“Ice Drop-Shotter Rig”
– by EFN Pro-Staff Dave “Hoggie” Hoggard
My “Ice Drop-Shotter Rig” is a killer for suspended fish! It ends the need for a bobber when ice fishing.
You may have this concept down faster if you are accomplished in drop-shot fishing now. I will explain the standard drop-shot rig for those who have not done it yet. Standard drop-shotting is to tie a palomar knot that ends up having a long tag end of a few inches to several feet depending on how far away from the sinker you want the hook. The hook is tied with the hook in a hook point up position. Then, pass the tag end through the hook eye, pulling the slack to the knot. This second pass through the hook eye makes the hook stand out straight from the line. Now, you tie a knot in the very end of the tag that will keep a split-shot on (not being able to slide off past the knot). You may use a small split-shot (or large), or two, or three. Or, a bell sinker sliding on the line works too when followed by a split-shot to hold it in place on the line. The sliding weight stops when it contacts the split-shot. The split shot can be adjusted anywhere to the knot at the end of the tag line. There are new weights available at Cabela’s Retail that have a snap on them, that are especially made for this rig (that snap on to a loop you tie at the end of your line for a “quick-change” method or will slide on your line).
My “Ice Drop-Shotter Rig” is a standard Drop Shot rig…. with a much longer tag end. The tag end needs to be five to fifteen feet. This rig will allow you to fish suspended fish like Crappies that are 7 feet up off bottom… with no bobber… and no guessing in setting at your depth. The weight is set on the tag end. You set the length of the tag end by sliding the split-shot to seven feet. Lower your line till the weight touches bottom, reel in the slack. Now feel for the weight. When your line is tight, you know you hook is seven feet up from the bottom. Each time you give slack to the line, your lure or live bait will fall only the amount that you gave for slack. Drop your rod tip one inch… and your bait falls one inch. Pulling the line back tight will dart your lure back to the original position, one inch higher. Live bait will only be able to swim in a circle… that circle size depends on the amount of slack you release. If you give two feet of slack, know that your shiner minnow can swim in a circle of two feet up or down. It can swim freely, with only a hook for weight. Hits are easy to detect as you have no weight between you and the fish. The fish feel no weight also, unless they head upwards carrying the bait or lure (which they seldom do). If you notice the school is not from 8 to 10 feet up from the bottom, simply reel up and set your split-shot further down to 10 feet… drop back down and tighten up tour line.
This rigs works on any line or line strength. I use Berkley Vanish as an aid in keeping the fish from seeing the line. I like using 4 lb. test for crappies instead of 2 lb. … just in case I hook a walleye, however I do use the same rig for Northern Pike with heavier line and a ultra light seven strand stainless steel leader. This rig is great on tip-ups!