Drop Shotting Bass

[RetiredandFishin]

Guys
I'm pretty new to this forum but I was reading an article on drop shotting bass and havent seen anything posted on it here. Has anyone tried this system of fishing for bass? The article is on Bass Pro website.
See the picture below of the setup that was suggested:

[Raul]

It´s a very common type of presentation and rigging to present a bait above the bottom, commonly used for us guys who fish a lot deep steep sloping banks or for presenting the bait above weeds.

You get a better result if instead of using a straight shank hook you use an R bend hook, when you tie your hook you tighten the knot on the bend, insert the long leader through the hook eye and then tie your sinker, the hook will always be in horizontal position something that doesn´t always happen with a straight shank hook. The R bend hook also allows you to T-expose rig the bait to make it weedless.

R bend hook:

[brushhog]

IslandBass is a big proponent of this style of fishing. If you find him on the members list and send him a message he will respond. He may have posted an article he wrote somewhere too... Try the search tool.

[lunker-lander]

I ditto Brushhog. PM Island bass and he'll set you up!

-ll

[PowerBass]

Dropshotting is my favorite technique. Light line, 6 to 8lb test for me, or lighter. I use the lightest weights I can sneak by with, usually 1/8 to 3/16oz. I use Gamakatzu SplitShot/Dropshot Hooks exclusivley. My bait of choice is either a-Zoom Finnese worm, b- PowerMinnow, or c- Renegade 4inch Worm. I usually go with 1 to 2ft between hook and weight, but will go longer depending on what I am fishing. If It is grass, I use just enough leader to get my bait right on top of it. If Im fishing boulders, I use a long enough leader to stay above them 3-6 inches, which can be up to a 4ft leader or more. Scattered rocks, not quite the boulder size, is when I use the 12-24 inch method, as well as in shallow standing timber 8-12ft. My hookset is a reeling and then a nice snap of the wrist, you dont want to horse hookset it. Light line and light wire hooks with heavy force is no good. But a nice even application of pressure is perfect, and the wrist snap just kind of sets it in nicely. Use a larger sized spinning reel in order to help with line twist. I also use Reel Majic to prevent memory from forming. One more thing, use you electronics. This is a major key to this presentation, and it is the one aspect Im improving on every time I go out and fish this rig.

[RetiredandFishin]

Now I cant wait to hit the lake come Monday morning to try out this new rig. As usual, you guys give some great info to get going.

[islandbass]

Woh! First of all, let me say that I am flattered, LL and Brushhog!

I'm not an expert of drop shotting but I do love the technique, especially for its simplicity. It is relatively new to bass fishing but it has been around and used by anglers targetting other fish species.

Originally Posted by PowerBass

Dropshotting is my favorite technique. Light line, 6 to 8lb test for me, or lighter. I use the lightest weights I can sneak by with, usually 1/8 to 3/16oz. I use Gamakatzu SplitShot/Dropshot Hooks exclusivley. My bait of choice is either a-Zoom Finnese worm, b- PowerMinnow, or c- Renegade 4inch Worm. I usually go with 1 to 2ft between hook and weight, but will go longer depending on what I am fishing. If It is grass, I use just enough leader to get my bait right on top of it. If Im fishing boulders, I use a long enough leader to stay above them 3-6 inches, which can be up to a 4ft leader or more. Scattered rocks, not quite the boulder size, is when I use the 12-24 inch method, as well as in shallow standing timber 8-12ft. My hookset is a reeling and then a nice snap of the wrist, you dont want to horse hookset it. Light line and light wire hooks with heavy force is no good. But a nice even application of pressure is perfect, and the wrist snap just kind of sets it in nicely. Use a larger sized spinning reel in order to help with line twist. I also use Reel Majic to prevent memory from forming. One more thing, use you electronics. This is a major key to this presentation, and it is the one aspect Im improving on every time I go out and fish this rig.

Power bass sums it up superbly. I will post my experienced based piece about dropshotting my next thread.

Thanks!

-ib

[islandbass]

Islandbass' Summary on the Drop Shot Technique - What I have learned to date this season

I am no expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I have grown fond of the Drop Shot technique in my short, four-season fishing journey. I have been using it for just over a season’s time. This is a very productive method to catch fish in a variety of states. In my first outing for smallies this season, I hooked and caught 3 smallies 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).

Basic Drop Shot Diagram
Here is a generic set up.




Rod and Reel Type
You don't need a Drop Shot specific rod. A medium-light to medium-action rod from 6'6" on up to 7' should work for you for now. 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 and leverage; two big pluses in drop shotting.

I prefer spinning reels (a size 20 or 2500 reel is an excellent choice) because they require less work to give the bait a better (IMHO) descent than a baitcast reel. Sorry baitcast reel users, but the way a spinning drops the bait (for ¼ oz weights and less) smokes a baitcast reel any and every day for drop shotting. To those who use baitcast reels exclusively, please note I said for drop shotting in its basic, finesse (lighter lines, weights, and smaller baits). There will not be a need to strip line off just to make the bait fall.

With that said, casting reels can also be used. I just prefer a spinning reel. You may use whatever reel you want. Even a Barbie pole can get it done for drop shotting! However, I would not hesitate to use heavier line, weights, larger baits and a baitcast reel if I were to drop shot heavy cover. Something I call Alpha Shotting!


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 or cylindrical shape. I have not experimented with other shapes. Windier conditions and stronger currents might make you want to choose a heavier weight, but let’s not worry about that for now.

Line
Because you are drop shotting, lighter line is preferred if the cover you are fishing allows it. Go up in # strength if the cover dictates this. I like and use 6# fluorocarbon, particularly Seaguar's Invizx. This line kicks fanny. No doubt about it. The plus in going with fluorocarbon in a higher # test if needed is despite having a slightly thicker line diameter; the angler retains the benefit of fluorocarbon’s trait of near invisibility as advertisers so claim. Whichever line you choose, I think the fluorocarbon line of your choice will be fine.

Baits
Keep an open mind here. Many baits of a variety of shapes 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 typical length of a drop shot bait usually ranges from 3" - 4.5" but this is NOT set in stone. Roboworms, Senkos, Sniper Snubs and Bolts (the latter two are locally made baits), Reaction Innovations Flirts, and heck, even Baby Brush Hogs and Tubes can be used. Think out of the box. I have used longer worms too. This season, the 4.5” Roboworm (in Aaron’s Magic) and Sniper Snubs in Watermelon and Dark Brown have been so effective that to date I have not seen a need to try something else or other colors. It might be different for bass in other waters. If you wish to know, so far the most effective baits for me have been, the snubs and roboworms.

Here is a picture of a smallie I caught on a longer Roboworm hoping for a bigger smallie. The darn Roboworm is nearly as long as the smallie!




Hooks/Knot
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.

I attach the hook to the line with a Palomar knot and after it is tied, I insert the extra line (tag end) through the hook's eye before attaching the weight.


Leader (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 leaders (tag ends) being as short as 4-6" to nearly but not quite 24”. Because drop shotting is not limited to a purely vertical presentation, a longer leader is a good idea if you wish to work it somewhat like a Texas or Carolina rig. The longer leader length or tag end (which I define here as the distance between the weight and your hook, perhaps 18" as a ballpark figure) will enable you to keep the bait off the ground with the shallow angle that will result from a long cast. For a more vertical presentation, a shorter distance from the hook to the bait can work. Another influencing factor is the depth at which the fish are staying. You might need to adjust your tag end accordingly.

Imparting Life to the Lure
Despite the initial perception of working this lure, 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.

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

Keep the weight on the bottom for the most part and leave enough slack to let the bait sink on its own weight. 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 and this is what is imparting action 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. In addition, working with the slack and dead sticking have been far more effective for me compared to wiggling and jiggling the bait to death.

Not sure what the bait will do? Find some 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. Before the lure hits the bottom, raise the rod’s tip enough to bring the lure up, 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.


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, 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.

The hit or strike can feel like:
1) 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.
2) 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.
3) Bam! 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!

-ib

Review of this past season

The Drop Shot technique has been so effective for me even though it is 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 this season, and I caught a lot, the most ever!!! And here is the 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.

[RetiredandFishin]

ISLANDBASS, Looks like you are the king of drop shot fishing. I would have never thought this would work fishing from the shore. I wish I had known about this rig when my kids were little.
Thanks for all the help.

[pig n jig]

I don't like drop shot fishing, but it's something you must learn when smallmouth fishing here in late August on through November.The hook I posted is the standout drop shot hook, I use a Hurricane brand .I primarily use 2 colors, motoroil and smoke(055G).I use 6 lb test with a 3/16oz., or 1/4 oz. skinny Bakudan weight.A tick is all I normally feel from a strike, just reel down and apply pressure with the rod, no need for a hookset. P N J

http://www.hurricanebassinworms.com/

[pig n jig]

I also like the D.C. worms from a Ebay store.I use acid rain and acid bath colors with good results. P N J

http://stores.ebay.com/D-C-Worms

[BigBassin144]

Do you guy's use braided, Mono or Fluoro for dropshotting, because I would also liek to leanr how to this coming spring.

[pig n jig]

I use 6 lb test Hi seas white lightning line, its a copolymer line. P N J

[Rebbasser]

Originally Posted by BigBassin144

Do you guy's use braided, Mono or Fluoro for dropshotting, because I would also liek to leanr how to this coming spring.

8 lb. Trilene Fluorocarbon. NOT Vanish.

RetiredandFishin, welcome to the forum! Always glad to see a fellow Texan join up!

[WallStreetAmigo]

I also like the drop shot technique. It has saved many fishing trips for me when the fish wouldn't touch anything else. As is mentioned above, I find that understanding what your bait is going to do before attempting to use it where you can't see it lets you visualize and really improves success. It is a myth (because it is a finesse technique mostly done with a spinning outfit and light line) that it catches only small bass. I have caught some 3-4 pounders with it along with smaller bass as well. Whether I'm shore fishing or boat fishing, I always keep one rod rigged up with a drop shot.

Awesome write up islandbass! You said it all!

[Bob Smith]

Islandbass, that was a near perfect post for drop shotting! I am new to this forum, and finding some great threads on here. I moderate the Texas Fishing Forum, but since I've moved to Georgia I decided to see what else is out there and found you guys tonight.
I started drop-shotting about 6 years ago in Texas, and now it is one my "goto's" on any lake, expecially lakes with lots of fishing pressure. Like most I use a spinning rig, 7' 2" Shimano Crucial Drop Shot rods are my rods of preference, and Shimano Symmetre 2000 and 2500 rear drag are my reels. I spool all of my spinning rigs with 20 lb Power Pro Braid or 20 Lb Tuff Line braided line, my leaders are normally 10 or 12 Lb. Seaguar Carbon Pro tied tot he main line via Double Uni or the Surgeons knot. Where the big difference is: in Texas there is a lot more to get hung on than there is in Washington State, so the hook I normally use is the #1 or #2 Owner EWG offset, tied the same way as Islandbass diagrams. We rig our offerings Texas style with the hook embedded or Texsposed (skin-hooked). My bait of choice is normally something like the Chompers dropshot worm (4" straight/tapered tail), but the Zoom Meat head drop shot, the Zoom 5 1/2" finesse worms, Zoom Shakey worms are all in my boat, as well as the original Slider worms. On rare occasions I will use the Yamamoto cut-tail worms and the 4" Berkely curl tail worms.
The distance I set the weight is much like mentioned before, I let the situation dictate the depth. Generally I like to set my weight about 14" below the hook, but leave about 2' additional line below that in case I have to adjust. Depth, coming from Texas, especially places like Lake Fork and other East Texas impoundments, deep water is not the factor. So I threw these rigs from fin deep down to 40'. I have even caught fish suspended over 40-60' of water at about 20'-25' range by vertical fishing the bait like a jigging spoon (Understanding your graph is critical in this presentation). Day in and day out my go to weight is 1/8 oz cylindrical (less likely to hang up in grass and fairs pretty well in the rocks too).

[BigBassin144]

I was lookit at a couple different rods for dropshotting next spring. I have narrowed it down to the Shimano Compre rods, but which do you think will be better:
6'3" M w/ exposed foregrip
6'6" M w/ exposed foregrip
6'6" L w/o exposed foregrip

If you don't know about the exposed foregrip, check it out. I Held one at Gander Mountain to feel and it was more sensitive; like haveing the rod exposed under the reel seat of a baitcasting rod.

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st...002000_100-2-2

[Bob Smith]

Originally Posted by BigBassin144

If you don't know about the exposed foregrip, check it out. I Held one at Gander Mountain to feel and it was more sensitive; like haveing the rod exposed under the reel seat of a baitcasting rod.

The Shimano Crucial series Drop Shot Spinning rods are the same way. I love that feature, really helps transmit the bite!

[BigBassin144]

I looked at the Crucial series too, but because I just turned 16 and have yet to find a job, the Compre are more in my price range.

[Bob Smith]

Originally Posted by BigBassin144

I looked at the Crucial series too, but because I just turned 16 and have yet to find a job, the Compre are more in my price range.

Go with what you can afford, just keep on fishing, and never grow tired of fishing (especially bass fishing).

[islandbass]

Bob and Wall Street,

Thanks for your kind words!

Bob, there are a lot of great bits of information in your post. I will keep it in mind if I ever have to fish that deep. Being shorebound, I have not yet had the opportunity to fish that scenario but what you describe sounds like a blast.

I too like 1/8 oz and I toss either that or 3/16 if I need a little more casting distance.

BigBassin,

Any of those rods should work, but try to get away with the longest rod you can. The longer rod will give you more line control and leverage, two traits that will aid you in drop shotting. In addition, I drop shot with my 2-piece 6'6" MH Compre (ie, my "trunk" rod ) and let me tell you it really gets the job done. It is a great all around rod. My beautiful Lamiglas Certified Pro only sees action on the weekends and if I don't have anything on the honey do list. The Compre line is mighty fine. Crucials are also sweet. I have the 6'10 MH for jigs.

-ib

[azsportsman]

Something I have even done, is instead of a dropshot weight, I have tied a football head jig on it. This way you can figure out if they are feeding on the bottom or just off it.