How to Drop Shot

[jacob95]

How do you guys fish drop shot? I always hear about it and don't know how to fish it. Also when do you fish it?

[BucketHunter]

There are many ways to fish the rig-cast and drag, hop, swim etc. You can tie it on heavy braid with an EWG and dunk it into pockets. You drift it, troll it, stroll it, the possibilities are endless. Plastic worms, minnows, craws, swimbaits, heck even hardbaits.
For the purest sense of the word though, dropshot is usually deep water, using your electronics to pinpoint schools, and sometimes even individual fish. You fish it vertically, quite still, and wait it out. If you electronics are dialed in, you can watch fish on the screen move up to take the bait. In open, very deep water, you can fish it over suspended schools by doing that very thing. Otherwise it's generally on bottom, as close to a tight line as you can get it without picking up the wait, and letting the natural shake of your hand, the action of the waves and the current add a little bit of life to the bait. Most of the time, if you do too much, you won't get bit.
Minnow and goby imitations dominate for SM, while longer hand pour finesse worms tend to be my go to for LM.

[beezy]

Here's a video from one of the best fishermen out there, Mr. Aaron Martens:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmDHkzG7aio

This video gives you a good idea how to get into dropshotting. In my opinion, you can use dropshot for anything. I fish from shore 95% of the time and dropshotting is NOT only a deep water technique. It's just another tool that you can use to catch fish and can be deadly especially in clear water. Feel free to message me if you need any other tips on dropshotting as I've done quite a bit of experimenting on this technique and I don't fish it like most people do.

[njbasscat]

I find that the less I work the drop shot, the better it works. You first need to know how to rig it. You can get examples online. I keep my tag end between 6 and 12 inches but normally leave 8 inches between the weight and the bait. I like 2/0 Gama Dropshot hooks and cylinder shaped weights. I use mostly 6lb fluoro rigged on a Dobyns DX702 spinning rod. You definitely want a rod with a soft tip. This makes it easier to keep the weight on the bottom while shaking the bait. My favorite baits are Roboworm Alive Shad, Jackall Cross Tail Shad, and Zoom Finesse worms but most any bait will work. I fish them in one foot of water up to forty feet plus. The drop shot really has no limitations and if you find a school of fish, you can load the boat. They also work very well when the bite is very tough. Clear water is best but I have caught plenty in water with color and even in muddy water.

[jacob95]

Now that I understand a little better what drop shotting is. What do all you guys run for a setup (rod, reel, line, favorite worm to use, etc.)?

[curls]

I use a heavier rod than most for my DS duties, mostly because A: I don't DS much, and B: I tend to DS in vegetation (power-shotting) about 75% of the time.
Kistler magnesium 6'9" MH "Finesse Special" spinning rod. (Tip heavy but great action)
Pflueger Supreme XT reel
30# Daiwa Samurai Braid, 8# P-Line CFX fluoro leader
Owner 1/0 or size 1 mosquito hook

[beezy]

Now that I understand a little better what drop shotting is. What do all you guys run for a setup (rod, reel, line, favorite worm to use, etc.)?

I mostly dropshot with my baitcast setups. I'm drop-shotting with my daiwa pixzilla with 4 or 5lb sunline fc sniper. I've also used 6lb tatsu (best flouro imo) as well. For starters, I would recommend the tried and true roboworm. Look them up. Tons of colors to choose from and the price is decent. I fish from shore a lot and throw up to 3/8oz for distance. But I mostly use 1/8oz and 1/4oz.

[basskeeter1]

Watch youtube videos and patience, ¼ ounce sinker with a circle hook and some robo worms. My setup consist of a Dobyns DX742 paired with a core 51e and 8lb. P-line.

[FrankW]

If you have a free flowing river the drop shot is an excellent choice. Here in Florida we have spring fed rivers that are crystal clear. I use a drop shot rig with fluro and a plastic of some type. You have to choose your weight based on the currant flow. I usually use a 1/4oz weight with a 4" or 5" finesse worm or a 4" Senko. The worm needs to be close to the bottom and I usually start with about 12" between the bait and the weight.

You need to cast up river at about 45 degrees. You have to stay in contact with the weight. You let the currant carry the rig down stream with the weight touching the bottom. It takes a little feel to know what the rig is doing but the currant will carry the bait right to the waiting fish. I use 6 or 8 pound fluro.

Drop shot style fishing is reasonable new to Bass fishing but we used this technique back in the 50s for Steelhead.

Frank

[hobobob]

Don't over think it. It's basically a rig with weight on the bottom instead. Perfect for those snaggy rocky bottoms.

You can find all the info you needed here: http://www.richz.com/fishing/blog/?page_id=552

90% of the time, I do drop shot on rocky bottom, shallow or deep. I prefer spinning setup for this. repeating dropping on deep water can be a chore on casting setup. Your hand also relax more on spinning setup since the weight of the reel is behind your hand ( fulcrum point ), more relax hand = better sensitivity. My setup is ml spinning rod, 6-8 lb fluro, #2 gamakatsu split shot / dropshot hook. Yes it's a very tiny hook, it doesn't weight down the bait. Once the tiny hook goes in, it's not coming out. Just remember, don't set the hook, simply lift and reel.

When bubba shoting in weed. I use normal t-rig casting setup.

[tomustang]

Typical used is ML 6'8-7' rod with fast or extra fast action, 1000-2500 reel, 6lb line, teardrop or pencil weight, swivel hook like gammy drop shot or vmc spin shot, any soft plastic you have.