Drop Shot Line Twist

[lakebumb]

What do you guys do about line twist when drop shotting?

I use either 8# or 6# segaur floro. and it just twists something terrible. I used to use mono and it did the same so I know its not the line.

Short of cutting the bait off and dragging the line behind the boat to straighten it out, is there anything else to help prevent it?

Thanks

LB

[Dutch]

A few things you can do: use sinkers with the swivel in them like the Bakudan, put a ball bearing swivel in the line above the bait, use braided line and/or reel in very very slowly. All of these things will lessen drop shot line twist.

[Bill Babler]

LB, Dutch pretty much said it all.

Guide rigs start with spooled 8 lb. Maxi in green to the swivel and then usually 5 ft. of Segar 6 lb. floracarbon. Slap a wide gap 1 or 1/0 facing up and a 3/8th. drop shot weight on and you have it. I have also tried the built in swivel bakudan and don't believe it will hurt a thing. I like em.

One of the main reason for the twists is not only the rotation of the worm, but when you catch a fish and set the hook your drag will slip. It should anyway. It the fish fights well and it pulls line against the drag this will also create a twist, especially if you are reeling against the drag. This is going to happen no matter what you do.

The reason we are all only using the 5 to 6 ft. of the pricy floro. and are not spooling with it, is after we catch several fish we just cut off a dozen feet of the cheaper Maxi that the reel has twisted and dispose of it. This creates a new line platform of untwisted and unused line. It will really help.

All my drop shot rigs, are just that and used for no other application. With the Stradic spooled with 8lb. and not completely filled even with all the fishing that I do, and cutting off 12 to 15 ft. chunks, they will still last me for many trips. This is an extremely inexpensive way to deal with the problem and is fast as lighting.

You also have fresh line that has not worn on the side of the boat, trees, or been overly stretched, so we very seldom break one off.

May not be the right way, but almost all the guides are fishing the dropper like this.

Another point that a couple of the guys are doing is twin dropshot worms. They are using a longer piece of florocorbon up the 8 ft. and placing two worms on the line. 1 about a ft. above the weight and the other about a ft. under the swivel. Buster claims it really helps and I have tried it and agree. It also presents the worms in two somewhat different locations of the water column.

Draw back is loosing two sets of equipment if you hang, as it will most always break above the top hook and the second is you are limited where you can use this. Only open fishing. Get it around a tree, and it will grab and hang on.

Hope this helps

[lakebumb]

Bill,

That definately helps. As usual your reply is complete and very detailed.

Thanks a lot

LB

[echoXLT]

I have a question for you drop shot guys...

On average, how far apart is the weight from the hook. I am not from this area and have little to no experience with a drop shot.

[Don House]

echoXLT, really I have tried it just about anyway you can think but the best I have found was 8" to 12" down from the swivel works just fine then another 6 - 10" down is the weight, don't forget what Bill was talking about the double rig, just space down another 8-12" and add another hook. Puts your bait in two different water levels really good for schooling bass.

Good Fishing

Capt. Don

[CMAC]

Guys,

Have you ever tried braid then fasten your flourocarbon leader?

[Dutch]

That is the only way I fish it.

[RSBreth]

I wasn't going to mention it because I get accussed of pushing the superline too much, but I use 2/10 Spiderwire Stealth or 4/10 Fireline, small swivel, then Orvis Mirage (Fly Tippet) in 2x or 3X, depending on cover.

Never have had to respool my main dropshot rig in years.

[Daddy Carp]

After hearing the method "drop shot" used, most repeatedly, in the pro B.A.S.S. media, I figured they had discovered a new planet or species! When I listened closer and researched what they were talking about & how it was done......I discovered I had been using this method for years. Not in a "verticle" presentation for bass, but, for catfish, at an angle so as to keep my bait just off the botttom with a tight-line. I had been using it in a verticle presentation for crappie to allow the bait more room to move naturally. I guess it is better now though because of the special weights, hooks, swivels and precise measurements?? What does it do now (with it's new name) that it didn't do for us 50 yrs. ago except...offer a new line of items as "A MUST HAVE" for an inflated price with the name "Drop Shot Rig" etc.

I did find, and still do, that spinning reels (open or closed-face) will do just as their name says...SPIN! I have much better luck keeping line-twist to a minimum by using baitcasters. You guys are totally correct on the swivels and using 2 baits to reduce the spin. Two baits offer more resistance to movement and usually try to spin in opposite directions keeping the line stable on retrieve.