Drop Shot Questions

[PHhunter]

My brother and I went drop shoting for Kenntuckies yesterday for the first time. We caught several on the crawler, most right at keeper size with a few a little bigger. We did manage a couple on the finesse worm but we had a couple of questions about fishing them.

First, what is our choice color?

Second, when you feel the bite or your line goes slack, do you immeditely set the hook, or do you give a little slack and then set the hook(more like texas rigged worm fishing)? We were having a hard time hooking up with the artificial worms.

Last, how do you rig your finesse worm on the hook?

Thanks.

[focused fishing]

Productive colors change quite a bit, my top four would be: Robo Worm MMIII and Aaron's Magic and Chompers' Plum and brown / purple. But I own about 20 more....

If the line goes slack the fish is usually coming up toward you with the bait, usually by the time you catch up with them (using the reel) you can set the hook, they've got it. If they are bumping the bait I will usually wait a second or two to feel a pull before setting.

I rig the worm two ways; if I'm fishing open water I will use an open hook either nose hooked or wacky rigged, if I'm fishing around timber I will use a 1/0 Gamakatsu ewg and texas rig it.

Hope it helps,

EP

[PHhunter]

Thanks. That helps. Anyone else have anything to add??

[Don House]

Thanks. That helps. Anyone else have anything to add??

Here is something to add... You will have three types of bites with plastic or crawlers..

1) Tap Tap

When you feels this one just slowly raise your rod tip to see if you feel the fish on then set the hook straight up and start to reel..

2) Pull Down

This is an easy one, fish will just start to pull hard downwards, once again set the hook straight up and reel..

3) Slack Line

Remember when you are fishing in over 80 plus feet of water your line should allways be perfect and straight. If for any reason there is slack in your line, the fish has it and is swimming up fast ( to get away from other fish in the school) (Next tip, if you do get this type of bite, stay there you have a pretty good school of fish below you!). Reel up the slack to the fish and set the hook once again straight up and start reeling.. Warning this is just about always the bigger fish make sure you have your drag set light, once they see the boat down they go fast!!

Once you get these three bites down your catches will go up alot!! Then once you get that one figured out it will be time for the spoon season, then that is a whole nother thing!!

Good Luck and Good Fishing

Don

[PHhunter]

Thanks again. Really good info from both of you guys. We tried the spoon but pretty much struck out on that one. We were kind of proud of ourselves for catching any at all. I expected to get skunked. What tips do you have for fishing a spoon? Do you use a jigging spoon?

[crazy4fishin]

Guys this is great information - for whatever reason I really struggle with drop shotting......like golf I think it is in my mind.

One question is if one is drop shotting but dragging the weight on the bootom are the guidelines still the same on the way the bite works?

Thanks in advance for the answer

[focused fishing]

If your draging it like a split shot or carolina rig the bite will be similar to a split shot / carolina rig bite. Usually either a bump or a pick up and swim off type of bite.

[crazy4fishin]

Thanks much for thei info!

[CaptainJoe]

Great info from Don and Eric.

I would just like to add to the rigging. I use and widespool, open-faced reel on a 7' medium rod. 1/4 of the spool rigged with 10lb. cheap monofiliment line which is called a backing. I then put on 14# Fireline Crystal braid and tie it to the mono with a uni-to-uni knot (knot instructions are in the Fireline package).

Next, I tie a 6# or 8# or 10# (depending on depth that I am fishing - the deeper the heavier the line) P-Line Floroclear or Yo-Zuri clear 4-5 foot leader to the braid using the same uni-to-uni knot. Then, tie a palomar knot to a dropshot hook (#2 Gamagutzu dropshot hook) and take the tag end and put it through the eye of the hook. I try to keep the tag end about 18 inches from the hook. Next, attach a dropshot weight (1/4 oz.) to the tag end.

This setup allows great feel due to the no stretch in the braid. The crystal line allows you to see the line with ease. The hybrid line is tough and since it is coated with florocarbon, it is nearly invisible in the water. You do not need to set the hook with the rig. Keep your rod at 9 o'clock at all times (needs to be at a 90 degree angle to the water and watch the line on the way down and the rod tip once you reach your desired depth). When you feel the various bites as described by Don and Eric, all I do is raise the rod from 9 o'clock to 12 o'clock and reel as I am raising the rod. Keep the line tight at all times and ensure that you keep reeling as you lower the rod to fight the fish.

This setup and technique works the best for me and my clients. We miss very few fish. I am on year two with the braided line....it last a long time.

Hope this helps!

[crazy4fishin]

Thanks Captain Joe - good info here. I had never heard of using multiple line but after thinking it through this makes sense as it gives you the ability to change to depth as you mention....all though depth isnt really a problem here in the Cornhusker state.

What we call a lake up here you folks would call a deep puddle created from a hard rain.