Dropshot from the bank -- questions (weight, leader)

[beardown34]

Still pretty cold here in Illinois so aside from a couple jig fish (mostly 1/4 oz with a zoom chunk jr, and a couple on a 3/8oz swim jig with a twin tail grub), the rest of my bites have been on a dropshot. I only fish small ponds from the bank. I've been forcing myself to use a baitcaster, regardless of presentation. Because of that, and the fact that it has been windy, I've upgraded my dropshot weight to 3/8 oz, although I'm still using finesse plastics (3" evolve vibra grub and 4" zman ez tube). 

 

questions (specifically about dropshotting from the bank)

 

1) Is there any benefit to using a lighter dropshot weight?

 

the 3/8 oz weight has allowed me to cast farther and even directly into the wind. plus, it certainly makes it easier to feel the bottom and work the slack.

 

2) Doesn't the leader have to be quite a bit longer when your'e dropshotting from the bank?

 

I mean I read about 4-6" leaders, but that's a completely different game when vertical fishing. from the bank, considering the angle of the line after you've cast it out say 20-30 yards, that 4-6" leader is going to leave your plastic like 1" off the bottom. I randomly chose to tie on a ~ 18" leader and that's been getting me bit when casting out to the center/deepest part of the pond. 

[BobP]

I usually start my ds leader at 8-10" when vertically ds-ing, so it's off the bottom but not too far off.  I'd want the same altitude when bank fishing, whatever that means according to the slope of the bottom.  I favor using cylinder ds weights because the seem to hang up the least for me.  On 6 or 8lb line, You can cast a ds as far as you want with a 3/16 oz weight with a ML spinningnrod, IMO.

[beardown34]

Thanks BobP.

 

I know you can get away with a lighter DS weight, but what's the benefit? Is it so that you can use a lighter powered rod?

 

I'm just wondering why I can't just use a 3/8oz weight all the time -- not just for powershotting with larger baits, not just on windy days -- but all the time.

[SWVABass]

Unlike a trig the weight won't kill your presentation. So if it works go for it. As far as your drop length you might need to make it longer to get it up higher in the water colum. Your fishing at more of an angle so your bait on a 10" drop won't really be 10" off the bottom, just play with the length till you find what the fish want.

[Crestliner2008]

You should have no problem with the heavier weight. I would suggest that since you are not fishing vertically, that you use the tubular or pencil type weights, to reduce snagging on the bottom. As far as leader length goes, you just never know what the conditions you are faced with will dictate. Do not go out with a pre-conceived notion about what's right or wrong. Experiment and try different lengths. Let the fish tell you what they want.

 

I take it you are fishing for largemouths, since you are using baitcasting? Still not sure that is your best choice, but if it works for you, you're golden. What size line are you using?

[beardown34]

my pond is just a subdivision pond. bottom composition is mostly pond scum, leaves, some standing vegetation but rarely emergent. no wood. i have just been using a water gremlin dispey swivel sinker with no snagging problems.

 

for some reason i thought i read dropshot required a finesse weight sinker. but this year after ice out it has remained pretty cold. my pond has a shallow perimeter that is maybe 10-20 yards around, and there are definitely no bass to be caught there, so my only success has been trying to cast to the deepest part of the pond. that just wasn't possible with lighter sinkers (even with spinning gear). 

 

i am targeting largemouth Crestliner2008. i know spinning might make life easier, but i'm just forcing myself to learn baitcasting, if nothing else so i can teach myself the limits of what can/can't be reasonably done. i am using braid to a 15# fluoro leader, which i know is way more line than the job requires, but it's what i have a spool of and it works.

[Darren.]

I found the drop shot at a pond just like you describe

was moderately successful. The scum on the bottom

will inevitably make its way to the worm, LOL.

 

Using a baitcaster you'd want a heavier weight, and 

like @Crestliner2008 said, the pencil/cylinder weights

are great for this. But if your Gremlin works, there ya

go.

 

Leader length. I don't change length for bank fishing.

And btw, are you talking inches? You use the full

quote symbol (") which signifies inches of your leader

so a 4-6" leader leaves me scratching my head.

Just clarifying...

 

So for me, I would say 4-6' is fine. But there's no reason

not to try a longer leader.  

 

15# leader is definitely heavy for DS, but use what ya

gots. Been where you are with determining what you 

can/can't do with a baitcaster. I was able to replicate

almost all of my spinning use, but ended up back with

spinning (mainly) because it was simply less fuss than

a BC.

[blckshirt98]

1/4 or 3/8 weight is actually kind of heavy IMO.  I'm a 100% shore guy and I use a dropshot probably 75% of the time.  I mostly use 1/8 or 3/16 oz sinkers.

 

- If you're using a baitcaster I can see the need for a heavier weight, use what feels best for you that lets you maintain controlled bottom contact.

- General rule of thumb I use is to use the lightest weight I can given the wind/current conditions.

- The smaller/lighter the weight the less noise/commotion it makes when it drops into the water.  The best is when it drops in there with no splash like an Olympic diver scoring a 10 on a dive.

- Sometimes I like to use an ultralight setup with a size 1000 reel and lighter line, in which case I'll always prefer the 1/8oz because I can get just as much distance on it as a 3/16oz.

- I'll use a heavier weight when it's windy or there's a strong current, or, if I'm in a narrow cove and trying to reach a far bank.

- Farther out isn't always better, in some ways using a lighter weight helps with productivity as it keeps the bait closer to shore where most strikes will occur.

- Lighter weights are cheaper (significantly cheaper if you ever need to use tungsten).

 

[JustJames]

To me only issue with heavy weight is sometime you cant really feel the bass bite but you feel the tension when lifting your rod.

With lighter weight (pensil style weight) it should be able to lift the weight out of whatever it snag into easier, if you feel any tension beyond that it means fish already have your plastic.

With those round hevier one, you might not be able to seperate tension of weight snag or fish bite.

 

Again with drop shot most of the time you should be able to feel the bite or see line moving even with heavy dropshot weight. So no worry use whatever works for you.

[Paul Roberts]

If it's working... keep on keepin on.

 

I also fish small waters, often from the bank. The DS rigs I use depend on amount of cover -6lb to 15lb- and amount of wind. I tend to go as light as I can get away with in terms of line and weight. I get more bites that way.

 

The only issue I can have with heavier weights is under high vis conditions when fish are exceedingly spooky, and I need a quieter splashdown and generally must tread softly. I some cases -shallow, sight-fishing, super spooky- I'll use a 1/16oz weight and 6lb leader.

[Fishes in trees]

Maybe it is just me, but fishing a drop shot rig from the bank just seems to be a bad idea.  It seems like you're just asking to lose a bunch of weights, when in my mind there are better alternatives out there for bank fishing.

"What alternatives?" you may ask.    "Charlie Brewer Slider Heads", I reply.  Go to the Charlierewer web site and look at the variety of the tx rig style jig heads they offer.   They are relatively cheap, come through grass & light brush and bank snot algae relatively well and they are made for 4" and 5" finesse worms.  I have fished 7" ribbon tails on them as well.

 

I fish drop shot presentations from my boat when they make sense, but throwing the drop shot from the bank seems to me like forcing a presentation into a situation it really isn't designed for.  Maybe in certain situations, like a sharp dropping bank or a retaining wall, but it wouldn't be my lead off presentation.  I can see lots of bank fishing situations where casting a drop shot rig could bet problematic, kinda like trying to fish a Carolina rig from the bank.  Good luck with that.   Every time I tried that (back when I was a bank fisherman) I got snagged on stuff to the side or behind or above me ALOT.  That is what made me learn the rod in front of me all the time pitch cast or when I had my hip boots on and was a couple of steps out into the water a side arm roll cast.