A bass fishing drop shot rig allows your bait to suspend several inches over the lake bottom while being anchored by a weight. Used for many years by finesse anglers, this particular rig does an excellent job at enticing finicky fish to bite in difficult conditions.
What is a dropshot rig?
A drop shot rig consists of line tied to a hook with a trailing leader that comes to an end with a weight so that the weight is at the bottom and the hook and bait are above it.
What are drop shot rigs good for?
“The best thing about a drop-shot rig is that I can fish it shallow, deep, with extreme finesse, or I can use it around heavy cover—it’s one of the most versatile applications in my boat, and I always have it tied on.”
How does a drop shot bass work?
A dropshot puts the weight at the end of your line and affixes the hook a predetermined length above it. You tie on the hook first with a Palomar Knot, leaving a tag end, then run the line back through the eye of the hook so that it will stand out straight and present a bait naturally.
What is needed for a dropshot rig?
Things You’ll Need
- Medium or lightweight rod.
- 10–20 lb (4.5–9.1 kg) braided line.
- Size 1-2 drop shot hook.
- 6–8 lb (2.7–3.6 kg) fluorocarbon line.
- Fishing weight.
- Bait.
How do you set up a drop shot rig for bass fishing?
How to rig a Drop-Shot step-by-step:
- Thread the hook. Thread the fishing line through the eyelet of the hook.
- Tie your hook knot. A Uni-Knot works best when tying your line to your hook.
- Loop tag end back through hook eyelet.
- Attach your weight.
What is the best rig for bass fishing?
The Texas Rig is one of the most popular bass fishing rigs. It is a way to fish a soft plastic worm close to or in cover such as weeds. This rig requires a special cone-shaped weight and a “worm hook” which is designed to be threaded through the worm so that the point of the hook is not exposed.
Is drop shot good for largemouth bass?
If you’re looking to catch smallmouth or largemouth bass, one of the single most effective techniques to use is the drop shot. It works to catch fish anywhere and at any time.
Can you fish a drop shot from the bank?
The drop shot rig can even be fished from shore. Casting out away from the bank and letting the rig fall til it hits bottom or the line goes slack. Once the lure is on the bottom reel the line till it is taut and shake the rig in place.
Where do you put a drop shot rig?
A drop shot rig can be used to catch bass all year round, and at any depth. However, it performs best in summer and winter, when bass move into deeper water and become more lethargic. At these times, finesse drop shotting is the absolute top method for catching bass that are not feeding aggressively.
How long should a drop shot leader be?
“The leader is an important part of the drop-shot and that length can change depending on different variables,” Martens detailed. “If the water is really dirty, then I go with the shortest leaders I use, around 1 to 2 inches. In clear water where the visibility is around 20 to 30 feet, I go with 2- or 3-foot leaders.
What weight is drop shot?
“Use the lightest weight you possibly can, and still be able feel your drop shot,” says Lee. “But as a rule of thumb, if you’re fishing less than 15-feet deep, try starting with a 1/4 –ounce weight, and if you’re fishing those deep zones like 25 or 30 feet, it’s probably best to use a 3/8-ounce in most situations.”
What kind of plastic do you use for drop shot?
However, I have found that just about any plastic bass bait works great on a drop-shot rig. I also like to use 4-inch twister-tail worms, lizards, Sweet Beavers, Paca Craws, 4-inch Senkos or similar stickbaits, and just about any other plastic in my tackle bag.
What is the best length rod for bass fishing?
When talking bass fishing, two of the most popular sizes are 6’6,” and 7′ as these are versatile lengths that can do just about everything. It is no surprise that the Ugly Stik Elite Casting rod is offered in these two lengths only. An angler can do just about everything with these two rod sizes.
What pound line should I use for bass?
For bass fishing, use 8 to 12 pound test monofilament or fluorocarbon line with finesse presentations using spinning gear. Bump it up to 15 or 20 pound test in heavy cover. When casting big swimbaits, crankbaits, jigs and topwater tackle, a braided main line in the 30-50 pound test range is incredibly versatile.
Should I use a bobber for bass fishing?
They’re best suited for fishing waters no deeper than the length of your rod. This style keeps your bait at a preset depth while fishing. In deeper water, or when casting long distances, use a slip bobber to eliminate casting problems caused by the long length of line between the bobber and hook.
Who is the best drop shot fisherman?
Kevin VanDam is the winningest angler in the world, having earned more than $6 million fishing for bass. The drop-shot rig is one of the most efficient finesse tactics that a bass angler can use.
Do drop shots catch big fish?
The drop shot catches bass all year long whether it’s largemouth bass, spotted bass or smallmouth bass. You may have even noticed that it’s starting to become a common tool for triggering big fish on the Tennessee River system.
Can you drift a drop shot?
The most practical way to fish this type of featureless cover is by slowly drifting and dragging a drop shot rig along bottom.
What size hooks for drop shot?
The size 2 is the most commonly used hook for the drop shot technique.
How do you rig a drop shot weight?
Rig the dropshot by tying a palomar knot to your dropshot hook, leaving a long tag line on the free end of the knot (between 4 inches and 2+ feet, depending on your desired presentation). Trim the tag end to the desired length of your weight leader and simply clip on your dropshot weight to the line.