Drop Shot Question

[dhami013]

I've recently begun to experiment with the drop shot. I went out on the water today and threw a 4" senko on a 1/0 GY round hook (I forgot the actual style)

I've got the bait nose hooked, and I was getting a ton of bites. Pulled in only 6 but I must have had twice that in bites but everytime I set the hook they would either get off while fighting or the hook wouldn't set. Now I've heard that with the drop shot you have to wait a little longer for the hookset but I wasn't waiting too long. And I was making sure I could still feel the fish on. It just wasn't happening.

I'm thinking of t-rigging it instead but I was just looking for some input.

Thanks

[WRB]

The Senko isn't your best choice for the drop shot rig...too much plastic. If you want to drop shot a Senko try using an 0-ring and wacky rig it by hooking the the 0-ring. To set hook simply lift hard and reel...do not do a hard hook set, you will rip the mouth tissue.

A smaller diameter finesse worm nose hooked is a better choice with the drop shot rig.

Tom

5" to 6" Senko use a 2-012 size 0-ring.

[J Francho]

It's probably sunnies or blue gill nipping your bait.

[dhami013]

Yeah a couple times it was some sunnies, their bite feels different. It was the reeling them in and having the fish get off that was aggravating. I would see the fish come up then pop, right out of his mouth.

[J Francho]

If you're getting too many panfish bites, shorten your drop line and increase the weight a bit.

[dhami013]

Right on, I appreciate it. Is there a better way to set the hook or anything else I could be doing? Is the Senko really too much plastic?

[J Francho]

I just pop them with a light power snap set. I can't always reel set, and it doesn't seem to matter. If you use the right size hook, it shouldn't be a problem. I use a 1/0 Gamakatsu Wide Gap Finesse Hook for wacky rigging senkos on a drop shot.

Read this.

[eyedabassman]

I just pop them with a light power snap set. I can't always reel set, and it doesn't seem to matter. If you use the right size hook, it shouldn't be a problem. I use a 1/0 Gamakatsu Wide Gap Finesse Hook for wacky rigging senkos on a drop shot.

Read this.

I agree with Francho, senko's work on a drop shot and it is not too much plastic, just a bigger hook. Did you try a Zoom french fry, or there Centipede,or the Zoom meat heads. Great drop shot baits. But you may still get them pannies.But these are great baits. Just my two cents.

[KenG85]

It's probably sunnies or blue gill nipping your bait.

Strongly agree, one of the downfalls to finesse fishing is that everyone gets in on the party. The rockies, panfish, perch and shorts all feel welcomed.

[NorcalBassin]

I reel set nearly 100% of the time and very rarely lose a fish. I prefer to use a Gamakatsu octopus circle hook... very rarely hook 'em deep with these guys compared to when I used to use the usual DS hooks.

[quanjig]

Try keeping your rod a little lower(10 o'clock) and you should be able to reel set comfortably. A dedicated dropshot rod helps as well and keep consistent pressure on the fish and let the drag do the work!

[dhami013]

Thanks for all the input guys. I'll have to give it another shot.

[ChrisAW]

I'm no expert on the dropshot, but I've been using a dropshot almost exclusively for the last week or two just to raise my confidence in this rig. Out of the 30 or so that I've hooked into this week, I only lost 2 fish. Not sure if its luck, or what I'm using.

I've been using the Gammy 1/0 Dropshot/Splitshot hook, Which is tied to 8# Invizx, with a 6'9" ML Vendetta, and an Okuma Trio. Any bite, I've almost always had the tip up too high, so I raise my rod above my head and reel. Any time I actually got to reel down taking slack and felt the bite, I just give it a little snapset, not much behind it.

Whats weird, is I've actually pinched the barb down because I have trouble getting the hook out of most of the fish's mouths.

I've been rigging it by running the hook through the bottom bringing the hook point forward so it sticks just out the front of the bait.

Again, I'm no expert, but I've been having pretty good luck so far with it.