Shallow water drop shot

[SC53]

How shallow is too shallow for a drop shot?

I’ve been thinking about trying one in 3-5’ of water around the edges of submerged grass, mainly eel grass and hydrilla, where it starts to go sparse and thin out.  

How high above the sinker would you fish it to get it above the grass a little. 

The lake is not real clear, probably 12-18” vis so it’s impossible to see how high the grass is off the bottom.  

I was thinking about 12-18” above the weight.

[J Francho]

You can definitely fish it shallow.  I do it often fishing beds, or under docks.  I will also suggest a finesse plastic on an Owner Jika Rig.  The design punches through moderate grass, like ell grass and EU milfoil, using less weight than a typical Texas rig.  I Rage Baby Craw on a 1/4 oz. Jika is a deadly ticket.

[PaFrogThrower9]

Never too shallow. Theres a local pond that i stop at from time to time and get laughed at because some times I show up with only a spinning rod with a drop shot tied on. Needless to say I get the last laugh when I catch tons of fish and nobody else is catching anything. I think the deepest part of the pond might be 8ft max.

[SC53]

I’ll have to try that Jika rig Francho.

I’ve tried a shaky head with a rage claw and caught fish but it’s a battle when it gets down in that grass. I’m thinking with the DS, it’ll get the bait up above the grass better.

What do you recommend for distance?

[SWVABass]

I fish a drop shot as shallow as possible in the spring. From the bank it can be a little challenging do to the angle your presenting it at but can still do it. I would start with a length you think will put you above the veg and increase until you aren’t snagging.

[BoatSquirrel]

MLF pro Edwin Evers finishes 7 at Chickamauga fishing only a dropshot in 1-4 feet:

“The drop-shot rig included a 6-9 Bass Pro Shops Platinum spinning rod, a Platinum spinning reel spooled with XVS Hyper Braid, and a 10-pound fluorocarbon leader tied to a 1/0 hook, with a 4.75-inch Berkley Bottom Hopper worm in green pumpkin, and weights ranging from 3/16-to 3/8-ounce, depending on conditions.”

[Way north bass guy]

I’ve caught a ton of fish the last couple years with one around docks. If there’s a couple inches of snot grass on bottom, it’ll keep the bait up high enough to stay clean and seen by the bass, and I think it’s something they haven’t seen much under and around docks yet. 

[Fishes in trees]

I think that if you're going to drop shot shallow cover, might as well "Bubba Shot".   My current heavy drop shot rig is a 7'5" Kistler All Day Pitchin Stick - a 50 size Shimano reel filled with 20 lb Abrazx.  Favorite hook is a Gammy Wicked wacky between 1/0 and 3/0.  I generally lead off with a medium size soft plastic, like a Berkley Crazy Legs Chigger Craw or the old Gulp sinking minnow.

I think this set up has helped me get some shallower fish that would have broken lighter line.

[SC53]

‘Trees, that’s almost exactly the rig I’m planning on using.

My rig is an old Loomis 7’ SJR 844 with a Stradic 5000 and 20# braid and 20# leader.  Hooks are same 1/0-3/0 and my go to baits are a senko or Rage Craw. 

This won’t be finesse fishing at all, more like combat fishing if you ask me.   

Too much cover and obstacles to go light!

 

What weight sinker do you think?  I’m leaning towards 1/8-3/16.

[Bluebasser86]

Less than 10' is the only place I can catch fish on a dropshot ?

[Fishes in trees]

Forgot about the weight - I use the half ounce finesse weights from BPS.  I like them better than the rounded or bell shaped ones.  If I could find 3/4 ounce weights, I'd use those - the idea being that why not get your bait to the bottom asap

[LxVE Bassin]

8 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Less than 10' is the only place I can catch fish on a dropshot ?

I have yet to catch a fish in deep water on the drop shot. I have caught them between 1-9 feet of water.

[adbassfishing]

I usually use a dropshot in deeper water, but i don't mind using in shallow. It helps with snot grass that might prevent you from using other bottom baits. The only problem i run into sometimes is the hooksets when casting shallow. Its harder to get a good hookset then if you are fishing vertically. Make sure you if your casting shallow and not fishing vertically to tighten your drag (If your using a spinning setup) for the hookset. There are a lot of spots around where i fish and when you set the hook on them they like to run at you. You have to reel fast to catch up with them and I lose some that way. I also use a heavier weight shallow (1/2 oz) but that is just a preference to help me maintain bottom contact.

[frogflogger]

Caught bass in Okeechobee in 2'of water beneath vegetation - used a 3/4 oz. weight and a yum vibra king tube about 8" above it - 50# braid - plunk in there, pull it up and twiggle it around.

[blckshirt98]

I'm a 100% shore guy and a 90% dropshot guy, and catching fish on a dropshot in less than a foot of water is a regular occurrence. 

[SC53]

Follow up guys. Tried it today in 3.5-4.5’ of water.  Absolutely killed it!

No monsters, biggest just under 4 easily outfished other techniques I tried by double or triple. But did exactly what I hoped it would.  They couldn’t stand the bait just hovering there above the grass. Thanks for all the comments.

[Boomstick]

You only need about 4" of water for a drop shot, but when it's that shallow and I don't already have a drop shot rigged up, I will usually go to the ned rig instead with the exception of mornings and evenings. At times when fish are active, fishing a drop shot, nose hooked near the top of the water column can be EXTREMELY effective.