Baitcasting For Drop Shot?

[mjk86]

I disagree with Kelroy...if you are going to put in the time and effort required to learn a new technique...then you should learn how to use the equiptment best suited for it, or you already at a disadvantage. Sure you can use a snoopy pole for a DS...but keep your expectations low. Nobody throws a-rigs with a 12ft crappie dipping pole....certain techniques are just much much more effective with the proper gear. I rarely use casting gear...but when im throwing cranks, or working a blade bait...i wouldnt use anything else. Spinning gear just doesnt hold up as well in those situations, just like casting gear is not as effective for a DS setup. Nobody on here is peddling any specific brand. Everyone has their own preference with brands. Also....because pros are sponsored they will always be walking advertisements, but if you find some locals or guides that fish a DS often....they all use the same basic equiptment.

[5bites]

I disagree with Kelroy...if you are going to put in the time and effort required to learn a new technique...then you should learn how to use the equiptment best suited for it, or you already at a disadvantage. Sure you can use a snoopy pole for a DS...but keep your expectations low. Nobody throws a-rigs with a 12ft crappie dipping pole....certain techniques are just much much more effective with the proper gear. I rarely use casting gear...but when im throwing cranks, or working a blade bait...i wouldnt use anything else. Spinning gear just doesnt hold up as well in those situations, just like casting gear is not as effective for a DS setup. Nobody on here is peddling any specific brand. Everyone has their own preference with brands. Also....because pros are sponsored they will always be walking advertisements, but if you find some locals or guides that fish a DS often....they all use the same basic equiptment.

This was very well put.

[ness]

Do what you like. Like what you do.

[Kelroy]

Did a wee bit of reading this afternoon. Checked out some other angler forums, and found a poll in Texas where about 80% of respondents fished their dropshot....on a baitcaster. So, 'mog, you can just call it a "Texas dropshot" and be done. But it gets better. Seems there are quite a few on the pro circuit who dropshot with baitcasters, and some of them even refuse to use a "sissy stick" for anything at all. The two most common complaints are: the grip angle of a spinning rod, held horizontally for a few hours, can cause some really bad cramps, and reeling a ds rig up from the depths many times causes horrendous line twist, which is the bane of any spinning reel. The twist can be dealt with either by using those fancy swivel-hook rigs, or simply putting a small barrell swivel about a foot above the hook. Even then, it is sometimes necessary to remove the worm and cast the bare hook/sinker a good ways, and reel it back with the line pinched between thumb and finger.

Aaron Martens and Byron Velvick are two of the most popular dropshot anglers, and they both use spinning rigs with 6-8 lb fluoro.....unless they're fishing near timber or heavy cover, in which case they use baitcasters. Yes, baitcasters, spooled up with 10, 12, or 14lb fluoro for pulling fish out of the sticks. When they do this, they don't call it dropshotting, they call it "powershotting."

So there ya go, 'mog. You've been on the cutting edge all along. Fish on, bro.

[Unimog]

Thanks for the amazing replies guys! A lot of good points were raised. I agree with a lot of what you said Kilroy. I can put a heavier weight on the ds and sweep the rod up, this is what Ive been doing a lot of. I guess that shouldn't hurt the action? But I also think there's hardly any way you're going to get a bait down any more efficiently than with a spinning reel. I just hate the line twist!

[5bites]

Some use a quality swivel to fight twist. Also I believe braid twists less so you could use it as a mainline and flouro as a leader. I'm getting ready to experiment with that myself. I've always used all flouro.

[Kelroy]

You could even double up, using a swivel above the hook and a swivel hook too. I think any time you have a lure hanging off to one side and pull it through the water, you're going to get twist. Baitcasters tolerate the twist better but still, I'd go for that ounce of prevention too. The Bass University and several other sites have how-to videos that should offer some insight on line twist and faster line stripping techniques. TBU listed a 47 minute vid on dropshotting and powershotting. Be sure to check in and give us a progress report!

[Quillback]

Funny thing, today I was watching "Honey Hole Outdoors" which is a Texas fishing show hosted by a good bass fisherman by the name of Bill Wilcox. Good fishing show, runs weekly on Fox Sports SW on Sunday mornings - I record it.

Anyway, on today's show, Bill was fishing a drop shot on a bait caster. He was flipping it around docks and cover and felt that the BC set up gave him better control and accuracy in that situation.

I usually use spinning tackle with the DS, but I'm mostly using it in deep, open water situations, I can see using a BC when working it around cover and docks.

I also like using a light spinning setup in the open water situation as most of the fish are 12-16" spotted bass, they are just a lot more fun on light tackle. And I'm using a 1/8 oz weight, I can flick it out there 30-40 feet with my spinning gear and watch the line as it sinks, lots of bites come on the fall. I'm not saying it's the best way for all, but it works for me.

[Kelroy]

I read in a few articles where some of the pros like to flip/pitch to bedding bass with a heavy dropshot. Now, I'm not a real big advocate of dragging a lure through a nest- that's another topic- but it does help illustrate that the technique is a lot more versatile and adaptable than most give it credit for. I can recall back in the 60's, my dad used the same hook-over-sinker setup (with a treble) tightlining for drum and catfish on the Gasconade. I'm pretty sure spoonbill snaggers have used the same arrangement, only on a massive scale, and with a lot more effort. I imagine some river bluff cave-dweller tied the rock to the bottom of the vine tens of thousands of years ago, so we can give them proper credit too. Paleo-shotting.

I must admit I've never been tempted to toss a ds rig around a dock, as I usually associate docks with brush. In my experience, dunking a dropshot rig, especially with those needle-sharp "nose hooks," into a brushpile is a quick one-way trip. But, if one 'knows' the dock, then fire away. I think a fella could probably lay into a mess of crappie like that, too.

[Quillback]

Use an EWG hook and Texas rig your bait when doing the DS around docks and brush.