Straight Fluoro for a dropshot?

[Junk Fisherman]

Is anyone using straight fluoro for a dropshot?  Where I fish on Lake Michigan there are so many snags.  I lose more stuff here than anywhere else.  We fish all this jagged broken up concrete and other types of breakwalls that make breakoffs unavoidable.  Even though I have 2 dropshot rigs ready, I still inevitably will have to retie the entire leader and dropshot setup at least once per outing.  This eats up valuable time.  It would be much faster if I had straight fluoro so I didn't have to deal with retying leaders.  I know the braid is more sensitive but do you feel it is that much of an advantage over straight fluoro?  Thanks for any comments.  

[J Francho]

Always. If I hang up, I lose the weight.

[Ktho]

I've always used straight fluoro on my dropshot and don't have any problems with it. 

[NHBull]

You can always pre-tie your leaders, so you only have one knot to tie.

i like braid to FC as I think braid handles line twist better

[J Francho]

One retie per trip isn't bad at all.  I think I retied at least ten times the day I caught this fish.

 

 

I've used the braid leader deal, and it works, too.  Caught this off a bed.  Triple Surgeon's knot was what I used to tie up quickly.

 

[GaryH]

Smiling like a cheshire cat....LOL  I would be to.

[Bird]

I do prefer braid to Flouro for DS but will admit it's a burden to retie leader in a fishing kayak with compromised vision. 

 

Luckily the weight is the weak link. 

[Junk Fisherman]

53 minutes ago, NHBull said:

You can always pre-tie your leaders, so you only have one knot to tie.

i like braid to FC as I think braid handles line twist better

I know and I need to start doing this more.  

 

The other reason I am wondering about the straight braid is because I end up pitching my dropshot quite a bit.  We fish these barrel-looking break walls and you want to get your bait in the junction between two barrels.  The braid that I use wraps around the rod often when I pitch it.  Doubt it happens as much with straight fluoro.  

[WRB]

In the late 90's or very early 2000 Daiwa Samuri braid came out and the "pro's" were converting to braid with FC leaders claiming it gave them an edge. I am always willing to give new things a try so I treid it. Came quickly to the conclusion my straight FC and 5 lb Maxima Ultra Green Copoly rigs out performed the braid with FC leader. The fact you must use 2 knots is problematic. The only advantage was less line twist and I always untwist my spinning reel line after use by dragging behind my boat a few minutes with nothing tied on.

Straight mono is my 1st choice, most reliable and abrasion resistant line. 

Straight FC is a second choice.

Straight braid for heavy cover use only.

Drop shot weights are designed to pull off when the weight is snagged, unless you tied it on. Always retie several times a days outing by constantly checking line forr flaws regardless of the line used, it's the only thing between and the bass.

Tom

 

 

[J Francho]

That wrap on the tip is from line twist. Troll out the braid with nothing attached and reel it in under tension to untwist. 

[FryDog62]

I only use braid if Bubba-shotting.... otherwise straight Sniper 7 lb... too many knots to tie with braid/fluoro and with a light drop-shot hook too much braid can result in a straightened out hook in a big fish’s mouth...

[ghost123123]

Count me as a flouro guy for dropshottimg.

[Way north bass guy]

There’s a few rigs that I do the braid/fluoro combo, but with drop shots I’m all fluoro, all the time. Caught right around 500 Great Lakes smallmouth so far this year, many on a drop shot, and I can count on one hand the number of decent fish I’ve lost this year. 

[Teal]

Only for simplicity and multi purpose use, I use 8 big game.   

 

Works well

[Junk Fisherman]

Thank fellas.  Gonna spool up a straight braid for this weekend.  I already use straight braid for small swimbaits.  7 lb Gamma is some great line.  Caught this guy on it last weekend.  

 

 

 

 

[Big Hands]

I have been using braid to fluoro for dropshotting all summer. There aren't a lot of trees or other structure that sticks up into the water column, so my braid doesn't suffer much damage with a 6 to 10 foot leader. If I was using several feet of line to reties and breakoffs on each trip, I would be getting down on line capacity pretty fast. I have been getting pretty good at tying a 7/7 alberto knot pretty quickly so it isn't a big deal to retie a leader on the boat if needed, but I usually replace the leader either every trip or every other trip and only lose enough braid to tie a new alberto knot instead of several feet if I was using straight fluoro. 

 

I am going to try some Maxima monofilament vs fluoro to compare for leader material, but have decided to stick with braid for the main line for the time being.

[shimanoangler]

I always do braid to leader because it allows me to change up and go to a lighter leader material if the fish are truly finicky or line shy....  I can easily retie a lighter or heavier leader line based on situation and if the line twists beyond manageability, I can quickly cut it and retie.  Braid to leader gives you all the benefits of braid from line management and all the invisibility of floro.   Best set up IMHO...   

[rk123]

On 10/5/2020 at 9:39 AM, Junk Fisherman said:

Is anyone using straight fluoro for a dropshot?  Where I fish on Lake Michigan there are so many snags.  I lose more stuff here than anywhere else.  We fish all this jagged broken up concrete and other types of breakwalls that make breakoffs unavoidable.  Even though I have 2 dropshot rigs ready, I still inevitably will have to retie the entire leader and dropshot setup at least once per outing.  This eats up valuable time.  It would be much faster if I had straight fluoro so I didn't have to deal with retying leaders.  I know the braid is more sensitive but do you feel it is that much of an advantage over straight fluoro?  Thanks for any comments.  

Personally, I use braid to fluoro religiously on the dropshot (and many other techniques) because it really gives incredible sensitivity that other line can't seem to have. That being said, tying leaders can be a hassle especially in snaggy areas (my main experience with relentless snags is castaic dam). The first thing I would recommend would be to make your leader longer so that when you go to retie it isn't too short. (If your entire leader is breaking off, use an RP knot which seems to always be stronger than the palomar that attatches your hook) You could also experiment with cover shot hooks like the roboworm rebarbs which are excellent. If your weight is getting snagged, just use lead and lightly clip it instead of tying it. Hope this helps.

[Sooner Steve]

FC leader on 40lb hi viz yellow braid at Fork. As long as you are focused and go slow, everything is fine. I fished 2 days in heavy cover, using one rig and two straight VMC worms. Caught 45 fish on Saturday and Sunday. All under the slot.

[00bullitt]

I run two drop shot rigs; one with straight 8# Tatsu and the other with 15# Suffix 832 and 8 or 10# leader. I catch twice the fish on the Tatsu than the braid to leader. I get far less line twist with Tatsu than braid. I have no loss of sensitivity with Tatsu. Rods are both G. Loomis GLX 822's. One is an SYR and the other a DSR.

 

If I could only have one, it would be rigged with straight FC. I REALLY like the Tatsu having come from Sniper.

[Bass Junke]

Been using straight Floro or co-poly for all spinning setups. No leaders. (do C-rigs count?) No issues. Like others above, I do line maintenance after every or every other outing. 

[TnRiver46]

On 10/5/2020 at 2:18 PM, WRB said:

 

Straight mono is my 1st choice, most reliable and abrasion resistant line. 

Tom

 

 

Me too

[Boomstick]

I use braid to fluoro leader on my spinning rod but there is no reason why you can't use straight fluorocarbon.

[Michigander]

I've been using straight FC for drop shot but I'm going to experiment with FC leader this year. I'm not a great drop shot angler so my opinion doesn't count for much here.

[Columbia Craw]

If it's the weight, try crimping hollow core pencil lead. You can dial in the weight by the length you you cut it.  I fish a stretch of the Columbia that is volcanic rock and it eats weights.  This practice keeps me fishing.