Drop shotting. Solving a hookset problem.

[Fishing Rhino]

For about a month, I've been targeting smallmouth at many of the ponds on Cape Cod.  

I've had very little problem with hooksets for largemouth, but was "losing" a fairly high percent of smallmouths at or near the boat.  That did not happen with the larger fish, but was not uncommon with fish of about two pounds or less.

No big deal since they were destined for release.  But, it was something I needed to address.

The solution turned out to be a simple fix.  I had been using drop shot hooks.  They looked mighty small to me after using 4/0 to 6/0 hooks in my favorite largemouth pond.

I switched to a 1/0 octopus hook, and the "quick releases" came to an abrupt end.

[Gatorbassman]

Great solution. I also use mosquito hooks along with octopus hooks.

[Big Bait Fishing]

i don't use octopus hooks any more , the best is to use size 1/0 or size 1 , ewg hooks , Owner of course , rig it texas style . no more short strikes that end up missed fish cause they missed that little octopus hook !!!  

[islandbass]

That was a very neat approach. I have put octos and ds hooks and they are very similar.

Have you considered dropping to size 1, or 2?  Largemouth or smallmouth, regardless of size I can't recall losing them when they're close being lipped.

On the other hand I fish from the shore and sometimes have to balance on rocks to keep from falling. It might be harder from a boat.

[Tin]

There should be no hookset with drop-shot hooks...

[Hammer 4]

I still give em a gentle tug. I also use owner octopus hooks size 1 and 2/0...haven't had a fish come off yet..

[Gatorbassman]

i don't use octopus hooks any more , the best is to use size 1/0 or size 1 , ewg hooks , Owner of course , rig it texas style . no more short strikes that end up missed fish cause they missed that little octopus hook !!!

You can do that if you use a stiffer rod and line that's heavier than 8lb test because when you texas rig a worm it requires a harder hookset than with an open hook.

[Fishing Rhino]

I'm not a cross their eyes type of fisherman. In most cases, I use a quick, but not hard sweep.

But, with the drop shot, which I frequently cast, I'm using a six pound test mono. Impossible to make a vigorous hookset since it is so stretchy.

I use 20 pound fluorocarbon for a leader. I used lighter, but many of the ponds I've been fishing also have big pickerel, and after having the rig severed at the hook, I gave that up as a bad idea.

Funny thing about losing them, it was always at, or close to the boat. They could perform all sorts of aerial acrobatics, and they'd stay hooked. Get up close, and that's where they'd get off.

My guess is that the mono is so stretchy compared to braid, to which I've become accustomed over the past year, that the line never gets enough slack for them to throw the hook, until they got within a few feet of the boat.

All I used thirty years ago was mono. When I resumed fishing, using braid, it seemed like I was using wire line, like that I used to deep troll for stripers back in the day.

Both transmit the slightest tick.

It may be just esthetics to my eye, but I prefer the way the octopus hook hangs from the line because of the way the eye is bent. It seems to hang more freely or naturally from the line.

I'm going to try using a snell knot to fasten the octopus hook to the line.  I can see where it might possibly inhibit the free hanging action of a palomar of fishing fool knot.  

But, it would also eliminate having to pass the tag end back through the eye after the knot is pulled tight.  That too, might be nothing more than esthetics, having no real advantage or disadvantage.

[Banor]

Drop shot, octopus hooks, circle hooks - all require the same "hook set" whether you are fishing them drop shot or wacky rigging a senko with them.  You need to just let the rod load up.  A hook set will just pull the hook right out of their mouth.

I use drop shot and senko rods designed with a softer tip to allow the rod to load up.  Once the rod has loaded up and I am sure the fish is on I will give the rod a quick snap to drive the hook deeper and ensure the fish is not getting off.

Faster/Stiffer rods and hard hook sets do not go well with drop shot and octo hooks, bottom line.

B

[KYntucky Warmouth]

I don't use the gammy octopus anymore, just didn't hook up like i

should.  Now I use the owner mosquito hooks with no problems, I think I have 1s and 2s

[cwb60]

Hope someone can post a pic of a octopus or mosquito hook hooked weedless for a drop shot rig.  

[KYntucky Warmouth]

Hope someone can post a pic of a octopus or mosquito hook hooked weedless for a drop shot rig.

http://www.***.com/descpage-OWH.html

[Crestliner2008]

The drop shot rig has probably accounted for the majority of smallmouth bass I've caught over the past 6 or 7 years. I started off with #4 DS hooks - the "mosquito" type. I too had a lot of boatside unbuttons.

Changed to a size #2 and my lost ratio decreased. Switched to the "Stand-Out" hook (Daiichi) in size #2 and my button ratio has increased as well (these are VERY sharp hooks!). I also tried the small in-line circles, but wasn't as pleased with the results.

The most important thing I've done to reduce boat-side shenanigans while small mouth fishing, is to set my drag really - REALLY - light! I use my finger on the spool, more than the drag, to control them at close range. When they shake their head.....they just take line. The hook doesn't open the bite hole this way - in my opinion anyway. Seems to work pretty well for me. Whenever I do loose a smallie boatside, it's usually because I'm putting too much pressure on them.

It takes awhile longer to land a bass this way, but they're tough critters and can easily handle the stress. Less stress on us too!

[Raul]

Don 't know about ya 'll but them "dropshot" hooks always looked to me awfully small, 1/0 and above is what I use for d-shotting and for D-shotting in my everyday lake ( full of submerged timber n 'brush ) this is what use cuz I can texpose and not get hung all the time:

Another reason why I like 'em is beacuse I just can 't seem to make an ordinary hook be horizontal when I tie it to make the d-shot rig.  :-?

[Fishing Rhino]

Don 't know about ya 'll but them "dropshot" hooks always looked to me awfully small, 1/0 and above is what I use for d-shotting and for D-shotting in my everyday lake ( full of submerged timber n 'brush ) this is what use cuz I can texpose and not get hung all the time:

Another reason why I like 'em is beacuse I just can 't seem to make an ordinary hook be horizontal when I tie it to make the d-shot rig. :-?

I was showed a trick which made the hook stand out horizontally from the line.  After tying the hook, pass the tag end, to which you will attach a sinker through the eye from the side of the eye which faces toward the point.

When you attach the sinker, the hook will stand out from the line, very nearly horizontal, but definitely with plenty of clearance between the shank and the line.

In an earlier post, I had thought about using a snell knot to tie the hook, but reflecting upon your post, I can see that it would not exert the same force to make the hook stand away from the line.

[WRB]

Don 't know about ya 'll but them "dropshot" hooks always looked to me awfully small, 1/0 and above is what I use for d-shotting and for D-shotting in my everyday lake ( full of submerged timber n 'brush ) this is what use cuz I can texpose and not get hung all the time:

Another reason why I like 'em is beacuse I just can 't seem to make an ordinary hook be horizontal when I tie it to make the d-shot rig. :-?

Looks like Owner's "down shot hook", excellent choice for skin hooking a worm in cover or open water. The needle sharp octopus style drop shot hooks work good when nose hooking a worm and fishing vertical deep rocky structure.

If the hook isn't riding upright, make sure the hook bend and point is facing away when you insert the line when tying a Palomar knot, works for me.

WRB

[Raul]

I was showed a trick which made the hook stand out horizontally from the line. After tying the hook, pass the tag end, to which you will attach a sinker through the eye from the side of the eye which faces toward the point.

I know that trick, done it many times and ...... the danged hook points where it wants and not where I want so  > .... if I can get hooks to do what I want why bother in purchasing hooks that don 't do what I want ?  

[Fishing Rhino]

I was showed a trick which made the hook stand out horizontally from the line. After tying the hook, pass the tag end, to which you will attach a sinker through the eye from the side of the eye which faces toward the point.

I know that trick, done it many times and ...... the danged hook points where it wants and not where I want so > .... if I can get hooks to do what I want why bother in purchasing hooks that don 't do what I want ?

The obvious answer is you shouldn't.  

If you have something that is working, stay with it.  I would.

That's the great thing about fishing.  There really are no rules, only basic guidelines, with plenty of room for creativity.