Drop Shot Terminal Tackle help

[fishinNWA]

What are some good hook and weight brands for this technique? Fishing anywhere from 30 to 10 feet of water

[Finessegenics]

Lots of good dropshot hooks out there, I like the gamakatsu split shot drop shot hooks. #1 or 1/0 depending on the size of the bait. 

 

Weights, hard to go wrong there too. I use lead cylinder ones. They're cheap and I snag a lot so I can't justify the price of tungsten for dropshotting. 

 

 

[MN Fisher]

^ What he said - though I use the VMC Spin-Shot hooks. They have standard DS style, EWG and even Neko hooks as Spin-Shots.

[A-Jay]

Drop Shot Hooks

 I've been through quite a few makes, models and even more sizes past few seasons - I've settled on these.

Reasons are - they match my baits, they match the tackle I'm fishing them with, and 

most importantly, they HOOK & HOLD the Bass I'm Looking to Catch !

 Both the Brown & Green models.

  Supplemental info - over the past say, three or four years, much of my drop shot fishing, especially mid-late season, has migrated to using 'bigger baits'; relative term.

 Where in previous deals I was using, the standard skinny 4 & 6 inch Sculpins, Robo worms & Dream Shots - and they catch bass for sure, I started drop shotting a baby rage craw, and then a full-size craw and then 4 & 5 inch Fluke and started getting bites from more bigger fish.  But along with that, I was losing a few fish, because the hooks & manner I was using them was apparently inefficient.  First off, in some instances, my hook selection was too small.  Secondly, while I like nose hooking, seems it's not the best way when I'm targeting bigger smallies - which is ALL The TIME pretty much.  Nose hooking also picks up eel grass when it's there and the little hooks have a tendency to skin hook a lot leading them to come unpinned too much for my liking.  

 I do Tex-pose my drop shot plastic when needed but all things being equal, I prefer not to if I can.

***Note *** regarding the Hooks Pictured - I use SEVERAL DIFFERENT sizes - I offered these to allow for the name, brand, type, and model number identification purposes.  

 So we've ventured into using a little bigger, longer shanked hook.  

 So if you look at the Picture provided, the bottom row - those are all GREAT DROP SHOT OPTIONS and ones I still use a ton; mostly for nose hooking.  

 That whole top row of hooks are what I go to for bigger baits and when I want to 'top hook' a bait; meaning inserting the hook like you would put say a swimbait on a jighead.  Where the hook goes in the front/nose of the bait, is threaded into & down the body of the bait BUT comes out the top.   Still a drop shot, but when a fluke or a caffeine shad is rigged like this, the hook up to land ratio goes way up.  Brownies are generally impaled in the top or the roof of the mouth and they generally Do NOT come off. 

   I definitely use a little 'beefier gear', like M instead of ML and 8-10 lb fluorocarbon leader instead of 4-6 lb. The bigger Hook size demands a bit more pressure to sink it successfully, but after that, it's just a matter to playing that tank into the net.

 

A-Jay

[PressuredFishing]

1 hour ago, fishinNWA said:

What are some good hook and weight brands for this technique? Fishing anywhere from 30 to 10 feet of water

Any good dropshot/mosquito hook works well, size 2-2/0 works, lead casting weights work well, you don't need anything fancy though and can use a bullet weight at the bottom or a egg sinker or something. Tying the actual rig itself is most important 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

I've tried quite a few DS hooks and although there are several I really like if I could only have 1for nose hooking it would be the standard Gami Drop/split shot hook in size 1.  Trokar has a really good DS hook as well.  

If you dont have a dedicated DS rod and could possibly be switching baits around I reccomend the Trokar Helix hooks.  The ringed wire makes it so much easier to tie on. I like a size 4 for short thin baits in clear water and the #2 for slightly bigger baits.

As for weights I generally use 1/8 or 3/16 at the heaviest.  I'm partial to Swagger and Reins tungsten.  IMO the closed ringed weight are superior to the clip style.  The clip style weights often fly off when fish jump.

[Choporoz]

Hated drop shot fishing until i started using Owner SSW Needle Points.  Hook up ratio went up dramatically.   A huge bonus is that I can fish them nose hooked in brush and laydowns.  The shape makes them a lot less snaggy than others, even circle hooks.   Fish tend to hook themselves and stay hooked.

[cyclops2]

I have used straight shank hooks for decades. Both standard & long lengths.  Some with bait holder barbs.  All work great . When the fish are biting.

 

 Actually I have caught all types including pike on very shiny BARE Gold hooks.  Hungry active fish mouth anything.

 

Weights are usually  B or BB split shot.  Makes it almost snag free.

[ATA]

Daiichi Mosquito hook(red color) #4 was/is my dropshot hook forever and I catch my PB on it several times on 6lb FC line and 1/8oz dropshot weight(any shape is fine if you are on boat). 

[BassinCNY]

My standard hook and bait is a Gamakatsu 1/0 EWG with a finesse worm. The weight is by far the least important part of the set up to me. I usually use a steel tear drop weight or bullet weights back to back with a split ring to hold hold them on.

[Bird]

I need to be more open minded regarding my DS as I tend to get tunnel vision.

Thinking finesse with little red circle hooks and a skinny Roboworm. 

 

I'm liking the replies. 

[ATA]

10.1 By my 13 years old son ?

[cyclops2]

Red it is.

[RB 77]

For years the only hook I have used is the Gammy D Shot/ Split Shot hook in 1 or 1/0 after trying quite a few different styles, sizes, etc. Used as small as 2 for more finesse presentations. Have recently been experimenting with the Rebarb hooks as well. As far as weights go, I have used Ball, Tear/ Pear and Pencil all in different applications. Usually between 3/16th to 1/2 oz. I have avoided using Tungsten because of how many I can lose in one session, but just ordered some last year to experiment when the environment is right. 

[WRB]

I started drop shot when it was called down shot over 30 years ago. Octopus hooks were the first popular style hook followed by both Gamakatsu and Owner drop shot, Mosquito  and down shot hooks. Weedless I use Owner down shot hook #5133 size 1/0 or 2/0. Nose exposed hooked I use both Gamakatsu and Owner drop shot and Mosquito hooks size 4 and 1 depending on the finesse worm diameter.

Weights I prefer Owner drop shot weights in 1/8 & 3/16 oz for water to 30’ , will go to 1/4 oz in the wind.

Tom

[roadwarrior]

Berkley Flat Worm nose hooked on a Gamakatsu  #4 Octopus Circle Hook.

 

KILLER

 

 

[TnRiver46]

I’ve always used small hooks but after reading @TOXIC’s opinion on the subject, I might try some offset worm hooks one day 

[AManWearingAHat]

Gamakatsu  #4 Octopus Circle Hook with your soft plastic of choice. The fish basically hook themselves. 

[Bluebasser86]

The Nako weights are really nice and as cheap as you'll find for tungsten. Owner Cover Shot #1 or #2 are the only DS hooks I use.