Drop Shotting Question

[Teri C.]

Ok, I am not afraid to ask a "stupid girl" question. Since I can't fish right now I've been reading fishing magazines. Seems like everyone is catching bass using the drop shot in 30-40 feet of water. I am used to fishing 15 feet or less. I get how to rig them but I don't get the technique. Do you just drop your bait over the side of the boat (no casting) and then just let it keep sinking and pulling out line for it until you get slack in it? I assume that's how you know it's on the bottom?? Advice would be nice. Thanks!

 

[Marty Klein]

Blank post is really helpful isn't it? Teri, I've seen it fished in many ways. One way is to have the weight on the bottom with a tight line, the shake the rod gently like you would fish the shakey worm. I've also seen it dropped straight down to the depth where the fish are-regardless of whether or not the weight hits bottom. I've seen it fished by dropping the wieght until it hits bottom, then bringing it up slowly, stopping occasionally to give fish a chance to find it.

 

[Teri C.]

How do you know how deep your line is? Say you see the fish on the fish finder at 30 feet. How do you know how much line to let out to get to 30 feet?

 

[Marty Klein]

Most people that I know watch their bait on their finder. However, I'm lucky I can see my finder, let alone the bait on the screen [:lol:]. Other folks mark their line. Others cast it 30 feet out and let it swing down.

 

[TrepMan]

Teri - If i'm vertical drop-shotting, yes I open bail on my spinning reel (best gear for drop-shop is spinning gear, we use 6lb test down here), and let the bait/weight hit the bottom, you know when it hits bottom due to the slack in the line over the side of the boat. Engage the bail and just shake the worm, let it sit, shake it and so on... Down here in the south we also use a casting technique, where we put the boat in say 40ft of water (usualy a bluff wall area) and cast towards shore, and then slowly shake the bait back to the boat. I've gotten fish in 5ft of water this way and under the boat.



Trep

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Boy, what a "stupid girl" question....



BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

[Teri C.]

Hush ole Billy goat!

 

[Greg Meyer]

Oh I know I will pay dearly for this....



But, there are no "stupid girl questions"... only stupid girls! j/k...





I am now applying for entrance to the federal witness protection program...

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Teri,



There are a bunch of ways to fish a dropshot. The important things are to figure out how long your "tag" line should be, how heavy of dropshot weight to use, and line test. My personal favorite that works for most al situations is a 1/4 oz. weight on a CastAway 6'9" dropshot rod (if you do not have a rod made for dropshotting, you need a medium weight rod with a fast tip) and 10lb test mono or fluro (your choice). You can verticle fish this setup, as a matter of fact it is one of the very few times I use my electronics to actually locate the fish themselves, or you can cast it out and retrieve it. I use Owner Dropshot weights right now, I have tried them all!! I will use the BPS "tube" style dropshot weights made for pulling through rocks. There is another pro-staffer for Yamamoto that pours his own and they are a modified teardrop that he claims are the best made (he fishes them on the Columbia River in Oregon). He is sending me some and if they live up to their reputation, I will be posting more info here for everyone, especially Ken. Keep the distance between your hook and weight at least 18 inches if you are going to cast and retrieve. Any shorter and you will be dragging your bait on the bottom during the retrieve and you will get snaggged up a lot. Dont over work the bait, very short light tapping of the bait will work best. Baits........6inch Robo worms (any of the FX colors) on a #1 (not 1.0!!!!) Gamakatsu EWG offset shank hook. The other baits I use are the Yamamoto cut tail worm (6inch or smaller) and their new Shad Shape worm.



Can you tell I have been giving seminars for the last 3 days!!:lol::lol:



TOXIC

 

[Mini]

Teri,



The easiest way to know youre bait is getting to 30 feet is to let 30 feet of line out! lol



You can see a 4" worm on your electronics. There are numerous times that I see the fish on the screen BEFORE I even drop my bait to catch it.



When are you coming to St Clair this year? I will give you a day of drop shotting 101 (like I did to Tox...lol)



Mini

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

No Mini.....You "Schooled" me in dropshotting. I had to learn myself:lol::lol::lol: Don't get the 2 mixed up!!!:lol:



TOXIC

 

[Mini]

well you didnt talk nice to me, or else i would have let you in on the lesson! lol



Mini

 

[Carlos Hathcock III]

Schooled by Mini!!!! Might have to see if we can attend that one in teh spring!!!

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Don't know if this will help Teri but I saw it on another site..



Uncle Billy

 

[Larry Harp]

That shore is a purty picture, Uncle Billy.



Reminds me of when I'm out fishing...fish swimming all around and none of them biting. Actually, I have had some moderate succes with drop-shotting. I usually give a good long cast then let it sink until I see the line going slack on the water then reel in until i get a tight line. Then I just sit there and enjoy the secnery while the boat drifts with the wind. I keep slowly lifting and dropping the rod tip and taking up slack until the bait is under the boat where I'll leave it there for a minute or two then start the whole process over again. This whole process may take 5 or 7 minutes from cast to complete retrieve. I don't know if I'm doing it right or not but I have caught some bass on days when nothing else seemed to work. The hardest thing about drop-shotting for me is getting the hook tied on with the point consistantly pointing up. Sometimes I get right the first time...sometimes I try and try and finally settle for the hook hanging sort of cattywampus.



Baits that have worked for me:



#1 Robo-Worms any natural shad color.

#2 Zoom Centipede.. green pumpkin, baby bass, grasshopper, watermelon candy

#3 Zoom Fish Doctor...pumpkin, watermelonseed

#4 Zoom Tiny Brushhog...Junebug

#5 Zoom Tiny Fluke...smokin' shad

#6 Gulp 4" Minnow Worm...watermelon



Harpo

 

[Bruce Freeman]

Harpo, If you tie it like Uncle Billy's pic shows and its upside down, all you have to do is take the weight end and tie an overhand knot and that will fix it. Denny Brauer taught me (and others of course) that at a Bassmaster U meeting. Yes Toxic and Mini and (pun intended) many more remember which way to hold the hook and thread the line. Me I have a 50/50 shot and use Mr Brauer's tip to fix my mistake.



BF

P.S You do of course 90% of the U.S have never seen a cattywampus and have no idea what you mean by that?

 

[Mini]

People dont forget to try the XPS Drop Shot baits.....hand poured and the Minnow is hard to beat....



Mini

 

[Mike Zechman]

I have had the best luck with Gulp smelt 3" and 4". I'm not a light line kinda guy, I have been using Pline on my bait casters(17lb) and 12 pound stren, and still rippin them in shottin. I have read alot where you should use spinning rods and 8 pound test, but for me I use heavy line, just cuz when I started drop shottin', I lost some big largemouth in the weeds up in canada in 30 foot of water, so I started using heavy line to get them out, and I have increased my catch ratio

 

[Mini]

You dont have to use light line....but sometimes you do.



If that makes any sense...lol



Mini