Dropshot In Shallow Water?

[Tuckahoe Joe]

Can you fish a dropshot in shallow water or is it mainly a deep water technique?  I'm interested in learning this but most of the water I fish is only a couple feet deep.  Maybe 3-5 feet at the deepest and often shallower.  Is there a general minimum depth for dropshotting?

[Brian6428]

Nope, I fish it shallow all the time. It is a great horizontal presentation. I have caught fish on it when the water was only 2 ft deep, and I was using a 8 inch leader! As long as the water is deep enough so that the worm is underwater, It can catch fish!

 

Brian

[lmbfisherman]

Nope, I fish it shallow all the time. It is a great horizontal presentation. I have caught fish on it when the water was only 2 ft deep, and I was using a 8 inch leader! As long as the water is deep enough so that the worm is underwater, It can catch fish!

 

Brian

x2, you can use it anywhere really.  Heavy cover, deep open water, shallow...no limits!  I've caught many bass albeit no big ones yet (over 3lbs) using a DS along the shoreline from a boat or on shore. 

[J Francho]

I drop shot is a terminal rig, not a technique.  It solves several issues encountered when fishing.  For shallow water, there is no other rig that allows you to keep the bait in one place, while you impart action to it.  Here's an article I wrote about catching bedding bass, though all of the techniques and equipment described can be used on any shallow water:

 

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/dropshot-bedding-bass.html

[Felix77]

I do it all the time. I use a longer leader.

[duckmaster55]

You can fish a dropshot virtually anywhere as many have said before me. I generally use a 6" leader in the shallows and a 1.5' leader in deeper waters. Dropshots work great for largemouths and are especially great for smallies.

[Tuckahoe Joe]

Thanks everyone and great article J Francho!  Gonna read some more and watch a few videos and give this a try.  I'll be sure to post in the Fishing Reports section if I have any success. 

[Tuckahoe Joe]

How about weight guys?  Should I go with a lighter for shallow water?  What do you recommend?

[eyedabassman]

I would go 1/8 up tp 1/2 oz. but start with a 1/8 oz.

[toddwchandler]

I have been trying to have some success with the dropshot technique but have yet to catch a fish using it yet and have lost a ton of hooks and weights.  It seems that when I am trying to dropshot, I am often getting snagged.

 

I have been trying to use this technique from the bank and around fallen trees, etc.  Don't know if I am just not using it in the right place or what.  Been a very frustrating and expensive experience so far.  I am have been using the Gamakatsu dropshot hooks.

[lmbfisherman]

I have been trying to have some success with the dropshot technique but have yet to catch a fish using it yet and have lost a ton of hooks and weights.  It seems that when I am trying to dropshot, I am often getting snagged.

 

I have been trying to use this technique from the bank and around fallen trees, etc.  Don't know if I am just not using it in the right place or what.  Been a very frustrating and expensive experience so far.  I am have been using the Gamakatsu dropshot hooks.

Around cover like that, I would go texas rigged (dropshot) on a baitcaster.  Use a 1/0 light wire or 2/0 and texas rig, voila weedless.  Pitching a dropshot around trees work very good.  I do it all the time (Especially if I didn't bring my flipping/pitching rod).  I also will use 1/8 or 1/4 oz drop shot weight, but they are the clip on kinds, so if the weight gets hung up I lose the weight only and put another on.

[Fishes in trees]

If I am using the drop shot shallow, I'm gonna "bubba shot"  i.e. flipping stick, 20 lb fluorocarbon (minimum) and half ounce weights (minimum, I am very likely to go heavier.