Help "dragging A Bait"

[gall]

everytime i read an article about tube or crawdad baits people mention dragging it but no one really says whats the proper way to drag it to keep it in contact with the bottom can anyone help me and describe the technique cause i know it will kill the smallies in my area as of right now i raise my rod tip or twitch it but want to learn to properly "drag a bait"

[smalljaw67]

Dragging is done exactly how it sounds, you let the bait hit bottom and you use your rod to slowly drag the bait across the bottom. The only thing you use the reel for is to pick up slack although if you reel slow enough you could drag the bait that way. Dragging a tube or any other bottom contact bait is a good way to get finicky fish to react to your lure as the bait dragging on the bottom stirs up sediment as well as it leaves a distinct trail plus it also makes a little noise. The baits I've had success dragging have been jigs, worms, lizards, and the best soft plastic to drag in my opinion is the tube.

[M-D]

Dragging is done exactly how it sounds, you let the bait hit bottom and you use your rod to slowly drag the bait across the bottom. The only thing you use the reel for is to pick up slack although if you reel slow enough you could drag the bait that way. Dragging a tube or any other bottom contact bait is a good way to get finicky fish to react to your lure as the bait dragging on the bottom stirs up sediment as well as it leaves a distinct trail plus it also makes a little noise. The baits I've had success dragging have been jigs, worms, lizards, and the best soft plastic to drag in my opinion is the tube.

+1 very well said.

[gall]

i get that part but how do you drag it do you drop the rod tip and take in slack line while twitching it sideways or what

[webertime]

Try "skooting" too. Instead of lifting your rod tip up as you retrieve, causing more of a "hop", you move your rod tip down (like a slower less powerful jerkbait motion). The bait just shuffles along, I think more naturally and with less slack line involved.

[gall]

thanks so pretty much cast it out on slack line let it bottom take in a little line and just do little pops with the rod tip down?

[Will Wetline]

Let's say your bait has hit bottom and your rod tip is 45 degrees to the surface of the water. Simply lift the rod and slowly drag the bait until the rod is close to 90 degrees. Reel back down to 45. Repeat. You are literally dragging the bait along the bottom. You might pause occasionally between drags, give the bait a twitch, let it sit for a bit and resume dragging.

The bait I most frequently use with this retrieve is Yamamoto's 5" hula grub rigged on a 2/0 thin wire EWG hook. Use either 1/8 or 3/16 oz. bullet and a 4mm faceted red bead. 10 lb. mono.

Casting and dragging a dropshot rig works well too. Here though, you want to keep your rod tip up at about 45 degrees at all times and maintain line tension. Don't "over-twitch" here - you'll get plenty of action transmitted from the bottom and the built in action of the little bait itself.

[gall]

thanks so just slowly raise as i take in slack then drop back down?

[ww2farmer]

Another way to drag is to do the Erie drag, as taught to me by a "Good" smallmouth fisherman. Cast your tube out with enough weight to keep it on the bottom and just let the wind drift the boat while you drag the tube .

[Jig Meister]

It is something that you just know you are doing by feel. Depending on your gear you should be feeling every little part of the bottom. You will know if you are dragging it based on feel alone, if you feel nothing you are lifitng to high and fast.

dragging is more of a really slow thing for me.

For instance, when I cast a jig I dead stick it for a few seconds, then just drag for about a foot, usually that gets a strike, but that whole foot of drag you feel a sluggish tension form the lure on the bottom.

Casting on the grass and doing it will help you sort of see what it should look like, just remember to drag slow and make sure you can 'feel' it.