Do you consider the "drop shot" cheating?

[ngt]

I rarely catch bass, or at least that's how it was in the past. I know it's all me...not using the lure right or the wrong lure for an area etc etc. This is all shore fishing. I've caught 6-7 large mouth in my life and 4 were off a boat. I've mostly tried off the shore with little to no luck...mostly no luck.

Here's what I have gone with the last 4 times out.

So a bit ago I go camping and try this drop shot stuff. I caught 4 in a bit over an hour while nobody else casting lures, worms/Lizards (Tex Rig), rooster tails, etc etc wasn't catching anything in the same areas. I'm thinking to myself, why isn't anyone else doing this?? I went a few other places since then and did really well too, at least for me, where before I'd most likely have left without a bite.

That leads me to this morning where I go to another local lake and hit 3-4 spots and bam, I get a nice one. I walk around the lake a bit and talk to another guy fishing craw fish for bass and a guy in a guy in a float tube casting a large lure. Neither of them caught anything at that point. I walk to a different spot about 15-20 feet over on the other side of some hedges/trees and toss out the drop shot and I hook 2 right next to them. One guy looks at me like I'm a magician and the other like he wants to punch me in the face. I move on and grab another a few spots over, where those guys and another few guys can see, and I get looks like everyone hates me or disapproves.

So is fishing with a drop shot considered cheating or not cool or something? It's definitely the easiest catching 1-3 pound largemouth bass has ever been for me. Do people that mostly use lures look at this as cheap? cheating? or like an easy way out of fishing with lures which I am sure takes more skill, based on how easy it was for me to pick this up and how long I've gone trying to catch a bass with a top water lure with nothing to show for it.

So what do you guys think? Do people generally look down on this kind of fishing?

 

[ajgraz]

Re: Do you consider the "drop shot" cheating?

Catching fish by any legal means is NOT cheating. Not like you were using M80's.

On deep lakes sometimes dropshot is the only thing that will get 'em. The dude giving you the stink eye was jealous. If he wasn't a deek he'd have come over and found out what you were fishing with.

Now you know that lake holds bass. So now you can start working on methods to produce size.

 

[ngt]

Re: Do you consider the "drop shot" cheating?

Catching fish by any legal means is NOT cheating. Not like you were using M80's.

On deep lakes sometimes dropshot is the only thing that will get 'em. The dude giving you the stink eye was jealous. If he wasn't a deek he'd have come over and found out what you were fishing with.

Now you know that lake holds bass. So now you can start working on methods to produce size.

I'd take something bigger, but heading to a lake and getting 3-4 fish in an hour or so is awesome to me. The lake I was at this morning is said to have big bass in it. Supposedly this lady caught a 22 1/2 pounder there once...

http://www.flwoutdoors.com/fishing-...ys-71-year-old-largemouth-record-or-does-she/


Do you think maybe they just thought it was stupid to fish like I was fishing because it wouldn't get me anything "REALLY BIG"?? I could catch 1-3 pound bass all day and be happy.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Do you consider the "drop shot" cheating?

I hook 2 right next to them. One guy looks at me like I'm a magician and the other like he wants to punch me in the face. I move on and grab another a few spots over, where those guys and another few guys can see, and I get looks like everyone hates me or disapproves.

Haters...

Keep doing what you are doing, I see no problem with it.

 

[rndn]

Re: Do you consider the "drop shot" cheating?

Pro's use it all the time for one reason, it really really works!!

 

[yourkiddin]

Re: Do you consider the "drop shot" cheating?

I have tried this method for 3 days with no luck.2 weeks ago I started the shaky head method. I've caught more bass than I can believe with shaky head. Last night it produced a 5 to 6 pounder. I don't think I'm getting the knot right. And not sure what size weight I should be using.

 

[j_martin]

Re: Do you consider the "drop shot" cheating?

Different tactics catch fish on the same lake at different times. When they're deep and in relatively light cover, drop shot is hard to beat. On rocks or in the open, shaky head is hard to beat. You won't get either one into thick pads covered with slop algae, but if the bass are there you'll have to find a lure that will. Top weedless frog, Texas beaver, or whatever.


If you want bigger fish on the drop shot, try robo-worm 6 inch zipper with Kick-N-Bass scent on it.

 

[nimmor]

Re: Do you consider the "drop shot" cheating?

Some of the biggest names in fishing Drop Shot, including KVD. They were probably jealous because they never learned the techinque. Or they may have tried it but with no luck. The first few times I tried it I didn't have no luck, but after reading some articles and watching some videos I found out I was not fishing it properly.

 

[ngt]

Re: Do you consider the "drop shot" cheating?

Some of the biggest names in fishing Drop Shot, including KVD. They were probably jealous because they never learned the techinque. Or they may have tried it but with no luck. The first few times I tried it I didn't have no luck, but after reading some articles and watching some videos I found out I was not fishing it properly.

Any tips on fishing it properly?

I've been tossing it on the side of brush, letting it hit bottom, tightening up a bit and doing short somewhat quick jigs. I've been doing pretty well.

I looked at some youtube videos and saw some different methods.

1: letting it hit bottom, not jigging at all, and slowly reeling your line tight. Guy called it "deadsticking"

2: guy was doing 3-4 little tiny jerks(moving the rod tip about 3-4 inches only on each), kind of like I do, then a big hop and reeling that tight, then start over

3: guy was consistently reeling in, doing slower but consistent light touch type jerks, with the rod tip moving about 8-10 inches on each

all of them were catching fish
3: Another

What do you do? Any tips on the "proper" way to fish a drop shot?

Do you texas rig your worm?

Do you have to buy drop shot weights? Or can you just tie on regular small weights?

Do you prefer the round ball weights or the longer cylindrical weights?

Like I said, I'm doing pretty well, but if there's something I could do to get this right and do better with the bigger fish, I'd be all over it.


What type of worms do you use? One guy on youtube said to use Powerbait Hand Pour Finess Worms, Powerbait Hollow Belly split tail minnows, Gulp shakey worms, and Gulp Berkely Wackey worms.

What type would you suggest? Or doesn it have to do with what worms or fish are in a lake? Or do you just try different colors/worms and see what works best at different lakes.

Also what size worm do you use? I've been using 4 1/2 inch worms.

What do you think about using sent on your worms?

thanks for your help!!

 

[nimmor]

Re: Do you consider the "drop shot" cheating?

As far as the weight goes you can buy the drop shot weights but they are a little on the pricey side. I use a regular slip sinker and a split shot. I place the slip sinker on the line and then at the tail of my line clamp on the split shot. This still allows you to pull free if the weight gets hung up, you lose the weight but keep the worm. I like the small straight tail finesse worms and choose colors based on teh conditions, natural colors in clear to stained water and darker colors in darker water. You can use all kinds of soft plastics from worms to tubes on a shakey head. I like to cast it next to stumps, dock pilings and things like that. 6" is the biggest worm I'll use. I think the smaller worms like a4" worm give it better action. Once on bottom I'll jig it up and down not letting the weight get off the bottom. Some fishermen jig it all the way back to the boat and that can be great at times. The way I described is how it got started. It was came up to keep a worm in the area versus a T-Rig which moves from the area.

 

[MRS]

Re: Do you consider the "drop shot" cheating?

Enjoy what is working now because it will change sooner or later. Then you will start all over again thats fishing.

 

[ngt]

Re: Do you consider the "drop shot" cheating?

As far as the weight goes you can buy the drop shot weights but they are a little on the pricey side. I use a regular slip sinker and a split shot. I place the slip sinker on the line and then at the tail of my line clamp on the split shot. This still allows you to pull free if the weight gets hung up, you lose the weight but keep the worm. I like the small straight tail finesse worms and choose colors based on teh conditions, natural colors in clear to stained water and darker colors in darker water. You can use all kinds of soft plastics from worms to tubes on a shakey head. I like to cast it next to stumps, dock pilings and things like that. 6" is the biggest worm I'll use. I think the smaller worms like a4" worm give it better action. Once on bottom I'll jig it up and down not letting the weight get off the bottom. Some fishermen jig it all the way back to the boat and that can be great at times. The way I described is how it got started. It was came up to keep a worm in the area versus a T-Rig which moves from the area.

thanks!


how do you rig your worm on a drop shot? Like mine or texas rig style?

 

[fritzmerde]

Re: Do you consider the "drop shot" cheating?

Gotta go with the Capt,-haters( I like that, I have much less tact) No matter what you do, if you're catching-they're not, you're cheating or made a deal with the devil. I'm blessed to live on the water, I can fish in my backyard, or go out-if I had the time I'd be out every day, now it's every other day. In 42 years of fishing I've learned that I don't know squat.I can make edumacated guesses, I can be on fire Tues. & Ice cold Wed. trying to figure out what the hell happened. I try thinking like a fish, usually I just smell like 1. I'll go with #1 #1/0 & 2/0 hook, usually a 4" - 8" of various colors-we had lots of rain last month, couldn't see 2 feet down, this month a few light showers, water's clear so smaller, more colorful bait. I'll use a T-rig or Carolina-some times short hitting gets old. I'll vary the length of the leader depending where they holding, you can use any kind of weight you want-I'm cheap, I'll tie a knot around my neighbors lawn gnomes. I'll jig it, crank it, walk it, jerk it, spank it-I'll do that when fishing too. Bottom line, work it until it doesn't work. I think I'd avoid Fredos Hail Mary technique-didn't really work out well.

 

[ngt]

Re: Do you consider the "drop shot" cheating?

Gotta go with the Capt,-haters( I like that, I have much less tact) No matter what you do, if you're catching-they're not, you're cheating or made a deal with the devil. I'm blessed to live on the water, I can fish in my backyard, or go out-if I had the time I'd be out every day, now it's every other day. In 42 years of fishing I've learned that I don't know squat.I can make edumacated guesses, I can be on fire Tues. & Ice cold Wed. trying to figure out what the hell happened. I try thinking like a fish, usually I just smell like 1. I'll go with #1 #1/0 & 2/0 hook, usually a 4" - 8" of various colors-we had lots of rain last month, couldn't see 2 feet down, this month a few light showers, water's clear so smaller, more colorful bait. I'll use a T-rig or Carolina-some times short hitting gets old. I'll vary the length of the leader depending where they holding, you can use any kind of weight you want-I'm cheap, I'll tie a knot around my neighbors lawn gnomes. I'll jig it, crank it, walk it, jerk it, spank it-I'll do that when fishing too. Bottom line, work it until it doesn't work. I think I'd avoid Fredos Hail Mary technique-didn't really work out well.

Yeah, these drop shot weights and shaky head setups are expensive. I'm done buying drop shot weights. I'll by 20 of the ones you pinch with pliers for $2 instead of 10 drop shot weights for $4. I need to find some cheap skinny hooks in bulk packs too. I went to walmart, but their stuff that I could use was more than the outdoor pro shop, which I thought was weird.