Dropshot Question For You Yuppies

[Wbeadlescomb]

What action and length spinning rod do you use? I've got a 7'2 shimano sellus mh worm and jig rod that closer to a heavy than a medium heavy. Then I have 6'6 medium action Abu Garcia rod I mostly throw crappie jigs on. I've got some 1/0 vmc and matzuo swivel drop shot hooks and weights 1/4,5/16 and 3/8. Which rod would be better and am I going the right direction with hooks and weights

[gr8outdoorz]

Use both. Med Heavy for dropping a rage craw with 1/2 weight & the Med for lighter plastics and weights. I use ML-MH depending on the situation.

[plumworm]

I am a 68 year old "Yuppie" (where did that part of the question come from?) I use a 6'6" medium action, fast tip, St Croix with a Shimano Stadic 2500 series and 6 or 8 lb. Trilene X-L. But I would be willing to bet that the "Yuppies" will have a better educated answer cause they are a whole lot smarter the old guys like us who call them yuppies. I'm just kidding, The young guys are what keeps bass fishing advancing and us ole guys live in a world of our own and hate change. I don't like floro line, Alabama rigs, or lures that have electronic guts. Hell, beadlescomb, lets just not fish the dropshot at our age, it's only a few years old.

[Wbeadlescomb]

Yuppies are the guys that have 5 egg beater reels rigged up on the deck of there boat asking his buddies " you'se guys want a pop?" Lol

[Wbeadlescomb]

I doubt I get crazy and fish the drop shot all the time I just try to pick a technique every year and get proficient with it. The drop shot and jerkbait are the two I've been putting off the longest usually by the time the jerkbait bite is on me and my mountain feist are chasing squirrels

[gobig]

You cant afford my fairy wand.

[B_Gilbert]

I personally would just get a regular drop shot hook like the gama drop shot/split shot hook without the swivels...  I feel like those are to bulky, could be in my head but just my opinion.  I like to run braid with a rolling barrel swivel and a fluorocarbon leader on a 7ft medium spinning rod...  I fish St Clair a lot so drop shotting is something I do often..

[tomustang]

Let's see,

6'10MLXF

6'9MLF

7'0MLF

Up to 1/2 oz weight on them.

[Hanover_Yakker]

I have two rods - both spinning

 

1 - Bull Bay Rods custom Spectrum Professional (7'6" Medium/XF)

1 - Shimano Crucial (6'3" Medium/XF)

[Wbeadlescomb]

You cant afford my fairy wand.

You trying to come on to me

[Grizzn N Bassin]

you could use them both depending on the cover your fishing. but i doubt you'll be drop shoting around brush piles and submerged trees, go with the 6'6

[WIGuide]

What action and length spinning rod do you use? I've got a 7'2 shimano sellus mh worm and jig rod that closer to a heavy than a medium heavy. Then I have 6'6 medium action Abu Garcia rod I mostly throw crappie jigs on. I've got some 1/0 vmc and matzuo swivel drop shot hooks and weights 1/4,5/16 and 3/8. Which rod would be better and am I going the right direction with hooks and weights

 

I usually use a St. Croix Legend Tournament Bass 6'10" ML/XF or 6'8" M/XF depending on the size of weight I'm throwing. I'd suggest you use your Abu for drop shotting. As far as the hooks go I use the VMC spin shot. I really like them. They cut down on line twist considerably and if you're just getting into it they will help you out a lot. I haven't had any issues when it comes to them being too bulky even in gin clear water.

[Wbeadlescomb]

I usually use a St. Croix Legend Tournament Bass 6'10" ML/XF or 6'8" M/XF depending on the size of weight I'm throwing. I'd suggest you use your Abu for drop shotting. As far as the hooks go I use the VMC spin shot. I really like them. They cut down on line twist considerably and if you're just getting into it they will help you out a lot. I haven't had any issues when it comes to them being too bulky even in gin clear water.

From what I understand the hook set is about like you would set the hook on a bream or crappie. Just lift your rod and reel and the hook will set

[WIGuide]

From what I understand the hook set is about like you would set the hook on a bream or crappie. Just lift your rod and reel and the hook will set

Pretty much, with the hooks as sharp as they are and with the light wire they're made with, they'll penetrate with that. I usually do put a little extra pressure on them though.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Drop shot is a terminal rig that be fished in a number scenarios. Weight of the bait and cover conditions will dictate the proper rod. In the contemporary sense of finesse vertical jigging with electronics, a 6'9" ML/XF is what I sell a lot of.

[Christian M]

Rod- 6'10" MXF - 7' MHF, It depends on conditions.

 

Hooks- Ditch those swivel hooks, they stink, get some Gama drop shot hooks and use a palomar knot, you can go all the way down to a size 1 or 2 with a small soft plastic bait and still land a beast. Hook size really depends on bait and weight size.

 

Weights- This depends on water depth, thickness of cover, type of structure, wind speed, current speed. You basically want to make sure you have constant bottom contact, but can still feel whats on the bottom, and feel when you get a strike. The best bet is to get an assortment of shapes and sizes.

 

Reel- Spinning, Make sure your reel has a super smooth drag, and plenty of line spooled up.

 

Line- A lot of guys like braid, and I guess it's a personal preference. The way I see it is if you're using braid, you have to tie on a 2'-6' flouro leader anyway, then worry about your tag end length. So why not just go with flouro all the way and make your life that much easier. I've tried both and for me its flouro (4-8lb) all day.

 

Hookset- With just a lift of the rod and a few cranks of the reel you can bury that little hook deep. The strikes are totally different, most of the time its quick, light tap tap taps, sometimes you'll get a bang, sometimes it can even be spongy weight. I've landed bass over 6lbs that felt like a 6" bluegill hitting my line. Be safe and give the rod a lift when you feel something. 

 

Be prepared to lose a lot of rigs, especially in deep water.

Make sure you use those electronics!!!! That will make the difference between going skunk, catching a bunch of sunfish, perch, & bluegill, or hooking a trophy beast

 

Tight lines and welcome to the yuppy club    

[Hooligan]

What DVT said is straight away.  Drop shotting is a technique, from ultra light weights and small rigs moving up to 1 ounce plus rigs.  It all depends on what you're wanting to do and where and in what capacity.

For most finesse dropshot fishing, I tend to fish a 6-8 MXF.  It's versatile enough to be used for dragging a dropshot, and for casting it.  If I am strictly casting a shot, I tend to fish a 7-2- it allows for more line take up and slightly better hookset power.

Then again, I am just another yuppie, usually with a few "egg beater reels" on the boat of the deck, so what do I know.

[.ghoti.]

The only criteria is use to determine which rod to use is overall weight and depth. Weight determines rod power. For less than 15', I use casting rods. Deeper than 15' I use spinning. It's a lot easier to just leave the bail open when dropping down in deep water.