Drop shotting

[LubeDude]

Any of you Bass fishermen do any drop shotting, never tried it myself, and would like to know how well it works for you. Is it really nececary to use the octopus type hooks?

 

[JB]

Re: Drop shotting

I have used variations on drop shotting for years, LD. Works well for fish just off the bottom. Bass, crappies, walleye, etc.

 

[JRJ]

Re: Drop shotting

About how far off the bottom do you set the bait?

 

[rolmops]

Re: Drop shotting

I like using it a lot for crappies.They often converge on one spot and form a pyramid like school right on the side of some structure.The same goes for white perch.<br />I have three or four hooks right on the main line with palomar knots at about a 16 inches apart thereby covering much more of the water column.After a while a pattern develops which really helps in finding out at which depth to target the fish.

 

[John_S]

Re: Drop shotting

I tried it last fall for walleyes and smallies. The times I fished it, it produced the same as jigs of equivelent color/type. I had about 18" between hook and sinker, fishing in 20' of water. With certain bottom cover, it would hang-up less than standard round head jigs. I will continue to try it, especially if jigs are not producing. ie very slow days.

 

[PAkev]

Re: Drop shotting

I've used drop shot rigs with good results several times and is one of my most successful methods for deeper lake smallmouths.<br /><br />To answer your specific questions, the hook type and positioning is important. Since the drop shot is weighing the bait down and most fish are hitting on the fall, a bait rigged with the drop shot hook with the bend up is much more likely to to result in a solid hook set.

 

[K Hultgre]

Re: Drop shotting

any one have a picture of how the rig will look when properly set up?

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: Drop shotting

I trick I like to use is instead of a sinker on the bottom I'll put on a brightly colored jig head. It pays off, every now and again I'll hook up on the jighead.

 

[skeeterboy]

Re: Drop shotting

http://fishing.about.com/od/basicfishinginstruction/a/dropshot.htm <br /> http://fishing.about.com/library/weekly/aa070901a.htm <br /> http://www.mikenorrisoutdoors.com/Drop-shot.htm <br /> http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=58058&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults <br />those are some links to learn about drop shotting and there is a new hook out so you dont have to tie the palomar knot and it keeps the hook straight.

 

[PAkev]

Re: Drop shotting

I just got this months issue of field and stream and found an article on drop shotting (page 54) The article was good but after reading many other articles it was like listening to another persons instructions on riding a bike.<br /><br />However, I did pick up one very clever idea from the article. The writer suggests using a 3 way swivel to help prevent line twist and tangles and facilitate more natural movement of the bait. Makes sense to me, I'm gonna try to find me some of those 3 way swivels to try for my drop shot fishing. I don't recall seeing 3 way swivels in my tackle shopping but believe they will be fairly easy to make by sliding 3 swivels on a split ring.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Drop shotting

Originally posted by PAkev:<br /> The writer suggests using a 3 way swivel to help prevent line twist and tangles and facilitate more natural movement of the bait. Makes sense to me,

Try and find Black ones.

 

[K Hultgre]

Re: Drop shotting

Adding a 3 way swivel is the way I fish for walleye. Similar concepts - different name. <br /><br /> Sk - thanks for the links.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Drop shotting

Three way swivel with a line to the hook, and a very light line (2# test) to the sinker. If the sinker gets caught in the rocks, you can pull till the sinker line breaks, so you don't lose the swivel or the lure.<br /><br />Great for getting lure or minnow down when fishing river current. We call them a "Wolf River Rig" around here.

 

[brunowren]

Re: Drop shotting

Well here in Calif , I fish Lake Oroville which is a real clear lake. Drop Shotting works great ! my best luck have been using RoboWorms / Arrons Magic (color) with Gamakatsu drop shot rigs (work great tie it one and snap the weight on and your good to go) All hookups have been in the side the the mouth and have not lost one yet... <br /><br />I am thinking about using some of those tube type snagless sinkers though as we do get quite a few snags

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Drop shotting

Man, you been doing some serious reading to drag this one up. Although I posted this, I havnt even tried it yet. The wieghtless worm bite has been so good, I havnt seen the need to go deeper at all yet. I will though.

 

[brunowren]

Re: Drop shotting

Yea trying to catch up As far as the weightless! Man you cant beat a Senko wacky rigged on a octopus hook ! Always a pleaser

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Drop shotting

Originally posted by brunowren:<br />you cant beat a Senko

There is that word again. [Senko]

 

[mattttt25]

Re: Drop shotting

didn't even know the term drop shot, but the methods described are exactly how we fish for bay striper in the summer. last month's saltwater mag had a great article on the various rigs that produce pretty much the same result. can use an inline weight or crimp weight at some distance from the hook. three way swivel is another good method, and roscoe's method of using lighter line for the weight is how we do it here. i prefer the fishfinder rig, which adds the weight to a sleave that is free to travel along the main line. once i hit bottom, i can keep the bait 18" from the bottom or pay out line and let it rise to the depth i want. also allows striper (lazy fish) to hit the bait and run without being spooked by the pullback.