Losing fish on dropshots

[Aaron Stelmach]

Lost 2 nice bass today, right now im using the vmc spinshot size 1. They are pinned for a second and then they pop off? 
 

Im thinking its either the spinshot hooks or it’s that the fish are long distance away, and I should give a bit more power in my reelset such as a sweeping motion.

 

Any suggestions?

[MN Fisher]

I use the SpinShots....but not the standard ones. Go with the SpinShot Neko.

 

 

And yes - use a sweeping hookset.

[roadwarrior]

Gamakatsu Octopus Circle Hooks

[Ktho]

My go-to is the Gamakatsu drop shot/split shot hooks. I don't use a sweeping motion when fishing deep or far from the boat, the fish pick it up pretty solid so after the initial hookset I just wind wind wind and put pressure on them. A lot of the bigger/deeper fish will move to the surface after being hooked and its harder to get the pressure needed for a good hookset when they're swimming to the surface or towards you. 

[MN Fisher]

^ Ya, the Gammy Swivel-Shots are another good one.

[detroit1]

When they go to bite the bait (on one of those spinshot thingys) they knock the bait around in a circle. Don't like them , will never use them, i want my bait rigid to the main line.

[galyonj]

I'm pretty ignorant in general, and I think I've fished a dropshot all of two times ever, but those spinshot hooks feel like a solution in search of a problem.

 

Maybe I'm missing something, though.

[Darth-Baiter]

I agree with @detroit1  those hook are a solution for a problem that doenst exist in my world.

 

if I am in bigger bass waters, I use a 1/0 or 2/0 Owner Downshot hook.  rigged weightless.

[Wildbillb]

I use the vmc hooks all the time for smallmouth.  Only issue is one broken hook, but that was just from way to many fish on the same hook. 

[casts_by_fly]

What line are you fishing?  if its mono/fluoro mainline and you're making long casts with light power rods then maybe give a little more oomph.  If its braid then maybe not.

[you]

Agree with others that the spinshot design isn't necessary. The extra hardware could impede hookups, too, especially with shorter-shanked hook designs.

 

And you probably already keep you hooks sharp, but for any light-line application it bears repeating: keep your hooks sharp.

[WRB]

Nose or wacky hooked soft plastics the octopus style Gamakatsu drop shoot or Owner Mosquito size 1 with finesse size worms. The hook set should include a rod lift and reel set in that order.

Weedless (Texas) skin hooked a longer shank hook like the Roboworm Rebarb Gamakatsu size 1/0 or Owner #5133 Down Shot size 1/0 or 2/0 work, same lift and reel hook set.

I use both Maxima 5# UG copoly line and Sniper 7# FC.

Set your drag @ 2 lbs lifting dead weight force and trust it.

Tom

PS, what rod and line are you using?

 

[Aaron Stelmach]

5 hours ago, Ktho said:

My go-to is the Gamakatsu drop shot/split shot hooks. I don't use a sweeping motion when fishing deep or far from the boat, the fish pick it up pretty solid so after the initial hookset I just wind wind wind and put pressure on them. A lot of the bigger/deeper fish will move to the surface after being hooked and its harder to get the pressure needed for a good hookset when they're swimming to the surface or towards you. 

Yea i dont even think my bait hit the bottom with the big one, i casted out and all of a sudden my rod loaded up, jumped once and then i started winding at a good pace and the hook popped out

3 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

What line are you fishing?  if its mono/fluoro mainline and you're making long casts with light power rods then maybe give a little more oomph.  If its braid then maybe not.

20 pound braid to 6 pound fluoro leader, though i plan to go down to 15 pound braid next time i have to respool 

2 hours ago, you said:

Agree with others that the spinshot design isn't necessary. The extra hardware could impede hookups, too, especially with shorter-shanked hook designs.

 

And you probably already keep you hooks sharp, but for any light-line application it bears repeating: keep your hooks sharp.

Yea most of my hooks are right out of the package and i test them on my fingernail. I plan on buying a hook file soon but i dont think thats the issue

2 hours ago, WRB said:

Nose or wacky hooked soft plastics the octopus style Gamakatsu drop shoot or Owner Mosquito size 1 with finesse size worms. The hook set should include a rod lift and reel set in that order.

Weedless (Texas) skin hooked a longer shank hook like the Roboworm Rebarb Gamakatsu size 1/0 or Owner #5133 Down Shot size 1/0 or 2/0 work, same lift and reel hook set.

I use both Maxima 5# UG copoly line and Sniper 7# FC.

Set your drag @ 2 lbs lifting dead weight force and trust it.

Tom

PS, what rod and line are you using?

 

Yea gonna buy different hooks next time lol, currently using a stradic 3000 and a st croix victory 7’1 medium fast which is my softest rod currently. Got the stradic spooled up with 20 lbs braid and 6 pound fluoro leader.

 

i got a question, when you got your drag at 2 pounds and the fish is 2 pounds you should be hearing the drag sing as you wind? Im also nervous that drag slipping during the hookset will cause problems

[WRB]

The Victory 7’1” MF has a string tip and Inuse that rod for Senko’s more then drop shot. The Victory 7’3” MXF tip is softer and better suited for drop shots imo, plus you are using braid that loads the rod up faster.

2 lbs of drag is more then most anglers think! Simply put 2 plastic 1pint/ 16oz  water bottles in a plastic grocery bag to use as a dead weight. Hook the dead weight on your rigged drop shot rod/reel/line and lift adjusting the drag to slip when the bad is off the ground. Be careful and don’t high stick!

Your goal is to control the bass, don’t reel against the drag slipping, reel when it’s not. 2 lb bass cab put up a decent fight.

Tom

[Aaron Stelmach]

38 minutes ago, WRB said:

The Victory 7’1” MF has a string tip and Inuse that rod for Senko’s more then drop shot. The Victory 7’3” MXF tip is softer and better suited for drop shots imo, plus you are using braid that loads the rod up faster.

2 lbs of drag is more then most anglers think! Simply put 2 plastic 1pint/ 16oz  water bottles in a plastic grocery bag to use as a dead weight. Hook the dead weight on your rigged drop shot rod/reel/line and lift adjusting the drag to slip when the bad is off the ground. Be careful and don’t high stick!

Your goal is to control the bass, don’t reel against the drag slipping, reel when it’s not. 2 lb bass cab put up a decent fight.

Tom

Thanks for the advice, next rod I’m getting is probably gonna be that one. I just bought that setup plus a st croix premier at the beginning of our season which was about $800CAD so i gotta chill for a bit ?

 

as for the drag slippage, the fish i lost wasn’t running while i was reeling but I heard my drag from pulling the weight of the fish, would you say thats too light? I will try that water bottle trick aswell next time i go out

[WRB]

Bass lips are tough cartilage with fine teeth, the hook may have momentarily stuck into the tough area and simply pulled out.

Set your drag by hand as you normally do, then set with 2 lbs and you will feel the difference. Stradic has a great drag, trust it.

Tom

[Bird]

Drop-shot is killer here in the clear water.

I Use the Gamakatsu Octopus hook.

I throw it on a ML rod, 15# braid to 8# flouro leader.

Hookup ratio is very good. 

 

Is the knot your tying keeping the hook shank horizontal ? 

And are you nose hooking the bait ?

 

Actually learned the technique right here on Bass Resources shortly after joining and always have one tied on.

[gim]

9 hours ago, Aaron Stelmach said:

Any suggestions?

There’s only one solution here.

 

Stop fishing with a drop shot forever.

[MN Fisher]

@gimruis

[Wildbillb]

I use 8 lbs yo zuri 

[ironbjorn]

Nothing escapes a Gammy Octopus Circle 

[Aaron Stelmach]

18 hours ago, Bird said:

Drop-shot is killer here in the clear water.

I Use the Gamakatsu Octopus hook.

I throw it on a ML rod, 15# braid to 8# flouro leader.

Hookup ratio is very good. 

 

Is the knot your tying keeping the hook shank horizontal ? 

And are you nose hooking the bait ?

 

Actually learned the technique right here on Bass Resources shortly after joining and always have one tied on.

the spinshot hooks have a swivel that keeps it horizontol, using 20 lbs braid to 6 pound fluoro leader. Yes im nose hooking

[VolFan]

Lift and reel real smoooth - especially with the smaller and in some cases circle hooks. If the hook catches where it’s supposed to, they’re usually pretty well pinned. With the small hook though, sometimes the just don’t get a good bite in the upper jaw and they pull out. After that it’s just keeping steady appropriate pressure on them. 

[JackstrawIII]

Wow, lots of hate for the spinshot hooks. I happen to LOVE them. I started using them about a month ago and have caught largemouth, smallmouth, perch, bluegill, catfish and walleye. 

 

Very, very satisfied. Just bought a few more packs, actually. 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

Spinshots are good idea, but I avoid them if I can.  The bait either wants to sit nose up or nose down because the hook isnt fixed to the line.  If that line is anything but vertical, baits with density will actually swing under the line, so the hook point is facing away from you.  When that happens it makes it really hard to land a fish.  Using neutrally buoyant or floating baits along with using the smallest hook possible helps keep the bait in the right position.  Ive found that the Trokar Helix DS to be a much better hook then the VMC.  The wider gap and longer point are easier to set and they dont come out.  I really only use the Helix hooks when I dont have the room or cant carry a dedicated DS rod, like when Im on a yak or someone elses boat.  Other then that I just use a #2 Trokar DS or #1 Gama Drop/Split, both stick em.