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 Drop
Shotting
By
JP DeRose
Drop shotting is a technique that has put a bunch of fish in my boat
every year but never was a go to style for me until I got the entire
deal figured out. For a few years I played with rod powers, actions
and lengths until I settled on what I found to be most effective and
the same went for line... fluoro, mono or even trying braid. The
final piece for me was the hook and now that I have a set up I can
rely on I find myself throwing it that much more often.
The rod I have settled on is a specifically designed drop shot rod
made my G-Loomis and it is the DSR 822S which is a 6'10" Mag Medium
Power rod that has Extra Fast action... the soft but very responsive
tip is absolutely necessary for imparting action to the bait
effortlessly but also for detecting subtle strikes and getting a
hook set into the fish since this rod is not lacking backbone. When
selecting your rod, look for Medium power and extra fast action to
get you on the right track.
For line I have been using 8 lb fluorocarbon spooled up on the new
Shimano Stradic Ci4 2500 spinning reel which weighs in at a hair
over 7 ounces but also has the companies patented Aero Wrap 2
oscillation which helps manage the stiffer fluorocarbon and comes
with the Propulsion line management system for smoother casting and
less tangles. Spinning reels that can handle lines up to 10 lb test
will fit the bill in this technique so look for 2000-2500 sizes. The
most important feature will be the drag system since drop shotting
is typically a finesse presentation with lighter lines and fine wire
hooks. Fluorocarbon lines that I have come to rely on have been
P-Line 100% Fluorocarbon, Bass Pro Shops XPS 100% Fluorocarbon and
Berkley 100% Fluorocarbon.
The hook was a major piece of this puzzle and just recently Dave
Mercer from Facts of Fishing put me onto the Eagle Claw Wacky Rig
hook and I have been blown away by this hook... I alternate between
the size 1 and 1/0 depending on the size of the bait but when it's
in... IT'S IN!!! The nicest thing about this hook is the amount of
backbone it has. I typically like to fish with 8 lb test line and
tend to lean on the fish a little. I have bent several hooks out
doing this and finally have one that will not give in.
Drop shotting can work in water from 2 feet all the way down to
whatever depth you wish but is very deadly for fishing marks on your
graph in deeper water. My favourite depths are from 15-50 feet,
especially for smallmouth that are staging or feeding on rock piles
and shoals. The subtle differences you can run into when setting up
your presentation will typically involve the bait you choose and the
amount of length between your weight and your hook.
If you are marking fish off the bottom on your graph start with a
18-30" height and progressively work your way down, closer to the
weight until you feel it is most productive. If long casting the set
up and working it back, the longer lead will also keep the bait off
bottom due to the angle of the line... in any case the most common
length I use is 14-16 inches and it works very well most of the
time.
When you select the bait for dropshotting please keep in mind that
there are two very different groups to choose from.. salted and non
salted... salted baits will naturally sink and are best in rougher
water conditions or when you are moving the bait a lot. Non salted
baits have a natural tendency to float and have incredible amounts
of action with the slightest of shaking from the rod tip... choose
these baits for calmer days or for working finicky fish right under
the boat.
The last part to this is the rod movement... often times doing less
will mean catching more and I can't count the amount of times I have
placed the rod down on the deck and caught some great fish by just
leaving it there. Short shakes will impart action to the bait as
will dropping the tip letting the bait flutter down towards the lake
bottom and often times these will trigger strikes. The hit can range
from jolting to just weight on the line so always be aware or what
your bait is doing and if it feels funny, set the hook as it is
probably a fish.
The best advice I can give to anyone who is interested in learning
to drop shot is to get out there and try it... after a couple of
fish you will gain confidence in the presentation and it will be one
more you have added to your arsenal... just don't get discouraged
since often times this technique will excel when the conditions are
less than favourable.
Tight lines and long weekends
JP DeRose
 
Tight lines and long weekends
JP DeRose
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