i just cant use a drop shot rig?

[gobig]

On 4/1/2016 at 5:34 AM, crankzilla said:

You're tripping brother that's a 4/0 and I usually use 3/0 for a rage menace but I didn't want to change hooks I catch plenty bass just as is.! I never said I have a problem throwing soft plastics the problems is with my drop shotting.

If you've ever watched Steve parks I think he's the creator of the rage series baits he uses a 3/0 or a 4/0 to rig the rage menace.

Then keep doing the same things without a different result. There is nothing wrong with that hook on the right rod. You want a lighter wire hook. To large of hook also kills the action of the bait. So does to line that is to heavy. Set up right, it is not that hard to catch fish with a dropshot. This is the number one bait I use to teach children how to fish. They can wave their rods all over, reel them in, set them down, etc... and they are going to hook fish on accident. 

[TxHawgs]

I'm having a hard time with it also, and consider myself a pretty good finesse angler. What makes it even more frustrating is when the boater is catching them on one but u can't. I watched a bunch of videos on it and the pros said just let it sit there, the water, boat and not being a statue would move the bait enough. So that's what I did and nothing, my boater on the other hand is casting it out and shaking his rod tip like crazy and catching them. He or we were also casting them out and dragging them in, but like I said he was putting fish in the boat. I also don't understand how it's possible to use a 1/4 oz weight or less, unless doing it vertically in dead calm wind. I was using 3/8oz but so was my boater. Like I said we were casting it out and working downhill back to the boat and it was pretty windy out. Any less weight and it wouldn't stay on the bottom it would just pendilum back to the boat. I was using a 2/0 owner mosquito hook and nose hooking a Roboworm, 20lb braid w a 10lb fluro leader. I fish Lake fork so I have the chance of hooking a big fish and there is lots of timber that's why the 10lb leader. Now I know the fish on Fork are heavily pressured and line shy so even with a long leader maybe I need to ditch the braid. The boaters were not using braid.  I like what I read in the post above at casting towards high percentage spots and letting it sit and shaking a little bit then casting to another target where I think fish may be. Using small hooks doesn't bother me, should I go down to 1/0 instead of 2/0? Also I have only fished the dropshot twice so far for a total of maybe 4 hrs, I know I just need to catch a cpl fish and I will be ok. The thing that made me loose confidence the most was both times I used it I didn't even get a bite while my boaters were catching fish. Any advise would be appreciated.

[S Hovanec]

On 3/31/2016 at 5:49 PM, Zippyduck Krimm said:

I use 1/0 and have never had a problem.

1/0?  That's huge!! Lol.  I use #6 and #8 for most of my dropshotting. 

[Zippyduck Krimm]

I use size 1 up size 2/0 mosquito hooks and let them load up before putting the heat on them.

[Jeff H]

I've made 2 big mistakes in my fishing, #1 was ignoring the Senko for many years, and #2 was ignoring drop shot for the past 3 years or so.  I had immediate success with drop shot when I first picked it up but the fish I caught were all dinks.  I left it alone until last year when I picked it up again and gave it a more thorough workout.  I will ALWAYS have the drop shot ready to go now and plan to use it a lot more. 

My point would be DON'T make the same mistake I did.  Do not put it down.  Do whatever you gotta do to get comfortable with it because it is mega effective, especially on those post front days!!

[blckshirt98]

I use a #4 hook most of the time, and nose hook my plastics.  Make sure the plastic is thin enough or designed in a way that it'll move and dart around in the water like a baitfish or worm with barely a tap on the rod.  Test the plastic in the water in front of you to see how it looks in the water and how it reacts to any movement you impart on the rod.  Usually you barely need to twitch the rod to make the bait dart around and an excessive rod jerking will actually give it a very un-natural presentation.  I've never used a beaver/creature style bait on a dropshot, or anything really bulky for that matter.  Most of my strikes don't come when I'm shaking the tip - I just shake the tip to let any fish nearby know it's there, but the strikes will come when I'm holding my rod perfectly still, and unless it's a little fish aggressively attacking the bait kicking it's tail, most of the time the strikes will be very suble with a couple of light taps.  I'll wait a couple of seconds after feeling those taps then give a light hookset - the exposed hook on a nose hooked bait will usually hook the fish on the side or upper jaw 90% of the time.  My thoughts on a dropshot is that you're trying to imitate a clueless baitfish being careless out in the open water.

[Fishin' Fool]

On 3/31/2016 at 5:08 PM, crankzilla said:

I hate drop shottin I just can't get it. The small hook ? I don't understand and I can't get any hook ups. How in the heck do you successfully use a drop shot rig ?

I use a size 1 hook and 6 pound test and catch lots of nice size St Clair smallmouth. There are days when other techniques will out fish a dropshot. Then there the days that you will be glad you learned the technique. Stick with it. It will pay off.