Spinning vs casting for dropshot

[TxHawgs]

I'm not talking bubba shotting just regular finesse stuff.  I fish lake fork Texas 2 to 3 times a wk. And every cast could be the one.  I fish a Loomis NRX 852C w a Shimano Aldebaran. Usually rigged w 12lb braid to 8 or 10lb fluoro and a 1/4oz weight unless in 20ft w high winds then 3/8. Matt Allen fishes the same rig in CA for his dropshot. I had a Loomis NRX 822S and 823S and did not like em. They were too soft and after switching I rarely lose a fish. Can anyone tell me why I should be using a spinning rod, and the advantages if there are any? Thanks

[islandbass]

If you don’t want to use a spinning rig, then don’t.

 

Use what you want. There is no law that states you have to use a spinning set up. One plus however, with a spinning rig is that it is “more convenient to make your lure have a more vertical fall with the bail still open if you want to do that. To do the same with a casting set up you will need to strip line off manually or cast ahead of your intended target to compensate for a slanted descent. 

 

That is to me one difference. I drop shot with both. 

 

What do you mean by soft? Whippy  perhaps?

 

[Darren.]

I wouldn't fear "the one" with spinning gear. Fully confident

in my setups to handle any bass in freshwater, and that with

1000 size Stradics. No worries for me 

 

As for using casting to drop, sure! I bought a 6'6" ML BPS

Carbonlite casting rod to pair with my Chronarch 50e, which

is tuned up with ABEC7 bearings, etc. That setup can cast

some "weightless" baits. I was even able to cast a Zoom

Tiny Fluke - weightless. Yeah, didn't go far, but in my 

experimenting, it worked w/o backlash.

 

Issue with casting is pendulum swinging if you're casting out

a drop shot rather than dropping off the side of the boat.

The way to sort of compensate is to pull out line right after 

you stop the bait (thumb) while it drops.

 

For spinning advantages, wind is another. And I know how to

cast in the wind with casting gear. I do not believe casting gear

is better than spinning. I don't buy that argument any more and

I set out a few years ago to go ALL casting, which is why I 

bought the ML and two Chronarch 50e reels.

 

If you want to use casting gear, go for it.

[d-camarena]

I get flamed at local tournaments for plipping and punching with spinning gear. I dont care. Use what you want and what you feel most confident in

[TOXIC]

As a general rule for ALL of my finesse applications I use spinning rods/reels.  The stigma about them is long gone.  Every pro angler throws them.  You can use a baitcaster for dropshotting because it is a bottom contact bait presentation.  As a rule spinning gear has an advantage when fishing baits like Senko's where the bait get's bit on the fall 90% of the time.  A spinning reel will feed your line out without the pendulum effect whereas you would have to manually feed out a baitcaster to replicate the natural fall.  Spinning reels also allow you to better line watch in my opinion.  My normal boat setup is 4 baitcasters and 4 spinning rods.  I find myself with a spinning rod in my hands most of the time unless I am throwing cranks/spinnerbaits/chatterbaits, etc.

[SJex]

I fish both casting and spinning. I actually lose less fish with spinning gear then I did with casting. I found I could work a lure better with spinning gear. The one issue I found when using casting gear with a leader, is when your line snaps during a cast, you will get quite the backlash if you don't have a quick thumb.

[J Francho]

I've caught 25+ lb. king salmon on the same rod and reel I fish for bass with.  I'm not afraid I'll lose anything on that rod.  I prefer spinning for finesse.  8 or 10# fluoro isn't what I'd consider finesse, but it's perfectly acceptable for drop shotting.  The "drop shot" is a terminal rig, not a specific style nor does it dictate what tackle you use.  I do a lot of deep, clear water drop shotting - sometimes 40 FOW or more, so I have 6 spinning rods rigged for DS.  That doesn't mean I won't tie up a medium power casting ring to use a drop shot.  Or my flipping stick. 

[blckshirt98]

I have a better feel for super light bites on my spinning gear, and it's easier to find UL/L/ML spinning rods, with the XF action.  Also I've gotten comfortable with spinning gear where I can accurately cast to spots, and there's no backlash to worry about.  My favorite "dedicated" DS rod is an older Shimano Cumara 6'8" MXF, but i've use an UL trout rod, and a Phenix M1 as well.

[TxHawgs]

We mostly cast and drag our dropshot rigs. There has been a lot of big fish caught on Fork this yr. 15 and 13s and so on. Me and my buddy put a 10.02lb in the boat a month ago. Fork is loaded w cover, loaded, esp stumps standing timber ect. Big fish in open water not I understand. And yes 8 and 10lb isn't finesse fishing but you don't stand a chance with a DD in timber on anything lighter and most likely not on 8 or 10, and if he wraps ya goodbye fish.

5 minutes ago, blckshirt98 said:

I have a better feel for super light bites on my spinning gear, and it's easier to find UL/L/ML spinning rods, with the XF action.  Also I've gotten comfortable with spinning gear where I can accurately cast to spots, and there's no backlash to worry about.  My favorite "dedicated" DS rod is an older Shimano Cumara 6'8" MXF, but i've use an UL trout rod, and a Phenix M1 as well.

Lol I can feel a fish fart on my 852C w braid.

And when I lived in PA we would catch 8 to 10lb steelies all day on 4lb line.

[Yumeya]

I use both.

 

I love my spinning rods and prefer them for drop shot, plus I get to the bottom faster when using spinning.

[TxHawgs]

1 minute ago, Yumeya said:

I use both.

 

I love my spinning rods and prefer them for drop shot, plus I get to the bottom faster when using spinning.

I'm gonna pick up another spinning rod I guess. The NRX 822S was an x-fast but I want something in maybe a 3 power and stiffer tip.

[blckshirt98]

24 minutes ago, TxHawgs said:

We mostly cast and drag our dropshot rigs. There has been a lot of big fish caught on Fork this yr. 15 and 13s and so on. Me and my buddy put a 10.02lb in the boat a month ago. Fork is loaded w cover, loaded, esp stumps standing timber ect. Big fish in open water not I understand. And yes 8 and 10lb isn't finesse fishing but you don't stand a chance with a DD in timber on anything lighter and most likely not on 8 or 10, and if he wraps ya goodbye fish.

Lol I can feel a fish fart on my 852C w braid.

And when I lived in PA we would catch 8 to 10lb steelies all day on 4lb line.

I cast and let my bait sit in the same spot for 2-3 minutes at a time before reeling in a bit and repeating.  Oftentimes the bite won't happen until that 3rd minute.  I started off using 7lb FC for a leader but went up to 8, and then 10, and now sometimes even 12 in areas with a lot of crap in the water.  A local guide would go up to 25lb FC for a DS leader because FC is basically invisible underwater.  If your casting rig lends the same sensitivity and you prefer it, by all means stick to it and use it.  I like throwing smaller squarebills on spinning gear, convention be damned!

[Todd2]

33 minutes ago, blckshirt98 said:

I cast and let my bait sit in the same spot for 2-3 minutes at a time before reeling in a bit and repeating.  

I wish I had that much patience. Maybe 30 secs for me with a little shake and repeat.

[J Francho]

1 hour ago, TxHawgs said:

We mostly cast and drag our dropshot rigs. There has been a lot of big fish caught on Fork this yr. 15 and 13s and so on. Me and my buddy put a 10.02lb in the boat a month ago. Fork is loaded w cover, loaded, esp stumps standing timber ect. Big fish in open water not I understand. And yes 8 and 10lb isn't finesse fishing but you don't stand a chance with a DD in timber on anything lighter and most likely not on 8 or 10, and if he wraps ya goodbye fish.

In that situation, I have a nice 6-8 M/XF rod and an Alphas Ito spooled with 8# CXX that works great for drop shot.  Only a few places up here with "standing timber" up here, though I've fished it down south.

[KP Duty]

I grew up jigging for crappie with a spinning rod, and I'm right handed, so spinning makes more sense to me while working a drop shot.  Mine and I figure most other folks dominate hand is their more agile one, so this really is the factor Im looking at more than the choice casting/spinning.

[Big-Bass]

I have been contemplating using casting gear again for drop shop in the 1000 Islands in New York since many of the weights are 1/2-5/8oz in deep water.  Was thinking about using a longer rod for it as well.  7'3" - 7'7" medium power with 8-10lb. line.  Any thoughts?  Thanks!

[grub_man]

Unless you are regularly fishing your DS in water deeper than 15'-20' you don't really need to go to the spinning rod.  If you are regularly in deep water, the spinning gear will help get your offering down a little more vertical.

 

Finesse casting gear is what got me into rod building, and I use 6'10" M power XF action casting rods and reels spooled with 8 or 10 lb. mono for the majority of what I do.  After relocating to Lake Norman, I realized a spinning version of those rods would be a better choice to get to the deeper spotted bass, and something a little longer than my 5'8" spinning rod was in order.  I picked up a pretty nice 6'9" blank this winter, and I'm now trying to find some time to wrap it and fish it.  Go figure a few weeks after picking up the blank I got a job offer I couldn't pass up back in my hometown in OH and will be moving back just as I would have really needed the rod down here.

[J Francho]

I start with 1/2 oz. and go up to an ounce.  Since I'm just dropping the line straight down, or a small under hand cast, over weighting the rod is okay.  I use ML up to about 3/4, M for 3/4+.

2 minutes ago, Big-Bass said:

I have been contemplating using casting gear again for drop shop in the 1000 Islands in New York since many of the weights are 1/2-5/8oz in deep water.  Was thinking about using a longer rod for it as well.  7'3" - 7'7" medium power with 8-10lb. line.  Any thoughts?  Thanks!

 

[blckshirt98]

1 hour ago, Todd2 said:

I wish I had that much patience. Maybe 30 secs for me with a little shake and repeat.

Oh I'll give the rod a little twitch/tap with the thumb every 10-20 seconds but I'll try to keep the bait in relatively the same spot.  Also full disclosure I'm a 100% shore guy.

[JustJames]

I'll grab what available for me when drop shotting. Most of my drop shot weight is 3/16. I don't see any advantage of one over the other, I don't fish deeper than 15-20 FOW, but I more accurate on casting gear VS spinning. To me more important is plastic, I will dropshot smaller size plastic in shallow and up the size when fishing deeper.

 

[WRB]

I only pick up a spinning outfit to fish light line finesse presentations; 5kb to 7lb line with 1/8 oz or lighter weights. Everything else I prefer a baitcasting outfit.

Tom

[NHBull]

I am just more accurate with a BC

.....but do use spinners for wacky and drop shot and I have one on the deck at all times.

 

If I miss a top water hit, I throw the wacky and tend to do OK

[FishDewd]

No difference- dropshot is the universal technique of equal performance amongst all rod/reel combos. I've caught about the same amount of fish using spincast, spinner, or baitcasting set-ups. Can't say I have a preference! It's worked so slowly, so vertically... it just does not matter! Go with what what feels best to you. I've caught them on UL, L, M and MH rods. I just probably wouldn't pick an H as m go-to. I prefer a medium tipped rod for my dropshots, but aside from that... I can make them all work about the same really. I've used that technique so much it's a go-to and I'm comfortable using whatever is available.

[EGbassing]

Spinning.  

[Columbia Craw]

I recall reading an article by Mike Folkestad several years ago.  He stressed the importance of a natural vertical drop and achieved it with an open bail. I prefer spinning gear because of light line, smaller hooks and the drop factor.  I'm in the minority in the rod choice because I like a 7'4" rod.  I have been fortunate enough to land two largemouth over seven pounds on this set up.  Slow and patient.