Baitcasting For Drop Shot?

[Unimog]

First off let me say I absolutely hate spinning tackle. I've got 3 medium action rods with small reels I use for shaky head, split shot and some shallow drop shotting. To try and drop shot in that 30ft range would almost require me to manually peel off that much line to get the bait down to avoid back lashing. A spinning on the other hand would let the line off and bait down easier.

Do I need to just deal with a spinning reel for deeper water drop shotting? I think I know the answer but just wanted to hear some opinions.

[hoglaw]

Use a heavier weight? At least then you can sweep the rod up while letting out line and it will go down better than peeling it off by hand.

[Kelroy]

Use a heavier weight? At least then you can sweep the rod up while letting out line and it will go down better than peeling it off by hand.

Absolutely. No harm in going heavier, since the weight basically just sits there. I use the skinny cylindrical weights in 1/4 to 3/8, and the cheap walmart round ones in 3/8 if I start losing a lot. As a co-angler, sometimes my boater doesn't want to slow down for me, so I'll use 5/8 bell sinkers to get deep fast, and for stair-stepping a bluff. I use baitcasters for everything but 1/8 shakys and weightless senkos/flukes/wacky stuff. Your reels should do fine.

[5bites]

Get a good spinning reel that's at least 2500 size and be done. A fast fall can be the most important thing on a drop shot fishing vertically.

[Guest]

Do I need to just deal with a spinning reel for deeper water drop shotting?

There's your answer.

The only time you might use a baitcaster for drop shotting would be in shallow stained water, IMO.

[mjk86]

Yup....good fast or ex-fast spinning rod, with a heavy spinning reel to balance it out well.

[Kelroy]

First off, what size line are you using? 8lb fluoro is my standard. Try 6 if you can stand it; remember to lighten up your drag accordingly.

What is the main reason you are fishing? For money? Food? Fun? If 'fun' factors into the equation, consider how much fun you'll have shucking out a couple hundred for a new rod/reel combo which you already despise. Why? Every time you pick it up you will resent it, you will never get comfortable with it, and eventually it will get relegated to the bottom of the rod locker. After another six months of non-use, you'll end up selling it to a buddy for half what you got in it. Sound like fun?

Point to consider- Those fish down there have absolutely no way of telling what the other end of that line is tied to. None. It could be a baitcaster, spinning rod, Zebco, Snoopy, KVD Quantum Smokin super-dooper tournament-grade wigglestick, a Huck Finn Signature Series cane pole, Popeil Pocket Fisherman, a broken pool cue, your big toe. They don't know. Furthermore, they are not even capable of pretending to care. They are only concerned with the 'bottom half' of the tackle equation- the line, hook, worm, etc.

The 'upper half' of that equation is your option. Fish to your strength. Use what you use best, what you are comfortable and confident with. Good with a baitcaster? Use a baitcaster. Why choose to use something you hate? Just because it's what the rest of the herd says to do? There is no Book of Hoyle for drop-shotting. There is no magic recipe, except to use whatever puts fish in your boat. Mix it up. Experiment. When everybody thinks the same, nobody is truly thinking.

Another point- fishing tackles' first job is not to catch fish, it's to catch fishermen. Where does this mandatory-spinning-rod notion come from? Well that's what KVD uses, or Mike, or Jeff, or blah blah blah. I read it in Bass Times. It's on their website, in the Pro's Corner. "Champion (insert name) uses a 7' medium-fast (insert brand) custom signature-series drop-shot rod, mated with a (insert brand) 2500 series spinning reel, spooled with (insert brand) super braid and a 2 foot leader of (insert brand) tournament-grade fluorocarbon, sporting a zircon-dioxide laser-etched chemically-sharpened #6 (insert brand) drop-shot hook, tipped with his custom hand-poured drop-shot worm of his own design. All available from our web store." It's the same tired script over and over. They use this stuff because they get paid to use it. Because if they can convince you that you have to buy their brand of Chinese mass-produced stuff, that's more profit for their sponsors, and a fatter check for them.

Yeah, this will draw a lot of flack from the bovine-mentality herd-followers, but in the end, use your freedom of choice. You don't want a spinning outfit, you don't need a spinning outfit. You absolutely hate spinning tackle, that should settle it.

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

^^applauding^^

[Flysmallie]

^^applauding^^

I agree. Kelroy nailed it.

[5bites]

Kelroy has some good points, just not for this conversation. Otherwise he's correct.

No the fish don't care what rod/reel you use. It doing its job in the most efficient way is what matters. If you're cruising points, flats, treetops, etc looking for fish on your graph getting the bait down quickly is what's important. A spinning outfit will do that better than a baitcasting outfit. Sometimes the "herd" does things a certain way because it's been proven the best way to approach that technique. Now with casting I'd say baitcasting gear since that's what you prefer. Vertically though, for reaching fish quickly, you won't beat the free fall of spinning gear.

Btw, dropshotting and crappie fishing are about the only time I use spinning tackle.