Drop-Shoting and Wading?

[oates]

Hi guys,

 

Was enjoying some drop-shoting from a boat in the French river, found it to be great for deeper waters, especially with a strong scented worm. I wanted to know how realistic it is to drop shot when wading as it seems the drop shot should be relatively close to you (3-5ft in front of you), is this correct? Or can one drop shot when wading?

 

Thanks

[Harrison]

Dropshotting for the most part is a "finesse" technique. Perfect for deep water and spooky/dormant fish.

 

Sure you can dropshot while wading, but not using the "ideal" dropshottng technique by the definition. You would have to cast the bait out away from you and bring it back. Actually a technique I use quite often.

Edited August 21, 2009 by Harrison

[oates]

I usually bop it up and down slowly, sometimes just twitching, sometimes nothing. One thing I noticed in the French River (deep), I would get hits (probably from bass) upon the first drop down, seemed like the noise drew attention.

 

I hope to do some shallow river fishing this weekend, I will try dropshotting and slowly dragging it towards me and see how it fairs vs. dragging tubes (targetting bass). Either way, I have found more success with jigging tubes/dropshotting worms than crankbaits this year, after being convinced crankbaits were the bees knees last year (when I started fishing).

[Greencoachdog]

You can do what is commonly refered to as a "Bubba Rig" down here in the south... drop shot weight on the end of the lines and then the hook tied with a Palomar knot 6-12" above the weight with a plastic worm or creature rigged Texas style on the hook... cast it out as far as you can and retrieve it in diffwerent patterns until you get a strike!

[singingdog]

Dropshotting is not just a vertical presentation. Just like a carolina rig, or a split shot rig, it can be cast and retrieved. It's strength is that it presents a plastic lure in a suspended manner. Just keep in mind that the further you cast out, the closer the lure will be to the bottom.

[Cudz]

Dropshotting is not just a vertical presentation. Just like a carolina rig, or a split shot rig, it can be cast and retrieved. It's strength is that it presents a plastic lure in a suspended manner. Just keep in mind that the further you cast out, the closer the lure will be to the bottom.

Exactly.

When I cast from shore I usually leave more space between the weight and hook to compensate for the fact that you will have a small angle of elevation from the weight to the end of the rod.

[oates]

Well, tried it out in the river, got more hits dragging a drop shot than crankbaits or tubes on this day. Nailed a 4LB Largemouth, not much of a warning, he slammed it, then ripped out some line, looked for weeds, relaxed then I beached him, couldn't believe the size of him for a river largemouth. Wading rivers which have a lot of 1-4 ft water seems to be electric if you dropshot, the water is murky too so I think they don't detect crankbaits so well.

 

Lost a few too, I find you lose more than you nail when dropshotting, takes talent to know when/how to set the hook, I found the worm in a mess on the hook after some hits, perhaps the fish eat 1/2 and then tried to pull at the worm?

Edited August 29, 2009 by oates

[singingdog]

Interesting. I would normally think that crankbaits are a better low-visibility presentation than dropshotting (more noise, more vibration), but your success certainly challenges that. Good on ya for trying it. Too many folks believe that it is a presentation for open, deep water.

[oates]

visibility was no more than 1ft if that, but I knew there were fish around, maybe it was the smell, was using a white garlic salt worm. Crankbaits, I caughta pike on a japanese then lost the $13 lure on a snag later. But I was getting hits left/right for the worm, I'm getting addicted to dropshotting, keep losing the dropshot though, it snags on rocks I think.

[singingdog]

make yourself cheap dropshot weights like this:

-get bulk pencil weight from decent tackle shop. It is easily cut to the lenght/weight you want.

-put a short section of heat-shrink tubing on the end of each section of pencil weight, with the tubing half-on, half-off the weight.

-heat up the tubing

-cut a hole through section of heat-shrink that extends beyond the weight

-voila! a really cheap drop-shot weight.

 

If line twist bugs you, tie a snap-swivel on the end of your line and use it to attach to the weight.