Drop Shot

[Cricket_Fire]

Hi, new member here!

I'm just wondering a few thigns abotu this.

a) Is that a weight at the bottom?

What are the advantages of using this apposed to another method?

Thanks! I realize this may be a dumb question, but hey, answer this, and that's 1 less dumb question I'll be asking in the future

Thank you!

[huskertko]

First off welcome the the forum, there is a ton of great information available here, and the people on this site are second to none in willingness to offer advice, suggestions or tips.

There was a topic posted about the drop shot here a few days ago that has some great info in it, also if you go to the link Fishing Articles and click on techniques, there are four or so articles about fishing it and rigging it.  If those don't answer all of your questions let us know.  I don't fish it much since I am a shore angler, but there are several here that do fish it quite a bit.  

Quick answer is yes the weight it below the hook, therefore keeping it off the bottom.  It is a tenique that is primarily used as deep clear water fishing in heavily pressured areas, however it can also be very effective in shollow water especially around the spawn time.

Usually it is a light tackle technique, spinning tackle with light line, 4-8 lb line, I like the florocarbon lines because they are basically invisible in the water, but that is a preference thing.

[Cricket_Fire]

Awsome, thanks alot! I'm home sick today, so will deffinitly be reading up on it 8).

You said you don't fish it much because you shore fish? So this isn't good for shore fishing?

Also, has anyone tried this for ice fishing? (I know this isn't an ice fishing forum, but it's getting toward the season, and I'm just aching to get out there ;D).

Thanks!

P.S. This forum is the best fishing forum I've found. All the other ones are either area specific (and none in my area), saltwater, or just inactive.

[huskertko]

It can be fished from the shore but I just don't do use it much.  I am more of a power angler, so if possible I try to fish crankbaits, spinnerbaits, stuff like that.  Slowing down to fish the dropshot or T-rig for that matter is tough for me, but i try to offer what the fish want, but given a choice, I will be throwin and crankin.

[Chris]

http://bassresource.com/fishing/dropshot_fish.html

on the bottom of this page is a full list of other articles on drop shotting.

Welcome to the forum ;D

[Cricket_Fire]

Thanks alot guys!

Has anyone here tried replacing the hook with something else, like a twister, or is this pointless?

What about ice fishing? Seems like this would be good for ice fishing, as the way I was taught to ice fish was to leave your hook a couple inches above the ground.

Thank you!

[Chris]

You can dropshot almost anything You might want to have a hook in the twister tail. You can also have more than one bait on the rig the possibilities are endless.

[Cricket_Fire]

You can dropshot almost anything

Cool, thank you! I'm gonna try this tomorow (it'll be on perch, but hey ;D).

[Triton_Mike]

The guys above have given you some great articles to read.  Here is one that I wrote in the last edition of the Inside Line that you might find helpful.

http://www.tritonmike.com/flattail.html

T Mike

[basspro48]

Most people think of a drop-shot rig as a finesse rig for light line and a spinning rod. But I have that it is actually a great pitchin' rig. This gives the bass something else to see other than the old standby brushhogs, jigs, etc.  

Hope this helps.

[phisher_d]

Welcome to the forum

What are the advantages of using this apposed to another method?

I think one of the main advantages to drop-shotting is that it keeps your bait in the strike zone for longer than other presentations (as long as you want really)

Also it gives the fish something that they may not have seen before

[Guest whittler]

The advantages of drop shotting are the same today as when your grandfathers or great grandfathers used it a 100 years ago.  On the lake where my grandfather lived most all fished for crappies and gills using cane or later fiberglass extenstion poles with 1 to 3 aberdeen hooks tied about a foot apart and a sinker on the bottom. These were usually baited with minnows or worms. Now we have to have special drop shot hooks, drop shot weights, drop shot rods, drop shot hats or what ever else somebody will buy. So before you spend your allowance, just keep it simple and use what grandpa used. We will allow plastics.

[Cricket_Fire]

Thanks alot guys! I'm gonna try this on perch tomorow. Last weekend I only got 2, let's try and top that with a drop shot ;D

P.S. Nice article Mike! Haven't read it all, but will finish it later tonight.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

I never thought of t like that whittler, for that matter, when I jig off the tuna grounds for bait I use a 9-hook herring rig with a 6oz. sinker on the end.

I put a small strip of herring belly skin on each hook because noone goes to a restauraunt with no food,lol and I just jiggle it till it "feels" like most of the hooks have a fish.  Bring them up, pop the bladders and get them in the livey basket and go do it again!

Salt water drop-shotting!

[Guest whittler]

LBH, most of the "new techniques" are just a rehash of an old technique. This is done to sell new products and for very little else in my opinion. In a tackle store yesterday saw drop shot weights, 4 for $1.99, 50cents a pop for lead, give me a break.

Drop shot is an excellent method to catch fish but it is also one of the least complicated, until it gets into the hands of the Saturday morning tackle salesmen.

[gc]

I use it from the shore quite alot with good success. I just tie a wee knot at the end of my line (flouro) and  put a split shot above it. That way I can easily adjust the weight to different size plastics, different retieve rates etc. Basically any plastics can be used but my personal favorite is the small kut tail.

[Guest avid]

The "drop shot" or weight below the bait, is a technique as old as fishing itself.  The Cali dropshotters like Aaron Martens adapted it very successfully to tournament bass fishing.  It's a techniqe made possible by the new generation of ultra soft plastics.  I don't do it much but it works.