Only tried this a few times. This years learn it goal. How high should the hook be from the weight? Size of hook? What plastics should I use tried Senkos but seem big and awkward. Now for the biggie what is the main difference between this and A Ned rig? only thing to think of is the Ned is on the bottom and the Drop shot above possibly above some weeds? Trying to wrap my head around the reason when and why to use it. Thanks for the help all.
I am not a drop shot expert by any means. In fact, I despise using it. But there are times when its very effective. For me, it has its place in clear, pressured waters for brown bass.
You don’t want a very big hook. I like the Z man plastics because they are buoyant and durable but the KVD dream shot was specifically designed for this technique and has worked for me in the past. There is a new plastic out there designed for a drop shot called the Berkley Maxscent Flatworm but they are very hard to find right now.
A ned rig is a simple mushroom head jig with a small plastic of some kind. It has no weight whereas a drop shot has a weight and then the plastic is attached about 12-15 inches above the weight on the line.
Yes, the difference between a drop shot and a ned rig is the fact that the drop shot keeps the bait up off the bottom which can be a very effective tactic. I’m exactly like Gimruis. I hate using it but I admit it is a great tactic to know. I don’t like it because you don’t cover much water with it and it takes a lot of time to fish an area with it. However when fishing weedline edges or rock it is really good. Especially when fish are negative.
I’ll start with the hook. I used to use drop shot hooks but I have come to love the VMC Neko hook so much that I have started using it for dropshot and wacky rigging also. It is the stickiest hook I have ever used. It’s incredible honestly. I use a No 2.
Plastics. A worm is probably the most common. But I also really like smaller flukes, grubs, and tubes. You’re really trying to mimick a baitfish or small bluegill with this setup. You can rig this texas rig style making it much more weedless and nose hook it which I feel gives it more action.
When working the setup let it fall to the bottom, real up until you feel the weight of your dropshot weight and just hold it tight. You want the weight to stay on or near the bottom but the plastic up off the bottom. I will lightly bounce my rod tip to give the plastic action without lifting the weight off the bottom. Keeping your rod tip high makes this easier. Sometimes I will drop my rod tip to allow the plastic to fall to the bottom and then lift it back up. You can work it this way all the way back to the boat or if you are in deeper water it can be effective vertically.
The hard part with the dropshot for me is not to over work it. This is a very finesse technique and the guys I know that are very good at it work it very lightly and sometimes deadstick it with great success. When you do feel that pop of a fish sucking it in, don’t hammer them. I usually set the hook by reeling. No big hookset. Hope that helps some.
I’ve been meaning to try this at the cabin as there is a ton of sand grass 6-8″ off the bottom. I know they usually use the weights that clip on the line, any reason not to just tie off a bullet weight on the dropper line?
Watch some Seth Feider videos from Mille Lacs. Pretty sure he has a video explaining exactly how he used it their and his set up.
Watch some Seth Feider videos from Mille Lacs. Pretty sure he has a video explaining exactly how he used it their and his set up.
Yes. When he won the AOY event in 2015 out there, his primary technique was a drop shot on isolated boulders. He fished it painfully slow but it produced over 75 pounds of smallmouth in 3 days on 15 fish.
I’ve been meaning to try this at the cabin as there is a ton of sand grass 6-8″ off the bottom. I know they usually use the weights that clip on the line, any reason not to just tie off a bullet weight on the dropper line?
No, that would work, but the ones that pinch right onto the line are way easier to use and smaller profile.
I have been fishing the dropshot for lots of years now. Its one of my favorite ways to catch fish. Like most techniques there is a time and place to fish it. Its a excellent setup to fish behind someone fishing something else like a jigworm. Offshore rocks and deeper weedlines are where I think it works the best. The setup just allows you to keep the bait if front of the fish for loner periods of time than most other techniques. As far as the setup goes. I normally fish mine about 18-24″ off the bottom. As far as what hook to use I prefer either the Gamakatsu dropshot hook or the standout hook. Size of hook depends on the bait I am fishing on it. I normally use either a size 1, 1/0, or 2/0. with the 1/0 being used the most. As far as baits go, almost any plastic will work. I mostly fish a 4-6″ strait tail style worm. A roboworm is my go to. Small fluke baits also work well at times. I mostly nose hook my baits but have also done well wacky rigging them. a zoon French fry or I believe they call them centipede works really well rigged wacky style. The main tip I can give you is to learn to work and move the BAIT while the sinker remains in one place on the bottom. The idea is to give the bait action without moving it to much. Start with a slightly heavier weight till you get the hang of it and work to a lighter weight as you get better at it. I do tend to still do a hookset but it is much lighter than a normal one. Once you locate a school of fish on a rockpile or weededge the dropshot is one of the best ways to clean up as many fish as possible. Its not a great search bait. dont listen to people who tell you its just a small fish technique. I catch some of my largest bass each summer on a dropshot.
If you can find some Maxscent Flatworms, buy them… Most everybody is out of stock but there are some on eBay (way too expensive IMO).
There is a reason they are sold out everywhere, because they flat out work. Many national tournaments were won with them the last couple years – that coupled with Covid supply chain issues, they are wiped out of stock. Best to get on the “contact me” list at various online stores once they come back in stock and be first in line.
In the meantime, I also like Roboworms and Biwaa 3 inch Armored Craws for smb.
Best tip I ever got from a guide years ago on Mille Lacs is to NOT overwork a drop shot. Lighter twitches with pauses are better, or to drag the worm gradually towards you then pause… Being a tad type-A it took me awhile to slow down and not constantly “jangle” it. Still working on it..
Forgot about one odd one that I’ve found to work really well. Gulp leeches. Same with Bio Bait leeches. Pretty solid for smallmouth on the dropshot.
Wow thanks for help help guys I use the Ned rig all the time was trying to figure out why I would switch to the drop shot lots of help thanks again
I never did much with the drop shot before I was out with a buddy on 2 different occasions and he beat me with numbers and size on both large and small mouth. Now I keep one in the boat but do admit I like to fish more aggressively I drive my self nuts drop shoting. I feel I over work it most of the time. Kinda like jig fishing unless I’m pitching shallow pads or rocks and such
pretty easy rig to fish. i use it on P4 for perch so it works good some days and other days it does nothing. i started using a small 3 way this year and floated my bait just back a foot or so. still keeps it close to bottom and gives it more flutter as i drift or motor around. i don’t intentionally target bass so no advice on that. play around with it and see what works for ya.
This is the setup I use 99% of the time. 10 or 14lb Fireline mainline, 6-8′ 6lb flouro leader tied direct to main, a size 1 VMC wacky hook (have 1-0 Neko hooks I need to try) tied on with a palomar knot, and a 3/16 DS weight 12-16″ below the hook. Bait is usually a 5″ Yamasenko rigged wacky. Any color has worked for me as long as it’s green pumpkin. I’m a self proclaimed dropshot addict and is almost the only thing I use for bass (besides crankbaits) from June 1st on thru the summer. What I’ve found after using it so much, is that you start to learn exactly where the bass typically are going to be on a piece of structure. As in, “spot on the spot”. You end up not needing to cover a great deal of water. I’ll fish it anywhere from 5fow pitched in front of docks, down to 25 foot weedlines. Most of time, I’ll pitch to a spot, pull line tight leaving the weight stationary, if not bit on the fall, I’ll give it a little intermittent action. I may slowly pull it over the bottom, but usually if I’m not bit in the first 10-20 seconds after the fall, I pull up and pitch to a new spot.
Everyone I want to thank you all for your advice and tips. I admit the little I tried it got a few bass not many but enough to know it’s another technique needed in the bass tool box. Not my favorite method but if it works for Seth Fieder well who can complain! 
Watched his videos and helped a lot. I prefer to ask you all first before going to youtube hard to watch something they are trying to sell you.
Just a few things that helped me back in the 80s/90s and still works for me today
If your over analyzing, your wasting too much thought process. If your over thinking your gear, your still wasting too much thought process.
If you can feel bluegill taps, your gear is just fine. As for weight, more is easier than less. Just need to be able to twitch it and have it stay in place. For height, use your electronics. If sandbgrass is up 12” go about 18-20”, if sandbgrass is up 24”, go 30 -36”…. if your marking fish a foot off the bottom, set in that range.
As for action, less is more. The primary purpose is to be in the zone and visible. Subtle movements is all it takes. Doesn’t matter bass, panfish, or walleyes….all the same. Keeping that bait up and a as in their face with just a little movement is usually the triggering factor.
I’ve always been a match the hatch type guy. If they want minnows, hard to beat small flukes, punched off ringworms, gulp leeches…..
The dropshot bite was on fire yesterday. I out fished two other guys who were fishing in the same boat ahead of me. With the water clarity and heat and sunshine the fish were a little deeper and just off the weedline in 16-18 Ft of water. The bite was really aggressive. Had to set the hook rather fast after the pickup or the fish were hooked rather deep. Did a good job and only had 1 gullet hooked fish. Cut the line and hope the fish is able survive because it was a nicer sized fish.
My son uses a real short dropper weight leader. Told him it looks like a Tokyo rig. I like a longer leader (12-18in). Not that it’s the best way, but works for me.
My son uses a real short dropper weight leader. Told him it looks like a Tokyo rig. I like a longer leader (12-18in). Not that it’s the best way, but works for me.
12-18 is a pretty standard dropper length. I would say your son would be in the minority but hey, if it works run with it!
I finally ran completely out of the Maxscent Flatworms for drop-shotting. Still have Roboworms, but picked up some Smallie Smashers to try out.
Plan to get up to Longville by a friends cabin maybe Sun/Mon. Anyone been up there lately?
Was on Woman a week ago. Smallies everywhere in 6-10 fow around boulder piles. It was 95 and no wind. Used finesse tactics—-drop shot, Ned rig, hair jig. Got a few. Finally put on topwater at 4pm and caught a few more. My buddy was in a H2H tournament the Sunday before and had 5 for 23lbs. He got 3rd. Said he caught all his fish on beds. We didn’t see any on beds. They were roaming. For as many as we saw, it was a frustrating day for us. Good luck.
Thx Ssaamm, yeah I’m sure they are done spawning at this point and roaming. Question is always where… I plan to start with the mid-depth rock piles and go from there. A little front coming Sun/Mon just my luck 
For those of you that like the Maxscent Flat Worm… a few are coming back in stock now on TW after basically a year+ out of stock. The only ones you could get were $20-30/bag on eBay which is crazy.
After the recent tournament wins in Northern smallmouth waters, I’m sure these could go quickly again… I scored a couple packs of the ever-popular “Green Pumpkin Party” just before they went on backorder again. But at least for now, they are back down to $6.99/bag
Nice! I’ve actually been looking for some. Keep telling myself to use the dropshot more but well, it’s just so hard to do.
Nice! I’ve actually been looking for some. Keep telling myself to use the dropshot more but well, it’s just so hard to do.
I agree, when I have to use the drip-sh*t and Nerd Rig its usually last resort… but sometimes it really saves your bacon!
when I have to use the drip-sh*t and Nerd Rig its usually last resort… but sometimes it really saves your bacon!
Those are also last resort tactics in my play book too. Painful to use but usually means nothing else has been effective.
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