Dropshot Reel and Line Choice

[Bassbilly]

Just starting to get into the drop shot technique. I'm gonna pick up a St Croix Avid Spinning Rod AS69MLXF (6'9 ML XFast Action) on sale through Reeds.

Any suggestions as to reels to pair it with? Something under $125. I've heard you want a high capacity reel so you can throw it on Flurocarbon. Any line suggestions?

[Alpster]

Shimano Stradic 1000, BPS just dropped the price to $99. Try 30lb power pro with Vanish 6lb floro leader.

Ronnie

[Crestliner2008]

Throw it? Hmmm....I've tried casting a few times, when I first started fishing the drop shot, several years ago. Problem with casting is that you are constantly changing the angle between your worm and the sinker as you retrieve it, which, in turn, changes the depth your worm is at. If the fish are feeding 3' off the bottom, (following a school of smelt for instance) why would you want to cast to them and put your bait only 1' off the bottom (assuming you have a 2' leader between the worm and the sinker)? I prefer fishing the DS the way it was intended, stright up & down. This gives you precise depth presentation (a main advantage of the DS), based on the length of line between your worm and the sinker. Cruise around until you find a ball of bait or structure of sorts, in the proper depths and locations for your particular lake, at the particular time of the year you are fishing; and put her down! As long as the reel you use has a smooth drag you're all set. I use a Shim. Symetre with 6# test fluoro main line and 4# test DS leader - connected by a small #14 CRANE type swivel. Just my opinion.

[smallfry]

Throw it? Hmmm....I've tried casting a few times, when I first started fishing the drop shot, several years ago. Problem with casting is that you are constantly changing the angle between your worm and the sinker as you retrieve it, which, in turn, changes the depth your worm is at. If the fish are feeding 3' off the bottom, (following a school of smelt for instance) why would you want to cast to them and put your bait only 1' off the bottom (assuming you have a 2' leader between the worm and the sinker)? I prefer fishing the DS the way it was intended, stright up & down. This gives you precise depth presentation (a main advantage of the DS), based on the length of line between your worm and the sinker. Cruise around until you find a ball of bait or structure of sorts, in the proper depths and locations for your particular lake, at the particular time of the year you are fishing; and put her down! As long as the reel you use has a smooth drag you're all set. I use a Shim. Symetre with 6# test fluoro main line and 4# test DS leader - connected by a small #14 CRANE type swivel. Just my opinion.

I'm not sure drop shot is "intended" for vertical fishing.  Actually, some of the early users of dropshots were casting it.  On lakes with clear water and fish on structure of 10' or less you don't want to get right on top of the fish.  The fish are also often not sensitive to whether it is 1 ft or 1.5 ft off the bottom.  If they are, you adjust the weight, just like you would if fishing vertical.  I've also had success pitching a drop shot shallow around docks.  Out west they even pitch drop shots around the tulles (best to use a baitcaster for that).  It is a far more versatile technique than being fished vertical...

I like to use 8 or 10 lb. fireline (no twist issues, extremely sensitive) with a Trilene Flouro leader.  Using a superline allows a smaller reel to be used, and I really like my Abu 801 for drop shotting.  I'd go to the 802 if I were going to use flouro line as the main line.

[Bassbilly]

Throw it? Hmmm....I've tried casting a few times, when I first started fishing the drop shot, several years ago. Problem with casting is that you are constantly changing the angle between your worm and the sinker as you retrieve it, which, in turn, changes the depth your worm is at. If the fish are feeding 3' off the bottom, (following a school of smelt for instance) why would you want to cast to them and put your bait only 1' off the bottom (assuming you have a 2' leader between the worm and the sinker)? I prefer fishing the DS the way it was intended, stright up & down. This gives you precise depth presentation (a main advantage of the DS), based on the length of line between your worm and the sinker. Cruise around until you find a ball of bait or structure of sorts, in the proper depths and locations for your particular lake, at the particular time of the year you are fishing; and put her down! As long as the reel you use has a smooth drag you're all set. I use a Shim. Symetre with 6# test fluoro main line and 4# test DS leader - connected by a small #14 CRANE type swivel. Just my opinion.

I appreciate the tips.

In the 6-8 months I have been fishing with a drop shot, however, I have had fantastic catches both vertical and casting. I caught over 25 smallmouths on Sturgeon Bay in June casting a drop shot onto a 3-4 foot ledge, where vertical would have been impossible. I would cast it and then just shake it in one spot. I think this technique is more versatile than just vertical presentations.

[Crestliner2008]

smallfry - 3 1/2 years ago I learned "down shot" fishing from a Japanese bass fisherman from Japan. That is where the technique started and where it was perfected. Actually, if you go back in history, Bill Binkleman originated it, using a similar rigging with live bait back in the 60's. But like electronics and J.I.T. Mfg. Techniques, America was too involved with the fast tract, to appreciate detailed "finesse" fishing. Our vast water resources in this country didn't require finesse. You just moved to another location! In Japan, you may have a 100 acre lake with 150 bass boats on it at any given time. And that's the only water for miles. So, thru necessity, drop shotting was propelled to the foreground. Anyway, trust me, down shotting or drop shotting (as we call it in this country) was, and is, a verticle presentation. I'm not saying you can't cast with it. I'm just saying that if you want to cast, there are lots of other techniques better suited.

[Chris at Tech]

Daiwa Tierra 2000.  

I have that reel on the AS69MLXF as well.  Sweet combo for dropshotting...

[islandbass]

For the Drop Shot Reel, I use a size 20 Rapala Sx6i. They were originally about $50 but they can be had for about $35 these days. I got mine for about $33.

I also have a symetre 2500 that I can also use. I do not buy into the supposed notion to have a reel with a line capacity greater than a 2500 size reel.  Spinning reels in general are inherently heavier and to me, the extra line is not worth the great jump in weight their is between a 2500 to a 4000 size. Not worth it IMHO.

Just think about it this way. The reel is already going to weigh down on you and you work your lure and you are going to feel the weight on every movement of your wrist. I can only speak for myself, but I don't want to fatigue my hand/wrist arm working a real heavier than it needs to be.

The only exception to this however is if I had to fish really deep water where that extra line capacity is needed. I don't face that condition so I have a spinning reel contingent. At those greater depths, I suppose I can use a casting set up.  

EG #1 A StradicI 2500 weighs 9.5 oz and its 4000 sister 11.6 oz.  Not too bad, but that's 2.1 oz more and over the time of the day, one will feel that difference.

EG #2 A Symetre 2500 also weighs 9.5 oz but in the 4000 size it is a whopping 13.3 oz. A 3.8 oz difference. No thanks!  

For line, I use seaguar invizx at 6# test. It is the first fc line I have tried and have not seen a need to try anything else because this line is awesome.

[smallfry]

I'm aware of the history of drop shotting, and it usually being credited to japan.    I've been doing it for over 5 years myself, and have a love hate relationship with it.  I'll even make a prediction that we'll hear of "shallow drop shotting" as a "hot new" technique next year, even though some people have been doing it for a decade.  

Really, the principle of drop shotting doesn't change because you are casting vs. vertical.  If the productive area of your cast is a 10 ft. long stretch accross a 10 ft deep hump, the distance of the bait off bottom as it is cast and moved over this distance is going to be relatively insignificant provided the "depth" of the hook is properly set to begin with.  (and if you really want to get fancy to ensure an exact distance off bottom you can use a floating plastic bait and let almost all the pressure off the line)  

Name me another technique that can be cast and puts the bait a given distance off the bottom regardless of depth without putting a weight between the rod and the bait?   If there is a better suited technique for this, I'd like to know what it is (and trust me, I'd much prefer to drag a jig, c-rig, suspending jerkbait, etc. than drop shot anyday, but sometimes they prefer that stupid dropshot.).