SnakeBite Custom Fishing Tackile

Drop Shotting Plastics

The Drop-Shot rig has recently been receiving a lot of attention nationally due to its success in the West. This technique was developed in Japan roughly 3 years ago and made it to California about two years ago. Until the recent B.A.S.S. Western Regional Tournament on Lake Oroville (See BassTimes January 2000), very few had heard of the technique. It was a very well kept secret in California and a couple other Western States. In the last two years, many local team tournaments and a couple large draw tournaments have been won on the technique. So, you ask, what is it?

Well, the Drop-Shot Rig is essentially a dropper rig for bass fishing. The hook is placed above the sinker via a Palomar knot. The difference between this rig and the standard dropper loop is the fact that the hook is tied directly the line with no leader. As usual, the Japanese have refined it and have come up with specific rods and terminal tackle to make it better. But, for those of you who do not own or do not want to spend the money for the high-end Japanese gear, you need not worry.

The Basic Set-up

The basic set-up is as follows. The rod can either be a spinning rod or casting rod from 6.5 to 7 feet in length. But, it must be light in action with enough backbone to set the hook. Line size employed in the set-up is usually 6lb-8lb test. But, in some heavily pressured, clear water lakes, like Casitas in So. Cal., some anglers actually will go down to 3lb test Green Maxima. To set up the rig, first tie a Palomar knot that has at least three feet of extra line (the tag end) hanging off of it. Tie the Palomar knot by going through the "hook point" side of the eye. Then, once the knot is tied, slide the tag end of the line back through the "hook point" side of the eye. This will ensure that the hook shaft lies against the line with the point facing outward. This is very important.

There are a bunch of different weights used for this rig. The Japanese have developed some weights and weight systems that will disengage when they are snagged. But, the downfall of these systems is they are expensive. A cheaper and just as effective way of weighting the rig is to place a bullet weight on the tag end of the leader and then tie a few overhand knots in the line to keep the sinker from falling off. Then, if you get snagged, a slight pull will pull the sinker off the line and you will get your hook and worm back. Another weighting method is to use a Steelhead/Salmon Slinky weight. This is a piece of nylon rip cord tat has shot inside of it and a snap swivel at one end. This sinker is used when river fishing steelhead and salmon and does not get hung up very easily.

The leader for this rig (the line between the hook and the weight) should be anywhere from 2' to 6' long depending on the fishing conditions. If the fish are suspended way off the bottom use a longer leader. The standard hook for this rig is an Octopus Style hook in sizes 6-2. This hook resembles a large salmon egg hook and can be found in almost any tackle shop or catalog. Weight size is dependent on the depth of water you are fishing along with wind conditions. Usually anything less than ½ oz is sufficient though.

Standard Baits used in the West

The standard baits used in the West are small (3-5" in length) plastics worms, grubs, and jerkbaits. These baits mimic the threadfin shad located in most reservoirs in the area. The most popular colors are smoke, salt and pepper, smoke neons, and any other color resembling baitfish. But, this doesn't mean any color won't work. Hooking these baits to the rig is easy. Simply hook the bait through the head and leave the hook point exposed. That's all there is to it.

Fishing the Drop-Shot Rig

The Drop-Shot Rig was initially developed for deep-water fishing. It works best when fish are suspended off of long points and humps in 20-80 feet of water. As in any deep-water structure-fishing situation, it is a method that requires good electronics and a firm understanding on how to locate bait and offshore structure.

To fish the rig, locate an area as described above. Then cast the rig out and let it sink to the bottom. If you are in extremely deep water you may need to strip line off the reel as the rig is sinking. Once the rig hits the bottom, raise the rod to the 11:00 position until you feel the weight of the sinker. Then, lower the rod to the 9:30 position. This will create a bow in the line. Once you have a slack line, start shaking the rod. The most important thing about this technique is that you shake the bait on a slack line. Shake the rod for up to a minute and then reel down the slack, move the bait and start the whole process over. Do this until the bait is directly below the boat. In real deep-water situations, it is best to position the boat directly over the fish and work the rig vertically.

Because you are working the bait on a slack line, bites feel very different than when fishing a standard worm rig. When a fish grabs hold of your bait, all you will feel is a tightening sensation and the rod will start to get heavy. When this happens, DO NOT SET THE HOOK in the normal fashion. All you need to do is reel as fast as you can. If you set the hook like you would on a Texas Rig, you are more than likely going to pull the hook out of the fish's mouth.

Other ways of fishing the Drop-Shot Rig

As with most techniques, the Drop-Shot Rig is evolving as more anglers are seeing its advantages. One evolution of the rig is the use of a jig or weighted tube bait on the end of the leader instead of the sinker. This allows you to cover two depths with the rig and have a chance at a double.

Another change in the rig is to tie multiple hooks on the line. But, when tying the rig in this fashion, it is best to use snell knots for attaching the hooks as the Palomar knot is not meant to be pulled on from the tag end. When the fish are stacked on structure, this can be a deadly way to put a limit in the boat quickly. Just check your local fishing regulations for the maximum number of hooks you are allowed to use.

The last technique that is starting to gain popularity is in pitching and flipping. This rig is deadly when the fish are suspended in grass, under docks, or in brush. Just use a jig or any other bait used for flipping in place of the weight. But, one difference in the rig under these conditions is the hook used. A standard worm hook can be utilized in this situation and the bait can be rigged weedless. Due to the cover associated with flipping and pitching, it is best to increase your line size for the conditions.

In all, the Drop-Shot is an easy and effective way to catch fish. It will undoubtedly become a staple technique in bass fishing circles much like flipping and finesse fishing have. Just give it a try and put another weapon in your fishing arsenal. Good luck and keep your line TIGHT!

Sincerely,

SBCFT




	*Drop Shotting Plastics* The Drop-Shot rig has recently been receiving a lot of attention nationally due to its success in the West. This technique was developed in Japan roughly 3 years ago and made it to California about two years ago. Until the recent B.A.S.S. Western Regional Tournament on Lake Oroville (See BassTimes January 2000), very few had heard of the technique. It was a very well kept secret in California and a couple other Western States. In the last two years, many local team tournaments and a couple large draw tournaments have been won on the technique. So, you ask, what is it? Well, the Drop-Shot Rig is essentially a dropper rig for bass fishing. The hook is placed above the sinker via a Palomar knot. The difference between this rig and the standard dropper loop is the fact that the hook is tied directly the line with no leader. As usual, the Japanese have refined it and have come up with specific rods and terminal tackle to make it better. But, for those of you who do not own or do not want to spend the money for the high-end Japanese gear, you need not worry. The Basic Set-up The basic set-up is as follows. The rod can either be a spinning rod or casting rod from 6.5 to 7 feet in length. But, it must be light in action with enough backbone to set the hook. Line size employed in the set-up is usually 6lb-8lb test. But, in some heavily pressured, clear water lakes, like Casitas in So. Cal., some anglers actually will go down to 3lb test Green Maxima. To set up the rig, first tie a Palomar knot that has at least three feet of extra line (the tag end) hanging off of it. Tie the Palomar knot by going through the "hook point" side of the eye. Then, once the knot is tied, slide the tag end of the line back through the "hook point" side of the eye. This will ensure that the hook shaft lies against the line with the point facing outward. This is very important. There are a bunch of different weights used for this rig. The Japanese have developed some weights and weight systems that will disengage when they are snagged. But, the downfall of these systems is they are expensive. A cheaper and just as effective way of weighting the rig is to place a bullet weight on the tag end of the leader and then tie a few overhand knots in the line to keep the sinker from falling off. Then, if you get snagged, a slight pull will pull the sinker off the line and you will get your hook and worm back. Another weighting method is to use a Steelhead/Salmon Slinky weight. This is a piece of nylon rip cord tat has shot inside of it and a snap swivel at one end. This sinker is used when river fishing steelhead and salmon and does not get hung up very easily. The leader for this rig (the line between the hook and the weight) should be anywhere from 2' to 6' long depending on the fishing conditions. If the fish are suspended way off the bottom use a longer leader. The standard hook for this rig is an Octopus Style hook in sizes 6-2. This hook resembles a large salmon egg hook and can be found in almost any tackle shop or catalog. Weight size is dependent on the depth of water you are fishing along with wind conditions. Usually anything less than ½ oz is sufficient though. Standard Baits used in the West The standard baits used in the West are small (3-5" in length) plastics worms, grubs, and jerkbaits. These baits mimic the threadfin shad located in most reservoirs in the area. The most popular colors are smoke, salt and pepper, smoke neons, and any other color resembling baitfish. But, this doesn't mean any color won't work. Hooking these baits to the rig is easy. Simply hook the bait through the head and leave the hook point exposed. That's all there is to it. Fishing the Drop-Shot Rig The Drop-Shot Rig was initially developed for deep-water fishing. It works best when fish are suspended off of long points and humps in 20-80 feet of water. As in any deep-water structure-fishing situation, it is a method that requires good electronics and a firm understanding on how to locate bait and offshore structure. To fish the rig, locate an area as described above. Then cast the rig out and let it sink to the bottom. If you are in extremely deep water you may need to strip line off the reel as the rig is sinking. Once the rig hits the bottom, raise the rod to the 11:00 position until you feel the weight of the sinker. Then, lower the rod to the 9:30 position. This will create a bow in the line. Once you have a slack line, start shaking the rod. The most important thing about this technique is that you shake the bait on a slack line. Shake the rod for up to a minute and then reel down the slack, move the bait and start the whole process over. Do this until the bait is directly below the boat. In real deep-water situations, it is best to position the boat directly over the fish and work the rig vertically. Because you are working the bait on a slack line, bites feel very different than when fishing a standard worm rig. When a fish grabs hold of your bait, all you will feel is a tightening sensation and the rod will start to get heavy. When this happens, DO NOT SET THE HOOK in the normal fashion. All you need to do is reel as fast as you can. If you set the hook like you would on a Texas Rig, you are more than likely going to pull the hook out of the fish's mouth. Other ways of fishing the Drop-Shot Rig As with most techniques, the Drop-Shot Rig is evolving as more anglers are seeing its advantages. One evolution of the rig is the use of a jig or weighted tube bait on the end of the leader instead of the sinker. This allows you to cover two depths with the rig and have a chance at a double. Another change in the rig is to tie multiple hooks on the line. But, when tying the rig in this fashion, it is best to use snell knots for attaching the hooks as the Palomar knot is not meant to be pulled on from the tag end. When the fish are stacked on structure, this can be a deadly way to put a limit in the boat quickly. Just check your local fishing regulations for the maximum number of hooks you are allowed to use. The last technique that is starting to gain popularity is in pitching and flipping. This rig is deadly when the fish are suspended in grass, under docks, or in brush. Just use a jig or any other bait used for flipping in place of the weight. But, one difference in the rig under these conditions is the hook used. A standard worm hook can be utilized in this situation and the bait can be rigged weedless. Due to the cover associated with flipping and pitching, it is best to increase your line size for the conditions. In all, the Drop-Shot is an easy and effective way to catch fish. It will undoubtedly become a staple technique in bass fishing circles much like flipping and finesse fishing have. Just give it a try and put another weapon in your fishing arsenal. Good luck and keep your line TIGHT! Sincerely, SBCFT 2001 Property of SnakeBite Custom Fishing Tackle. All rights reserved.