Still don't get this dropshot thing

[Guest avid]

Well thank you very much Mr. Pete S.  and welcome to the forum.  You described my lake perfectly.  Have you been spying on me  

[pete s]

AVID no,i live on lake conway in orlando. i have found that most deeper clear water lakes are pretty much the same in fla. have you tried dragging worms during spring,summer,and fall? another tip about the c rig in fla. downsize your weight(1/4oz good place to start). i use 1/4 oz bell sinker with with a zoom lizard and it seems to come thru the grass better. although,it is slower fishing than with heavier weight.

[Captain Cali]

1.  Is dropshoting basically a vertical presentation?

Vertical & Horizontal

2.  Do you essentially leave the bait in one spot with some shaking etc.?

Most do. I drag and dead stick more than shaking. Both work.

3.  Is their a proven "retrieve style" of dropshotting

I just SLOWLY drag the rig and dead stick. I'll maybe throw in a few shakes here and there. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Until you feel something funny.   Always keep bottom contact with the weight.

4.  How compatible is dropshoting to weedy cover conditons.

I was fishing a drop shot rig all summer with the weed cover at it's thickest for my home lake. I'm sure your lake is a different animal though. Usually more weeds call for a longer tag end/leader.

There isn't one thing I can pin point it on. It's just something you will get a feel for once you start catching fish. I'm confident that, with your experience and knowledge, you will get into a drop shot groove that you will not be able to break. It's a deadly technique.

One last thing, SHARP HOOKS!!

[fourbizz]

I think that jomatty's "anchor" analogy is a great one. I shake the crap outta my drop shot rig, until the bite proves to be extremely tough, then I employ more of a anchored-suspended-deadstick-slack maneuver....wheewwwweeee thats alot of hyphens.

[BASS fisherman]

Sorry to hijack your thread avid, but my questions are along the same lines, and go together with the techniques being discussed.

What type of hook is commonly used for drop shotting?  I read that FINN-S-R uses a 1 owner hook.  

I started with a 1/0 Gammie hook, but recently picked up a pack of size 1 Drop Shot Gammie hooks.  Does it make a difference?

And how do you set the hook when drop shotting?

I have yet to catch any bass with the D/S technique and I think maybe I am setting the hook wrong.

[fourbizz]

Size 1 Owner Mosquito Hook 90% of the time.

Hookset-REEL,REEL,REEL,REEL,REEL,REEL,REEL,LIFT.

[FIN-S-R]

I was intro'd to D/S using the nose hook w/ a "dropshot" type hook like the skeeter. I just about quit it due to the constant snagging. Then I had a revelation that a very small EWG type hook might just do the job and stay weedless. Not only did it stay weedless (hook all the way through bait and then skin hooked) but my hook up ratio went up too. i will outcatch my tourney partner 2 or 3 to 1 while he is using the nose hook method. The only time I go to the nose hooking method with an itty bitty D/S type hook is to wacky rig my dinger  ;D or senko or worm when Im gettin' lots of nibble and no hook ups- Only happened twice. And lots of folks say to use the lightest weight possible , but i disagree. Ilike to use the HEAVIEST weight possible so as i can maintain good contact and control, and make it sit really still if in the middle of some fish. Also I vary the tag any where from 6-8in up to 5-6ft. A couple of summers ago I found a pattern where the tag had to be at least 4ft, and you had to keep the bait still as a cadaver to get bit. So set up and action will vary, just ask the fish what they want...eventually they will let you know.

[Sam]

OK, here is my two cents on the subject.

Take some of your hard earned money and invest in the DVD Classic Paterns Master Series' Mike Iaconelli Tactics for Tough Conditions.

Not only will Ike give you some wonderful pointers on how to fish the drop shot, but he also includes other fishing methods such as the shaky worm, split shot, stick baits, and other great "secrets" that you can use to your advantage.

Ike's info on the drop shot rig was more informative than Rich Tauber's Bassmaster University presentation. Rich made the presentation right after he learned the drop shot method from the Japenese bass pros at a California tournament and Rich was telling us how it worked and how great the set-up can be.

So do yourself a favor for Christmas and get the DVD.

But please don't tell anyone else on the forum about it as it will help everyone make the Classic!!!!

Merry Christmas