Drop Shot Smallmouth?

[Tyler j]

I have heard that smallmouth can be caught on a drop shot i have never thrown a drop shot and i love smallmouth fishing. if you guys know anything about this please post info on it

[mod479]

There's dozen of threads posted here covering it all, equipment, setup, baits, presentations...etc.

But, yes.... Dropshot will take smallies. Not just small ones either. I caught my personal best on a DS rig using a 4" finesse worm.

-It's a finesse presentation, Medium light rods, small reels, and light lines.

-3-6" soft plastics, google dropshot baits, and you'll see tons of stuff you could try, one of the best things about the DS is you can use just about ANY soft plastic bait. Or live bait if you want to.

Also....youtube Aaron Martens vids...they are worth watching as he is a master of the technique!

[J Francho]

Here's what Rich Zaleski has to say:

http://www.richz.com/fishing/articles/dropshot.html

[Curved]

Here's what Rich Zaleski has to say:

http://www.richz.com...s/dropshot.html

Great read

[YoungProdigy19]

Dropshotting is a chess match... i use a powell endurance 7'3" med lt 6 lb mccoy floro. Find a spinning reel with a slow retrieve, because horsing giant bronzebacks = the one that got away. I use a 2/O trokar dropshot hook. 9 times out of 10 i throw a green pumpkin cruncher baits dropshot tube, the other 1 time i use a 10 inch berkley gulp power worm june bug. Its an art, you learn how and when to throw it. Also, dont set the hook, reel down and pull up. Your drag should be loose, so you should hear it on the hook set. Also, take needlenose pliers and bend the hook out so the barb isnt facing the eye, it should be parallel to the shank, i tie a palomar, i take the tag and put it back thru the eye after I sinch the knot, so the hook is upright in the water. Watch Aaron Martens, Brent Ehler,or any of the Vandams, you can learn alot from them!

[Curved]

Dropshotting is a chess match... i use a powell endurance 7'3" med lt 6 lb mccoy floro. Find a spinning reel with a slow retrieve, because horsing giant bronzebacks = the one that got away. I use a 2/O trokar dropshot hook. 9 times out of 10 i throw a green pumpkin cruncher baits dropshot tube, the other 1 time i use a 10 inch berkley gulp power worm june bug. Its an art, you learn how and when to throw it. Also, dont set the hook, reel down and pull up. Your drag should be loose, so you should hear it on the hook set. Also, take needlenose pliers and bend the hook out so the barb isnt facing the eye, it should be parallel to the shank, i tie a palomar, i take the tag and put it back thru the eye after I sinch the knot, so the hook is upright in the water. Watch Aaron Martens, Brent Ehler,or any of the Vandams, you can learn alot from them!

There is a lot of wisdom in your advice. My notes: keep in mind forged hooks use a high tensile steel. Bending will break the crystals in the steel, weakening the material. In my opinion it is better to find a hook that has been forged in the correct shape. Trokar's and Gamakatsu's DS hooks have a great shape to begin with IMO. Lazer Sharp octopus hooks in #1 size work well in a pinch. They don't have as good a shape, but are a good price. I also think 6 lb flouro is the best all-around for DSing smallies, but I use a nanofil main line for extra cast distance (flouro as the leader). 6 lb mono would work fine. A line that floats probably is better so the lure is more vertical off the weight. There are special weights for DSing, but I find a #4 splitshot (round with no wings) with the line looped 3 times through works just as well and is less expensive. I think the best rod is a high-strength carbon rod, as light as possible, with a light to medium light action. I use a 5' 6" rod right now.

My favorite way to hook lures is like below, since it is somewhat weedless and the lure will slide down-hook instead of off-hook when a fish fights. Hook can usually be downsized when using this method, which makes setting easier and gives better presentation.

As YP said, setting a DS presentation is the easiest thing in the world. Just reel up the slack until you can feel the fish on the rod tip, then put some arch in the rod by putting it to the side. The fish is set.

Just want to mention that another benefit of using a light braid or nanofil is that it floats and its strong. When a fish takes the lure, the whole floating line shivers and shifts.

[Crestliner2008]

There is a great article in the January edition of Bassmaster magazine. Aaron Martins explains his technique and the nuances he pays attention to, in order to increase his chances. A worthwhile read.

[jkroosz]

I love the ds...once the water temps approach 70, it is time to go deep. "Deep" meaning 30, 40 50 fow...I hooked a SMB in 97 fow fall of 2011.

3" senkos, keitech swing impact, zoom finesse worms are some favorites.

Looking forward to ds during pre spawn on Lake Champlain...could be interesting(after all, they have seen every spinnerbait known to man).

[Felix77]

 

[ww2farmer]

I think I have caught more smallmouth dropshotting than just about any other technique combined.  For me, it's when/where/how I present the drop shot to them more so than what bait I have on it. In fact, I am pretty confident in saying that if your around them and giving it to them in a manner they want it, day in and day out, you will be hard pressed to beat a plain old simple 4" finesse worm of your choice. Back to the presentation thing, I have seen days where they want it zipping by with the sinker banging and dragging along the bottom, days where you have to drop it on there nose, days where you can't shake it too fast to get a bite, days you can't hold it too still to get a bite, days where the length from the hook to the bottom mattered and days where it didn't, and so on and so forth. Don't get locked into thinking you can only fish it one way, it's a very versitile technique, and if my life depended on catching a fish, would be the one thing I would do.

[MarkH024]

There is a great article in the January edition of Bassmaster magazine. Aaron Martins explains his technique and the nuances he pays attention to, in order to increase his chances. A worthwhile read.

I don't drop shot much but this was a great article. This is a technique that I said in 2013 I will try and use more often. Hopefully I'll have some beauties to post from the results. If you haven't read that article though, get your hands on it.

[OkobojiEagle]

I let my BassMaster subscription lapse several years ago... is there anyone able and willing to post the article here or PDF it direct to me?

 

oe

[MarkH024]

I will try to do that for you OE. I dont have my BASS id with me otherwise I could see if I can extract it, or the text at least from digital bassmaster. If someone gets to it before me, thanks in advance.

[patbfishing123]

I would also have to say that a good portion of the fish that I have caught have been on the drop shot rig.  It is very versitile, it can be fished anywhere, in any conditions.  But. If i'm fishing for smallmouth, especially in the summer, this is my go-to bait.  Any plastic bait can be fished on this rig.  Aaron martens says to use the lightest weight that the situation will allow.  So, basically the windier it is, the heavier the weight is that should be used to keep the lure in place and feel the bite.  But if there is no wind, use the lightest weight that you are comfortable with.  I generally start out with a 1/4 ounce weight and go up or down from there based on the conditions.  I also use 6 to 8 lb flourocarbon depending on the conditions and water quality.  As stated in a thread above, lazer sharp makes a great octopus hook at a resonable price. I try to stay between sizes 2 and 4 when fishing for smallies, especially.  But try different baits out on the rig and see what works best for you, everyone is different.  Definitely start out with the traditional 4" finesse worm to get a feel for the technique and work from there.  Light line fishing can be a whole lot of fun.  Good Luck!

[jhoffman]

I have a drop shot rig that never leaves the deck. I always have a rod rigged for it because it will catch fish when nothing else will.

[jcunn21]

I always keep a drop shot rigged up for any circumstance, but mostly never go smallie fishing without one.....I have had success using heavier rod actions, lines, and weights as well........finesse worms, or a drop tube most of the time, I use the heavier rigs(usually on windy days) I have also caught them using flukes too

[Oregon Native]

When I lived out west I had the opportunity to learn drop shotting from Kota Kiramaga on Shasta many years ago.  And also fished with Aaron Martens on Lake Powell.  These were both BASS Invitationals and both were awesome fishermen.

Now I use 8# fireline or power pro (yellow) with a 6 or 8 lb Silver Thread fluro leader.  Have been catching smallies and largemouth all winter here in Tennessee using this combo.  I prefer 3 inch Yum Dingers or small tubes from Dry Creek. 

Great way to fish....nose hook bait when not much cover....Texas rig dropshot in cover.

Tight Lines

[Snakehead Whisperer]

Dropshotting is also a technique that works well for Summertime river smallies in fast current. This tried and true technique will take all kinds of fish in all kinds of conditions. It should be in every anglers bag of tricks.

[panda_slicks86]

i catch alotta smallies drop shot...... but thats usally when they are spawning. at my lake after spawn i hit em on a football jig head with a reacton innovations sweet beaver 4.20. i hear alotta talk about having to down size to catch em' i use the same techniques as large mouths just in rockier points with drop offs and the points usually are on the windy side of the lake. cant wait for the smallie spawn this year ima take a week off of work and slay it.