM   #23
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When fishing the drop shot I try not to set the hook, just reel into them and let the rod load up. With those really small, super sharp hooks they basically set themselves. I've broken off a number of fish on this rig as well when I get excited and set the hook, or a big smallie makes a run. Remembering you are using light line and need to play the fish helps, and I have landed many big ones with it.
That is a major key to success on the hook up. Well said! I too am guilty of getting too excited.

I's also like to thank everyone for their kind words.
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Old 05-04-11, 12:00 PM   #24
keveldae
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Thumbs up drop shot

They seemed to have covered everything on drop shotting . I would just like to add a different thought about the hookset . When the fish takes the bait , the line is doubled over in his mouth with line running to the sinker and to the rod . I think when you use an aggressive hookset the line forms a small v from the tension of the sinker and the motion of the set . In some cases it enough to let the bait pass out of the fishes mouth . I have had my best luck with just picking up the slack line (if i'm fishing shallow ) or letting the fish take it , until I feel the weight , then set with a small snap . Don't forget about bubba shotting with full sized plastics and texas rigging the bait on the hook for cover . It's surprising how well it will go thru cover .
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Old 06-27-11, 08:25 AM   #25
senkosam
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Island Bass - thanks much! A complete guide!
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