Drop shotting

[Thermodude]

For the experienced drop shot guys I'm curious how you would work this scenario....................long tapering point with a few stumps and brush off the end as it drops from 10' gradually down to 25'.......scattered bait balls all over, bass moving in and out as the morning progresses. How would you position your boat on this plus describe how you would work the bait?

[kry29]

That sounds like a perfect Carolina rig or jig situation, maybe a shakey head also. If they are suspended a good swimbait slow rolled at the depth could work also. If you want to drop shot you will have to just EASE around dropping on what you see. Ofcourse, the brush would be my main target once the sun is up but first thing I would cast around the point and try to find the sweet spot. Work from the edge up to the shallow

[ECobb91]

I have two set ups, my main is a G Loomis DSR mag med with a Shimano symetre 2500, 10lb braid to 6lb floro. My other is a St Croix Avid X 6’9 med-lite, pflueger president 35, same line and leader. The Loomis rod is a little softer and better for deep water like 30+. The Avid X is perfect for everything else.

Don’t twitch the rod like you’re having a seizure to work the bait. That’s the #1 difference between catching a little and a lot with it. The waves give it enough action, just cast, drag and hold. If you’re dropping right down on then, just open the bail and go with the natural wave flow and frequency. Only impart some twitches if it’s dead flat. Less is more with this technique.

[218_fishing]

I really don't get the whole med-lit, up in minnesota med-lit is going to suck when you get a 24-30" northern or walleye on them. I perfer med rods for dropshot.

[Bob G.]

For the experienced drop shot guys I'm curious how you would work this scenario....................long tapering point with a few stumps and brush off the end as it drops from 10' gradually down to 25'.......scattered bait balls all over, bass moving in and out as the morning progresses. How would you position your boat on this plus describe how you would work the bait?

If I'm not vertically fishing for a specific fish on a rock, etc, I fan cast and drag it like a C-rig. I stopped carrying my C-rig rod in the boat 2 years ago.

[wicknilly]

Twin stick I would just go see craig at the dugout and tell him what your looking to spend and what your trying to accomplish with the dropshot at Lanier and he will get you fixed up. I've caught fish there on a dropshot but I'm not that good at it. But I use 15 pound smackdown with an 8 pound flouro leader and a bold bluegill or and translucent colored worm there.

Definitely go see Craig. For me, I use a Loomis 822s dropshot rod with 10-20# braid (10# power pro; 20# smackdown) and 6-8# fluoro leaders (invisx). 3/8 is a good all-around weight for Lanier. Translucent colors on bluebird days; solids when overcast.

[DrewFlu33]

I really don't get the whole med-lit, up in minnesota med-lit is going to suck when you get a 24-30" northern or walleye on them. I perfer med rods for dropshot.

I see your point, though I've not had issues with my medium-light (keeping in mind that not all medium-lights are created equal - no real standard for power ratings) Biggest problems are usually when a big fish gets me into the weeds, but steady pressure and patience works. Better to not miss a bite and worry about landing the fish afterwards in my opinion, and I feel I can get a lot more sensitivity with a medium-light. On a related note, what walleye is going to fight even a fraction as hard as a 2 lb smallmouth? None I've ever caught!

[woppercatcher]

Pretty much any 7ft, medium or medium light rod will work. Pick a brand you like and go with it. The lighter the rod the better. Most rods in the $80-120 will work. As for reels 2500-3000 size will work as well. Try and get one that has the fastest speed ratio. Again, any reel in the $80-100 will work. I use a Pfluger President XT ($89). I use a Falcon Low Rider 6-10 medium action but I'm just partial to Falcon rods. I suggest to spool it up with 15lb braided line of your choice with a color easy to see. Tie a very small swivil to the braid and use any 10lb flouro leader to that swivil as well. I use a 1/0 light wire straight shank worm hook with mostly Zoom finesse worms either TX rigged or wacky depending on the cover I'm dropping into. I only use 1/4oz weights but you can go heavier in deeper water. You don't need tungston weights, in fact a #2 split shot weight is a cheap way to go for weights. Just tie a little loop knot on the weight so it doesn't slip off. Good luck!

[jtracc]

Up here in Ontario drop shot is the deal on many lakes for smallies so it's something I use often and over the years have refined the setup. I use a gloomis drop shot rod 6'9" to 7' with a Stella 2500 reel. I use 20# 832 braid with 10# flouro leader. 90% of the technique is positioning over the cover in deeper water and drop down. I don't cast it often so a little longer rod won't work. I almost mark every fish before I hook it.

[Buck456]

As you've already read there is all kinds of opinions on what rod and reel to use. I prefer a skeet reese drop shot rod and a Mitchell 300 pro reel. A cheaper alternative to the rod is a regular med action lighting rod. (Not the lighting rod shock) I use braid to floro leader with a trapper 1/0 hook. ( no better hook on the market in my opinion). As far as sinker I use a 1/4 oz bullet sinker and a small split shot to hold it to my tag line. Been doing it this way for a decade. The only change has been the trapper hook.

I know when I first started learning to drop shot I sometimes worked the bait a little to much. More isn't always better. I also fish it shallow as much as I fish it deep. There is a lot of good pointers here just thought I'd give u my 2 cents worth.