Drop Shot Worms For Smallies - What Is Your Preferred Worm and Size/Length?

[Quillback]

Thanks a lot Johnnybass . A couple of more things about my experiences with crayfish . I had a job that took me along the banks of the California Delta many moons ago and one day at lunch I looking in the shallows and saw a small 1 1/2" crayfish on the water's edge . I managed to scoop it up and take it home for observation . After about a weeks time living a small goldfish bowl I looked in the bowl and saw no crayfish just the empty shell . I thought it had died at first but when I looked more closely I saw a completely transparent little softshell crayfish that was now the same color as a clear "Smoke " soft plastic bait . The next day when I looked it was now a clear olive color and got darker day by day as the new shell hardened until it was a green pumpkin color . This crayfish was a "Louisianna Swamp craw that turn red as adults but I am sure the other crayfish species go thru a similar color process when molting.

Another thing I witnessed was when I brought a couple of crayfish home and put them in a plastic tub in my garage . At the time beads and rattles were a new big thing (and I was night fishing a lot) that were supposed to mimic clicking sounds crayfish used to communicate with one another . I turned the lights out in the garage at night and sat in a chair while I listened for what these clicking noises actually sounded like . Sure enough I started hearing clicking noises coming from the tub . With the lights on sitting there were no clicking noises and I am sure it was no coincidence that with the lights on the crayfish would sit tight and not move at all ? I put a piece of red plastic over a shop light and suspended it over the tub hoping to see my guests talking when I turned the big light off . After a short time the clicking resumed under the dim red light . It turns out the clicking was coming from the crayfishes claws as they crawled across the bottom contacting rocks feeling their way with their claws while searching for food . I was thinking leading with their claws was probably for defensive purposes in case they encounter another crayfish unhappy with the encroachment . As a test I removed the rocks and with lights out never heard another clicking sound coming from the tub . I guess my thinking is when a bass hears clicking his first thought is a crayfish is out of cover crawling around or could be a molting on the bottom and could make a potential meal . It's kind of funny we hear things about bass fishing we take as being gospel but with a little investigation it is easy to suspect what we have heard it not correct .

I have a buddy that dives on the local lakes, he says you can sit on the bottom and click a couple of rocks together and smallmouth will show up to check it out.

[Quillback]

Ive been using a Zman Bug z.Smallies love it.

I like that idea.

As far as worms, lately a GYCB 5" Thin Senko has been working for me on a drop shot for Beaver lake smalls. Green Pumpkin.

[MainelySmallmouth]

I like that idea.

As far as worms, lately a GYCB 5" Thin Senko has been working for me on a drop shot for Beaver lake smalls. Green Pumpkin.

I used to use these a lot in years past, but they become harder to come by and colors pretty limited to a few colors. Where do you buy these and do you nose hook them or texas rig them??

[willwork4fish]

I used to use these a lot in years past, but they become harder to come by and colors pretty limited to a few colors. Where do you buy these and do you nose hook them or texas rig them??

Not to speak for Quillback but I'd bet he wacky rigs them. That's pretty much how I fish all the stick worms on a dropshot. 3" Senko (honestly BPS Sticko is just as good in this size), 5" thin Senko or the 4.8 flick shake.

[MainelySmallmouth]

Not to speak for Quillback but I'd bet he wacky rigs them. That's pretty much how I fish all the stick worms on a dropshot. 3" Senko (honestly BPS Sticko is just as good in this size), 5" thin Senko or the 4.8 flick shake.

Do you wacky rig on a standard nose hook or do you use the g finesse style hook with a longer shank?

[willwork4fish]

Do you wacky rig on a standard nose hook or do you use the g finesse style hook with a longer shank?

I've been using VMC Spinshots or the Trokar Helix dropshot hooks for probably the past 5 or 6 years, use a size 1 or 2 depending on the bait...so nose hook style.

[MainelySmallmouth]

I've been using VMC Spinshots or the Trokar Helix dropshot hooks for probably the past 5 or 6 years, use a size 1 or 2 depending on the bait...so nose hook style.

I drop shot a lot, and have never fished a wacky drop shot. I will have to try it this coming season (we are close to being in a deep freeze for 5 months... Thanks for the feedback.

[Quillback]

I used to use these a lot in years past, but they become harder to come by and colors pretty limited to a few colors. Where do you buy these and do you nose hook them or texas rig them??

Tackle Warehouse has them. I use Green Pumpkin, but yes only 8 colors, I wish they had purple or something similar. I use the Roboworm Rebarb Hooks and thread them on leaving the hook exposed, they've got a little barb type deal on them that helps hold the worm on, those Senkos being so fragile it helps get a few fish on one before it tears up. I don't fish them around timber, too snaggy, but they do fine on rocks and gravel.

I have not fished them wacky rigged, but that is a good idea.

[MainelySmallmouth]

Tackle Warehouse has them. I use Green Pumpkin, but yes only 8 colors, I wish they had purple or something similar. I use the Roboworm Rebarb Hooks and thread them on leaving the hook exposed, they've got a little barb type deal on them that helps hold the worm on, those Senkos being so fragile it helps get a few fish on one before it tears up. I don't fish them around timber, too snaggy, but they do fine on rocks and gravel.

I have not fished them wacky rigged, but that is a good idea.

Good stuff, I use those rebarb hooks as well, and used to use them to thread on the strike King dream shots in the Magnum size when I was fishing. Bigger size drop shot baits. I used to use those thin senkos all the time, but as you point out they're super fragile and if you nose hook them, you're lucky to get maybe two fish per worm and that becomes an expensive endeavor when your nose hooking. I may grab a few of those and try fishing them, thread it on as well as fishing them. Wacky. Thanks for sharing, tight lines.

[DrewFlu33]

If I'm throwing a worm, 4.5" Roboworms are tough to beat. The MaxScent D-worm is another I've caught quite a few smallmouth on, usually wacky rigged. 4.8 Flick Shake is another good one to wacky rig as mentioned above.

I'm also a fan of the Rebarb hook, echoing the above, and I'll usually thread the bait onto that hook unless I'm Texas rigging it.

[Pokie Pa]

I make my own. Skinny worms. The BOMB

[djb750]

I honestly have never caught a smallie on morning dawn anything. Maybe I don't give it enough of a chance, maybe I am not fishing it at the right time of year or maybe I don't have enough confidence to believe in the color, but I have never, not one, caught a smallie on morning dawn. I have morning dawn in just about ever drop shot bait I use, because they are supposed to catch fish, but just haven't had any luck on it. But I agree, smallies are weird....

same here. Never caught a thing on "morning dong" , which is what I started calling it after getting fed up with it and relegating it to hype. I know it's not hype, I've just never had any success with the color and at this point it's a zero-confidence thing for me.

dream shots and robos for me - usually some variation of green.

[MainelySmallmouth]

same here. Never caught a thing on "morning dong" , which is what I started calling it after getting fed up with it and relegating it to hype. I know it's not hype, I've just never had any success with the color and at this point it's a zero-confidence thing for me.

dream shots and robos for me - usually some variation of green.

[wmitch2]

If shipping wasn't so expensive, I send you all the morning dawn I have....

I would gladly pay the shipping !!! Morning Dawn is my go-to bait !!!

[MainelySmallmouth]

I would gladly pay the shipping !!! Morning Dawn is my go-to bait !!!

Maybe there is something with morning dawn and CA that works that doesn't work elsewhere in the country. ???

[Phrog Phil]

It’s one color I use for drop shot and Ned rigging

[SAL321]

Best producers for me on LSC this year in order were:
- baby z too (by far the best producer)
- flatworm
- shad shape worm
- z too

100% agree with this. My son slayed them all year on the baby Z too and just rotated colors until he found that color, that day. In general the white out fished the others.

I tried for the bigger bite using the Z Too and for whatever reason they chomp that smaller profile.

[MainelySmallmouth]

Great feedback on the topic. My takeaway from the responses in the thread, are I need to explore the wacky set up on a drop shot and maybe given morning dawn another try. I have been experimenting with the Don Iovino worms, and have had really good success with those. They only come in larger bag sizes, which is fine, as I have tendency to go through tons of worms when the bite is good, so I have no worry about the baits hanging around unused. Appreciate everyone's feedback. Truly nothing like the BBC fising community on the web!

[deast002]

Great feedback on the topic. My takeaway from the responses in the thread, are I need to explore the wacky set up on a drop shot and maybe given morning dawn another try. I have been experimenting with the Don Iovino worms, and have had really good success with those. They only come in larger bag sizes, which is fine, as I have tendency to go through tons of worms when the bite is good, so I have no worry about the baits hanging around unused. Appreciate everyone's feedback. Truly nothing like the BBC fising community on the web!

If you like the iovino worms, you should stock up. I spoke with him a few days back and he said he's out of the plastics business now. I bought 14 of the 25 packs lol

[MainelySmallmouth]

If you like the iovino worms, you should stock up. I spoke with him a few days back and he said he's out of the plastics business now. I bought 14 of the 25 packs lol

That's really good intel. Thank you.