Dropshot Hookset

[Montanaro]

How do you all set the hook when dropshotting?

I reel into the fish until line is tight and lift slowly. I also use a semi exposed dropshot hook with ML xf rod.

On fishing shows, some people do it like me like Brett Hite at the classic but watching St Claire tournament many people were lifting quickly and little reeling.

I've tried the quick lift before and I've lost or missed almost all of those fish.

[BrianinMD]

I do a lift quick and reel, not a hard hookset just a quick lift. Seems to work for me.

 

Wondering though, if what you were doing worked for you why change?

[Bluebasser86]

I reel then lift. 

[Montanaro]

I don't want to change. Just curious how diverse the hooksets are.

On Glenns video he suggests lifting quick then reeling.

Like I said when I do that I feel that I'm pulling bait out of mouth.

[Felix77]

Essentially a reel and lift guy myself as well.  With smallies sometimes I need to give it that extra pop when I lift. Not much of one .... 

 

If all else fails check the sharpness of the hook.  Learned that the hard way a few times this year.  

[NJSalt]

I use a high speed spinning reel and reel/lift.

[WIGuide]

I give them a mini hookset and then reel. I also cast my dropshot most of the time instead of fishing it vertically. 

[5fishlimit]

I lift and reel, too.

[Batson]

Don't look like KVD trying a huge swooping hook set! Just lift set and reel. 

[WRB]

IF you are using a light wire hook like a Gammy or Owner drop, down shot or mosquito nose hooked the needle sharp hook point penetrates with little force. IF you have the worm weedless skin hooked a firmer hook set works better, not a hard hook set using light line, big bass and you break it off!

Tom

[MasonV]

I'll reel if I need to until my line is tight and then lift into the fish.

[poisonokie]

yup, just like a wacky rig.

[fisherrw]

my hook sets generally depend on how hard the fish hits. hard hit I give a fairly hard hook set softer hit usally just start reeling.

[blckshirt98]

I'll take up any loose slack and give it a quick short side sweep hookset.

[A-Jay]

Reel & lift here as well.

 

With usually 6 - 8 lb leader & 10 lb braid, I reel in any slack and continue reeling as line comes tight and  as I can start feeling the weight of the fish, I'll lift up until the drag starts to slip a bit.

 

Continuing to reel the whole time.  Big smallies seem to have a propensity for swimming right at the boat at Mach speed and then launching themselves skyward. - sometimes it's hard to keep up.

 

I will admit to fishing with a fairly light drag setting when fishing a drop shot - which has been a ton lately.

 

A-Jay

[MrBigFishSC]

I bet we are all doing a very similar thing just explaining it differently. Unless you are fishing absolutely vertical you have to take up some slack by reeling and then a quick lift to set the hook. I fish DS mostly by casting and dragging back very slowly. I get 3 types of "hits": the conventional worm thump, load ups, and loss of connectivity. The last one happens when the bait just ain't there when you shake it cause the fish is swimming with it. In all of those cases I will take up enough slack first to get a good lift set. I did catch a pig this summer on DS and it hit like a truck. I did a reaction mini swing before I could stop. The hook was destroyed but didn't break and I landed the fish.

[Montanaro]

No, they are different hooksets.

The one I use, the rod loads as you reel into fish and then you lift to stick the hook.

The other one is more power fishing style. Feel bite, pick up slack (if any), lift/swing while reeling.

You could see both styles in bass coverage of stclair.

[tappinbass]

As long as we are talking dropshotting, anyone use the rigs like the VMC power shot that you just tie inline or are all of you tying your own rig.  The convenience of these rigs sound appealing, but with such a delicate syle to begin with, I fear that the extra hardware right where your bait is would result in less hits.  I still just tie my hook into the line.  Thoughts?  Experience?

[Montanaro]

They don't mind the little extra metal.

[blckshirt98]

I use a smaller size 4 or 6 Owner Mosquito Hook because I'm always wary of larger hooks, but Aaron Martens uses a 1 or 1/0 hook when he dropshots, even when nose hooking, and he seems to do alright lol

[BassThumb]

As long as we are talking dropshotting, anyone use the rigs like the VMC power shot that you just tie inline or are all of you tying your own rig.  The convenience of these rigs sound appealing, but with such a delicate syle to begin with, I fear that the extra hardware right where your bait is would result in less hits.  I still just tie my hook into the line.  Thoughts?  Experience?

I've had my best luck using these hooks. My theory is that I get more strikes because I'm spending more time actually fishing and less time un-fouling a twisted up rig.

[WIGuide]

As long as we are talking dropshotting, anyone use the rigs like the VMC power shot that you just tie inline or are all of you tying your own rig.  The convenience of these rigs sound appealing, but with such a delicate syle to begin with, I fear that the extra hardware right where your bait is would result in less hits.  I still just tie my hook into the line.  Thoughts?  Experience?

I haven't used the power shot's, but I use the spin shots all the time and they don't seem to mind it at all.