Dropshot Hookset Technique

[islandbass]

it seems you have the right gear and what AJ described on the hook set is pretty much it. With the nearly circle hook like traits of a typical DS hook, the fish practically “set the hook” on themselves. 
 

Bird’s image is great but one thing I will do when I can get away with it is leave my hook point exposed. I will only texspose if grass and weeds (not heavy grass or weeds) will get caught up on the point. 
 

The reason you might be missing could be the fish’s activity level. When the bass are active, they’ll scarf down a DS rig in one fell swoop and swallow. But if they’re less active and more finicky, they might actually slurp the plastic worm from the tail end and nibble the bait up to the hook. If you try setting the hook before they get to the hook, we’ll of course, we’ll miss on the hook set. The hook was never in their mouth so we never even had a chance, yet. I’ve seen them do this. 

 

In this situation, you will need to have some patience until you know they have the hook in their mouth. Then do what AJ described in the hookset. Mosquito hooks are incredibly effective. I use size 2 though. The in pacific NW, a 4 pounder is a monster,lol. Now go get’em. 
 

 

[garroyo130]

So I discovered 1 issue already. With the owner mosquito hooks, the eye is almost inline with the shank. Because of this, looping the tag end back through results in a hook that follows the line as opposed to sticking out of it. 

 

The finesse wide gap hook has a bent eye which when the tag is looped back around makes it stick out perpendicular as it is supposed to. 

 

... progress ... lets see if the fish notice it 

[Mjmj]

You're doing everything right, as far as gear. The right hooks, tag end through the hook and the right rod. The pic that @Bird showed is perfect (almost weedless). I take beginners out quite often and their hookup ratio is about 75%. (Braid to fluro) We usually fish isolated rock piles, so we cast to different rock piles. I tell them when you feel the bite, just reel into it! This is one of the easiest ways for me to help a beginner catch bass. By the end of the day,  they usually can tell me if it's a small fish. I think you are feeling small fish, but I could be wrong 

[Columbia Craw]

It's surprising how little pressure or force is required to get a good drop shot hook to penetrate, especially when using braid as the main line. I just employ as solid lift and reel at the same time until the blank locks up.  As said, sometimes the fish will set the hook themselves.  My experience is the hooked per strike ratio is very good and the land per strike ratio even better.  It's not uncommon for very small dinks to pull at the bait and yellow perch are often culprits for just that.  But a bite is a bite and where bait is, the bigger ones won't be far away.  I like both Gammi spitshot/dropshot hooks in #2 or #1 and the Gammi wide gap finesse in #1 or #1/0 and choose the hook that best matches the mass of the bait choice.  

[WRB]

When I 1st started to drop shot it was called stacking and thought you needed about a 3" leader away from the main line and drop weight end because the bass would feel the main line and weight. I soon learned tieing the hook direct onto the main line work better even though the bass had the line and worm and weight line in it's mouth.

Don't get too carried away the hook being inline with the point exactly upright, it doesn't matter because the entire worm and hook is back inside the mouth and the bass more then likely isn't sitting still when you hook set.

Tom

[garroyo130]

Reporting back! 

 

Much cooler morning 37 as opposed to 63 when i first posted. 

Anyhow fewer bites as expected but I managed to hook both of the fish that struck. Im sure you northern people are pshh'ing at this right now but 2 keepers for a 37 degree Texas morning ain't too shabby. 

 

Thanks to all! Advice was extremely helpful!