Dropshotting line choice

[illinifan4152]

So I've started dropshotting more and am making a dropshot specific setup. Up north here I have had the opportunity to fish various depths drop shotting, from shallow water to 40-50ft deep up at Lake Erie. I know it's preferance, but I want your opinion on line choice. Is there a certain depth that influences you to choose straight flouro vs braid with flouro? Or is it water clarity? I would be happy to hear what you use to dropshot with, line wise, and a justification as to why you choose that. Thanks in advance!

[buzzed bait]

10 or 15lb power pro braid to 8lb invizx leader has been serving me very well.  i prefer the braid because it's so easy to manage the line.

[blckshirt98]

Fluoro is a bit stiff to run straight on a spinning reel.  15lb braid with 6-8 lb fluoro leader is all you need.

[JustinU1X]

15lb PP w/ an 8lb seagaur red label leader. Not the best for mainline but a pretty darn good inexpensive leader material. 

[S Hovanec]

Braid + 6# leader, no matter where I'm dropshotting. 

[J Francho]

Weeds, 15-20# braid and 6-10# leader.

Bubba, 50-80# braid and 12-25# leader.

Deep drop, 6# fluoro (Tatsu).

[MickD]

I agree with all above (braid to 15, FC leader below.)  But most of my dropshotting is in fairly open water and clear water, so I use 6 pound FC quite a bit.  Good quality 6 pound FC shouldn't cause problems, and it's nice not having to dick around with a leader, although if you use a swivel, you have a leader joint anyway.

[blckshirt98]

Heck one of the best CA Delta guides said he uses 25lb fluoro on his dropshot rigs as a leader and has seen no difference in catch rates since FC is basically invisible in water.  I still stick to 6-8# because that's where I feel the most confident (fish won't see it! fish won't see it!).

[Mothercanucker]

No sensitivity with mono and stretch...always done braid with FC leader. 10lb PP super slick for light n shallow with 6lb leader. 15lb PP super slick for deeper/current and 10lb leader

[Pondboss16]

8 pound mono is all you need, personally I'm not a big fan of leaders cause they tend to break on snags and big fish. I also like mono because when your jerking the rod tip to make the worm move mono line stretches a bit and gives the worm a more life like look in the water

[Raul]

Don´t complicate your life, use whatever you feel comfortable with.

[5fishlimit]

I started using straight FC, 6# Invisix. I learned how to dropshot on Lake Erie in about 25 to 50 feet of water. It worked, but the deeper the water the more the stretch of FC showed itself.  I feel that extra little stretch gives the fish a little advantage to throw the hook. 

I use either 10# Seaguar Smackdown (6# FC leader) on one setup, and 15# Kanzen (8# FC leader) on the other. One has a 3/8oz weight, and the other has 1/2oz. 

These two rods, and a tube, are all you need for Lake Erie, IMHO. 

[illinifan4152]

11 hours ago, 5fishlimit said:

I started using straight FC, 6# Invisix. I learned how to dropshot on Lake Erie in about 25 to 50 feet of water. It worked, but the deeper the water the more the stretch of FC showed itself.  I feel that extra little stretch gives the fish a little advantage to throw the hook. 

I use either 10# Seaguar Smackdown (6# FC leader) on one setup, and 15# Kanzen (8# FC leader) on the other. One has a 3/8oz weight, and the other has 1/2oz. 

These two rods, and a tube, are all you need for Lake Erie, IMHO. 

Thank you! I figured the consensus was braid with flouro leader. That's what I wanted to hear! I'll give it a shot this year. 

[MDBowHunter]

20#braid with a 6# leader, I use these because they're the same diameter which makes joining the the two lines together much easier.

[Crestliner2008]

I guess I'll my $.02 in the ring. I only rarely bubba-shot, so the majority of my drop shotting is done on off-shore structures in 20' - 40' of water. Been doing this for about a dozen or more years now. I've gone from starting off with straight mono, to straight fluoro, to various brands of braids. They all work.

However, to maximize your efficiency drop shotting, I find that braid with a fluorocarbon leader to be most effective. My personal favorite is 6# test Fireline Crystal with a 6# test fluoro leader. Have caught a ton of big smallies on this rigging, so I know it works well. Be aware that a lot of what folks choose, or recommend, is based on personal preference. Like I said, they all work!

 

[illinifan4152]

Thanks everyone for the responses. I really appreciate it!

[WIGuide]

In the past I have used straight 6 lb fluoro, and this last year I used 20 lb braid and 6 lb fc leader. After using both I'm somewhat undecided as to which is better. The straight fluoro gave me slightly better sensitivity, and the braid was slightly easier to manage. I think I might spool up some of my spare spools and use them back to back this season. I'd say take you pick with what you like and have confidence in. 

[J Francho]

18 hours ago, blckshirt98 said:

Heck one of the best CA Delta guides said he uses 25lb fluoro on his dropshot rigs as a leader and has seen no difference in catch rates since FC is basically invisible in water.  I still stick to 6-8# because that's where I feel the most confident (fish won't see it! fish won't see it!).

Ever try to double up 25# line on a 1/0 or #2 drop shot hook?  For smallies in open water, I'll go down to a #6, if I'm using a tiny bait.

[FlipSide]

6-8# straight flouro

Preferably Sunline FC Sniper, but I have also used Seaguar Invisix  

[blckshirt98]

3 hours ago, J Francho said:

Ever try to double up 25# line on a 1/0 or #2 drop shot hook?  For smallies in open water, I'll go down to a #6, if I'm using a tiny bait.

Nah, but I saw his setup and he uses big hooks, like 3/0, and only uses big baits.  Even when wacky rigging senkos he goes 7" senkos.  I could never do either, and stick with 6-8# test and prefer 3.5-5" plastics.  Was just saying that to point out that you can catch fish on a dropshot without having to corner yourself into a "dropshot should only be done this way" kind of thing!

[J Francho]

Sounds more like bubba shotting.  I don't bother with a leader when I bubba shot heavy cover.  Fish don't care about the braid.

And you're right - there's many ways to skin a cat.  A drop shot is a TERMINAL RIG, not a specific bait or style.  Lots of ways to fish it, and it solves a ton bait placement problems.

[TrapperJ]

Getting into to drop shotting myself, was able to find two pond bass last weekend i was able to trick ha

but im not a fan of jacking with leaders, trying strait Flouro 8# FC Sinper

still learning my spinning rod i've been a baitcaster bro or nothing all my life, at first the Flouro seems like its just "jumping of my spool, took some line off it helped, then remembered a Bassresource vid about giving Flouro some memory about after spooling soak line on the bell in hot water, havnt tried yet, but should help for us guys that are not fans of leaders.

[Felix77]

15# Seaguar Smackdown Braid

8# Seaguar InvizX .... Upgraded to 8# Tatsu over Christmas.  Can't wait to try it out.

[Airman4754]

20lb Power Pro, 10lb P-Line flouro. 

It does the job. 

[PitchinJigz]

15lb Daiwa J-Braid to a 7 or 8lb Sunline FC Sniper leader is my favorite.