Dropshot question?

[Tim Kelly]

Can anyone explain why it might be better to use a drop shot rig for suspended fish, rather than a jig head in the bait? It seems to be really common when you see people video game fishing suspended fish to use a DS rig, but, like at Cherokee last spring when the "Damiki rig" suddenly seemed to do better, a jig head in the plastic seems like a better idea to me. When I try fishing a DS in mid water, for perch rather than bass, the weight gets bit as much as the plastic, hence my question.

[WRB]

Mid water column suspended bass are usually inactive fish unless feeding on mid water column baitfish. I realize some pros do target suspended bass using the drop shot rig.

Aaron Martens for example uses light drop shot weigh, short 3" dropper and light line to vertically target bass under his sonar coverage. My preference is using 3/32-1/8 oz dart head jig with finesse soft plastics because it works better for me. I know bluegill will strike at the weight, no perch where I fish, bass usually engulf the soft plastic and never felt light pecking strikes hitting the weight but I am sure it happens.

Tom

[Crestliner2008]

I've had a great deal of success with suspended smallies, using a wacky rigged Senko under a slip bobber. It's all about depth & speed control.

[Sam]

Another reason to use the drop shot is to keep the bait off the slop on the bottom and to pull it through heavy structure.

 

The weight accumulates the slop and if it gets snagged you can pull the hook/bait free.

 

A drop shot rig also keeps the bait over the submerged grass and it is great to flip and pitch around pads.

 

So use it in a variety of ways to entice bites.

 

 

[Comfortably Numb]

Simple enough if they bite the weight. Use a jig/plastic as the weight on your drop shot.

[Sam]

2 minutes ago, Comfortably Numb said:

Simple enough if they bite the weight. Use a jig/plastic as the weight on your drop shot.

Old timers trick.

 

Still works.

[Todd2]

Sounds similar to a double crappie jig setup that crappie guys have using since I can remember seeing guys crappie fish..

[senile1]

On 12/18/2017 at 9:31 AM, WRB said:

Mid water column suspended bass are usually inactive fish unless feeding on mid water column baitfish. I realize some pros do target suspended bass using the drop shot rig.

Aaron Martens for example uses light drop shot weigh, short 3" dropper and light line to vertically target bass under his sonar coverage. My preference is using 3/32-1/8 oz dart head jig with finesse soft plastics because it works better for me. I know bluegill will strike at the weight, no perch where I fish, bass usually engulf the soft plastic and never felt light pecking strikes hitting the weight but I am sure it happens.

Tom

 

At Table Rock Lake, targeting mid-water column suspended bass in the heat of summer is a common occurrence.  The bass suspend over the tops of trees at 30 - 45 feet deep in 70 to 100 feet deep water, and if feeding on bait fish as Tom states in his post, one can catch quite a few.  I have had trips where the targeting of these fish was the difference between catching some bass and not catching much of anything at all.  

 

The rule of thumb is that suspended bass are typically inactive and in most of the lakes I fish this rule holds true.  However, in deep clear mountain reservoirs with submerged trees the tops of the trees can almost be viewed as the lake floor for some suspended bass in specific seasons.  

 

Getting back to the question of the OP, I prefer a spoon for fish in these situations though I have caught them on the dropshot as well.