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  1. Member Walkabout7781's Avatar
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    #21
    I use a swivel on my spinning DS outfit, with the leader just under the 7' rod length. Other rigs, I'm 100% sure I've had fish bite on the swivel, so maybe that's the OP's problem? I'd for sure make the leader longer from swivel to hook. I virtually always do an underhand pitch with a DS rig.

    FWIW, lately I've been dropshotting with a baitcaster (Tatula CT) on a Denali Attax 7'MH with straight 12 lb Sunline "Super Natural" monofil. The main reason for doing it was when I set the hook on a 4 lb. 8 oz. LM right next to a dock in probably 20' of water...barely managed to get her away from the dock and to the boat. I'm almost shocked at how well the baitcaster works, but the Tatula CT lets line peel off so easily, it just works great. The rod also works better than one might expect. Part of the reason is that's the identical rod and line that I use for a Shakyhead, so I can switch 'em off if I have trouble with one or the other. No leader, no swivel, no braid, just easier and quicker to rig.
    Don't bother me, I'm screwing for virginity.

    I killed a 12-pack just to watch it die.

  2. Member
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    Aug 2015
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    #22
    Quote Originally Posted by bgibson View Post
    Use a baitcaster to drop shot with! I love it so much better in almost every way!
    I do this too (out of necessity) but wondering if you prefer a longer or shorter baitcasting rod to impart the right action?

  3. Member
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    Apr 2020
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    Ontario
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    #23
    I was using a swivel but I've really started paying attention to my presentations and try to reduce as many negatives as possible. That swivel is a negative. Whenever I have to change or add a plastic I bomb out a cast with the empty hook pinching the line with two fingers while reeling in to straighten the line back out. I don't have line issues anymore.

  4. Member
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    Apr 2020
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    Bangor Maine
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    #24
    Quote Originally Posted by AndrewM-Fishing View Post
    I was using a swivel but I've really started paying attention to my presentations and try to reduce as many negatives as possible. That swivel is a negative. Whenever I have to change or add a plastic I bomb out a cast with the empty hook pinching the line with two fingers while reeling in to straighten the line back out. I don't have line issues anymore.
    That is a good idea/technique. I totally agree, I think the swivel is a negative in many ways....

  5. Member
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    Apr 2014
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    Detroit & Traverse City, MI
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    #25
    Try the pencil weights...That is what I throw 98% of the time and I do not have line twist issues. Although...I do like the swivel/snap to weight scenario...I think with adding the correct size swivel/snap to the weight...problems solved. I would not use this setup for power shotting though.
    You should know that in bee tending if you don't shut your trap the bees will get out.

  6. Member
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    Dec 2018
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    Kelseyville Ca
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    #26
    I dont like the swivel.You have to retie anyway

  7. Member
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    Apr 2020
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    Bangor Maine
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    #27
    Quote Originally Posted by DaveBrabec View Post
    I dont like the swivel.You have to retie anyway
    And truth be told, tying a drop shot set up could be the easiest knot to tie in all of fishing, so you make a good point that retying a drop shot set up isn't like having to do an FG knot on the water with the wind blowing, two foot swells and 45 degree temps...

  8. Member
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    #28
    My takeaway from this thread, and there have been lots of great replies and tons of views, is (as one BBC member stated so well) no matter how you look at it the swivel is a negative and success in drop shotting is eliminating all negatives whenever, wherever, possible. For the amount of problems I have had with line twist, which is few, the irritation of accidently getting the swivel in your guides and the reality that once I converted to using a swivel in the fall (despite being on fish) getting no bites was the tell tail sign. I know it works for some, but I the concept of weight above the bait does impact the action of the bait, especially if you provide a twitch and a little slack line, the swivel will drop as fast (maybe faster) than the bait and that is a negative. I appreciate all the great responses. Tight lines in 2022 to all!!

  9. Member
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    Dec 2014
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    Brookfield Illinois
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    #29
    Quote Originally Posted by MainelySmallmouth View Post
    Did you notice a catch rate difference between swivel and non swivel rigs ??
    Use swivels to attach ned head to straight floro. Fish highly pressured gin clear to 25+ and a normal weekend day brings an average of 38 LM in the boat. Been keeping track since before floro and I am up 16 fish now. So don't think the swivel makes a difference to the fish.
    Please release me,let me go.

  10. Member
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    #30
    Quote Originally Posted by Kodiak16 View Post
    Use swivels to attach ned head to straight floro. Fish highly pressured gin clear to 25+ and a normal weekend day brings an average of 38 LM in the boat. Been keeping track since before floro and I am up 16 fish now. So don't think the swivel makes a difference to the fish.
    It has with my catch rate chasing smallies in gin clear water here in the northeast. I went from having fish in the boat, to having no fish in the boat.... Just saying....

  11. Member
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    Jun 2015
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    Cincinnati, OH
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    #31
    Drew,
    I appreciate your responses to all the fishing comments. You have great insights.
    You have mentioned the Gammy wacky type hook to drop shot on. You talk about threading the worm on vs nose hooking. So I’m very interested in trying this.
    What size 1 or 1/0? For average d/s robo worm?
    Do you use any kind of mono guard on that?
    I assume you thread worm on entire hook shaft as long as it is straight?
    thank you in advance
    TM

  12. Member
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    Dec 2006
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    #32
    What if you place the swivel in between hook and sinker. This would allow bait to be natural and prevent the twisting of the sinker.
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  13. Member DrewFlu33's Avatar
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    Mar 2016
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    #33
    Quote Originally Posted by Eagle Creek123 View Post
    Drew,
    I appreciate your responses to all the fishing comments. You have great insights.
    You have mentioned the Gammy wacky type hook to drop shot on. You talk about threading the worm on vs nose hooking. So I’m very interested in trying this.
    What size 1 or 1/0? For average d/s robo worm?
    Do you use any kind of mono guard on that?
    I assume you thread worm on entire hook shaft as long as it is straight?
    thank you in advance
    TM
    I appreciate the kind words.

    Since wacky hooks kind of encompass a lot of different hook styles these days, I want to be clear that I'm using the light wire straight shank "Neko style" hooks for this application. The Gamakatsu B10S was the original as far as I know, marketed as a fly tying hook.

    I mostly use the Roboworm Rebarb now, also made by Gamakatsu. I like that it has the keeper on it so I can Texas rig if I'd like, or thread a bait on and have it stay put. I usually use the biggest size I feel I can get away with, 1/0 if possible. I keep them from size 2 to 1/0. 1/0 on a 6" Roboworm, probably size 2 or 1 on the 4.5" variety. No weedguard in any case; if I'm in a situation where I need it weedless, I just Texas rig it. If you've not tried it, you might be shocked at just how easy it is to hook a fish on a Texas-rigged drop shot, so long as you're using a light wire straight shank.

    And yep, I just measure the hook against the worm to see where the point should come out to have the bend exit the worm straight when its fully rigged (I'll often nick the worm with the hook point for a market), then carefully thread it on doing whatever I can to keep it as straight as possible.

    Regarding hook choice: I had gone to some of the pricier matte gray looking hooks that I think are fluorine coated for slickness (Gamakatsu markets them as G-Finesse or Tournament Grade Wire/TGW, Owner as Zo Wire) as they don't flex as much and hold a point forever, but I noticed that I was losing fish with them, particularly as the summer wore on. Tried the Rebarb again, and the problem was gone. Maybe a coincidence as I couldn't really understand it, but I've stuck with it ever since. The best I can come up with is that in a light line application, the hook flexing a bit is actually beneficial as it prevents the fish from using it as leverage. I envision trying to pry something apart with a rigid tool vs. one that wants to flex and know that I'd choose the rigid tool every time. Of course this is different than heavy duty applications where we're trying to winch a fish out of cover as fast as possible with no drag--a hook flexing then creates a game of angles rather than a game of leverage--whereas with light line, finesse applications, we're not yanking on the fish hard enough to actually open up the hook. I think it started becoming a problem in the summer since the fish's mouths are softer then, so a hook that's driven home isn't as "solid" as it might be when their mouths are tougher.

    Admittedly this is just me spitballing...it could all be in my head, but we all know how confidence works in fishing. I also might have a different viewpoint 6 months from now.

    Quote Originally Posted by gixxer420 View Post
    What if you place the swivel in between hook and sinker. This would allow bait to be natural and prevent the twisting of the sinker.
    I feel like this might work if the sinker is what's causing your line twist, but in most cases I think the bait spiraling is the problem, not the sinker. That said, I did find that going to an open-eye style dropshot sinker helps with line twist vs. the line-pinch style...there I think the sinker was causing some problems since it inevitably is coming in angled to one side or the other, while the other style you just have a knot on top that allows it to come straight back...so maybe it would help? One other problem is that though it will help it be more natural than having the swivel above the bait, it's still not going to be as natural while fishing on the bottom since the worm still isn't really weightless above the sinker (presumably on the bottom) with the weight of the swivel pulling it down.
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  14. Member
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    #34
    With the type of sinker I use, there is a swivel between the sinker and the hook. Most drop shot sinkers, pinch style or open-eye style, have a swivel under tying point. I'm also a nitpicker and I also went from pinch style to round style because the swivel seems to turn more easily. I fish in current so the sinker rolls on the bottom and that creates twist if the swivel doesn't turn properly.

  15. Member Walkabout7781's Avatar
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    #35
    Some baits tend to spin on retrieval, while others don't. Use one of those that doesn't...like the Zoom lizard. They catch fish!

    While I have definitely had small fish strike the swivel, I'd say that confidence is VERY important, so if the swivel doesn't float your boat, get rid of it. I don't like the looks of the hook/swivel/clip combinations, so I haven't tried them and probably never will...though I'm pretty sure they work for somebody, somewhere. I've read that bass are NOT detail oriented critters, which is why they'll hit cranks and jerkbaits with treble hooks. From my own experience, I'd say they are definitely very curious. And they don't have hands!
    Don't bother me, I'm screwing for virginity.

    I killed a 12-pack just to watch it die.

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