What is a drop shot in fishing? A relatively recent development in the world of freshwater fishing, the drop shot rig is now making its way to saltwater. It is named after the fact that the rig sinks straight to the bottom and is comparable to the fish-finder or chicken rigs that many bottom-fishing anglers currently use. The hook’s placement determines the difference.
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What Does The Drop Shot Do Well?
With a drop shot, the hook is attached a specific distance above the weight at the end of your line. To make the hook stand out straight and present a bait naturally, you first tie it on with a Palomar Knot, leaving a tag end. Then you run the line back through the eye of the hook. You then attach a sinker, which is typically between 1/16 and ½ ounces in size. It is possible to rig the lure with just enough leader if you’re fishing above short grass so that it rests atop the cover. Running a long leader between the bait and weight will allow you to keep the lure in front of suspended bass all day. You should try to maintain a semi-taut line after the sinker touches the bottom; shake it a little so that the lure taunts your fish without moving. The best qualities of motion and stillness can be combined in a presentation that is incredibly natural.
The Advantage
The drop shot offers advantages for anglers bottom fishing over a wreck or reef, fishing on or near jetties or pilings, and fishing straight down under the boat because it would give an instant feel for a biting fish.
Reef and wreckfish frequently make a beeline for cover when presented with a bait, and the brief delay in feeling the bite on a fish finder rig gives the fish a head start in their direction. Fish have a better chance of staying out of that cover if a drop shot is used.
Less Is More For A Drop Shot
Most of us are tempted to shake the lure wildly in an effort to attract any nearby bass. That’s frequently the wrong course of action. More fish will typically be attracted by the natural undulations of soft plastic in response to currents than by a spastic approach. This is why novice anglers will occasionally use this rig to kick veteran anglers in the behind. A fish is waiting when they reconnect after dropping it down, losing contact for a brief period to take in the scenery and drink some Yoo-Hoo. Of course, there are times when it is absolutely necessary to know exactly what your lure is doing, but it happens frequently enough to irritate the purported experts.
The Best Moments To Use A Drop Shot
Perhaps a better question would be “When can you not use a drop shot?” The only times I really avoid it are when fishing in areas with a lot of dense covers and when using heavier lines and a more aggressive technique, I can catch just as many (or more) fish. Nowadays, I almost always have a drop shot rigged up in my rod locker when I launch the boat, and there are times when I have several rods dedicated to the technique on the deck, each with a different weight or plastic to suit the mood of the fish. Here are a few instances where I like to use this tactic.
Get Your Drop Shot Rig Set-up
It’s time to assemble everything now that you have all of the parts. Take your drop shot hook in your fingers, thread the line through the eyelet at the top, and pull it through far enough to leave you with a tag end that is at least a foot long and can be used to create a leader.
When you have enough line, make a loop out of it, then thread the line back through the hook’s eye. You will tie a single knot with the loop and pass it over the front of the hook while holding it on the bottom side of the hook and leaving a long tag end on the top side. You will now have the beginning of a knot. Simply wet the line (with saliva) and tighten it. You will now have a tag end. Next, you should pass the tag end through the top of the hook and pull it tight to secure it firmly on the line. Simply secure the line with a clip or tie at the tag end before placing your weight on it. You now possess a drop shot rig, and that’s it! Wacky rigging the sinking worm is the only thing left to do. To make the wacky rig sinking work, all you have to do is hook the bait through the middle, allowing for action on both sides of the worm as it falls. Please refer to the picture provided by Big Water’s Edge for more information.
Conclusion
What is a drop shot in fishing?
Try tying a bell or pyramid sinker to the end of the leader for deep water drop shotting.
On a drop shot, a live fish bait is probably not going to work very well because the rig limits the live bait’s movement. The most practical types of bait are cut and dead, and we successfully used them on our offshore trip.
On your next trip, try a drop shot. You might just need this trick to add more fish to the box!