Drop Shot Leader Length

[FunkJishing]

I ushually make my drop shot leader about a foot and a half long, how about you? I ushually use a drop shot for when fish are feeding just above the ground. if they're feeding any higher in the water column I feel a crankbait or other lure is more effective or makes more sence to use.

[Crestliner2008]

I start off the season with a very short length, sometimes as short as the worm is long. As the water warms and the fish become more active and move deeper, I tend to increase the length. Especially if the water is relatively clear. In summer, fishing deep water structures for smallmouths I use about 3 1/2' in length. Local water color, temperature and conditions will dictate what to use, but a lot of this is based on experimental trial & error methods.

[ww2farmer]

I start off the season with a very short length, sometimes as short as the worm is long. As the water warms and the fish become more active and move deeper, I tend to increase the length. Especially if the water is relatively clear. In summer, fishing deep water structures for smallmouths I use about 3 1/2' in length. Local water color, temperature and conditions will dictate what to use, but a lot of this is based on experimental trial & error methods.

Pretty much the same here. Cold water = short length, and I move it up as the water warms through spring and summer. There are some times in the summer when I shorten it back up again, but that is usually a trial and error process. And as the water cools back down in the fall I go from long back to short.

[FunkJishing]

Pretty much the same here. Cold water = short length, and I move it up as the water warms through spring and summer. There are some times in the summer when I shorten it back up again, but that is usually a trial and error process. And as the water cools back down in the fall I go from long back to short.

 

 

I start off the season with a very short length, sometimes as short as the worm is long. As the water warms and the fish become more active and move deeper, I tend to increase the length. Especially if the water is relatively clear. In summer, fishing deep water structures for smallmouths I use about 3 1/2' in length. Local water color, temperature and conditions will dictate what to use, but a lot of this is based on experimental trial & error methods.

I fish for smallmouth 99% of the time and live up north where the waters colder. the waters always clear and thanks to what you guy's said I've decided to set up my two spinning set-up's with drop shot rigs at diffrent leader lengts. one shorter and one longer.   hopefully this makes the trial and error process a little easier.

[Felix77]

My lucky number is 7 so the leader length generally starts there.

[J Francho]

Starts at around the length of the rod. When it gets below 18" or so, I retie.

[NJBasstard]

I tie mine the same for every application which is as long as I can get it without the knot entering the spool. I retie when it gets around 18"-24".

[gobig]

I tie the floro leader that goes to the braid about 8-10ft long. That way there is enough leader to retie throughout the day. If you are referring to the distance between the hook and weight, that varies depending on circumstances. I have read the same info as above "use a shorter leader early in the year",  "use a longer leader when the fish become more active" and so on. These are good suggestions as starting points. But if you see fish suspended 3ft off the bottom on your graph try lengthening your leader. Out west here we even use dropshots on suspended fish no where near the bottom. Don't be one dimensional. 

[Felix77]

Starts at around the length of the rod. When it gets below 18" or so, I retie.

 

HA ... J Francho's response made me re-read the question ... I am thinking "How in heck do you cast a drop shot with a weight a full rod length from the hook ?!?!"

 

My leader length begins the length between the 1st and last eye.  The length between the hook and weight begins at 7ish inches.

[J Francho]

There's a part two to the question, or a statement rather. I'll ask the OP what he thinks is a better bait when they aren't chasing moving baits, or are deeper than 20'.

And Felix, Rich Zaleski has written about using droppers as long as his 18' boat. Why? Because he marked bait 18' off the bottom, lol. I guess he doesn't cast it, just drops it over the side.

[papajoe222]

I was originallly going to say that I don't use a leader, but I believe the OP was refering to the drop length. There was a time when I adjusted that distance, but recently I've gone to adjusting the angle of my rod. A low angle during the retrieve wil keep the bait closer to the bottom and a high one will keep it up more.  I should mention I rarely verticle fish a drop shot and use my reel to move the rig along.

[ww2farmer]

I interpreted it as "drop length" too....hence my answer. If we're talking leader length, I go with about 5-6 feet of fluoro tied to the braid, and reties when it get's under 2'.

[J Francho]

The tag, or dropper can be 6" to 4' for me, though around 15" seems to be the magic number to keep the gobies off, so that's usually my starting point.

[Munkin]

6" to 3' depending on the conditions but like others said it is trial and error. If I just need a starting length then 12 - 18" is what I use.

 

Allen

[fisherrw]

It really depends I make it 4 sometime and sometimes almost 2 feet

[FunkJishing]

yes I was refering to the dropper length, sorry haha. I start with mine a little over a foot long.