Drop Shot 101

[Big dreams]

For someone just beginning to learn Drop Shot, what is one tip that would most help in being successful? 

[thedude]

8-12" from weight to hook max.

[riverrunner]

Use as light a weight as possible , and don't set the hook like you do with a worm .Just pull out any slack and snap it .

[fiker]

General rule of thumb.  Keep a 45 degree angle between your line and the water's surface when fishing shallow. 

Some keep their rod at about 10 o'clock, others keep it parallel to the water.  If real shallow I do parallel.  Once I get to about 3 feet or more I raise the tip up. 
In deep water stay closer to vertical like you would a walleye jig.

Many times a drop shot bite is just a presence on the end of the line. There are many times I set the hook and I don't even know why.  But there'll be a fish on the end of the line.

Rods for drop shotting should have extra fast tips.

[dartag]

Spend as much time fishing it as you can to learn.  Leave the other rods in the locker.  Probably the easyiest way to fish once you get it figured out.

[Waterfoul]

I'll be teaching Dropshot 201 (a bit more advanced than the 101 class) all summer long here in West Michigan.  Feel free to drop by any tournament I'm fishing and I'll school you with it!  LOL!!!    

Sometimes shaking it too much is a bad thing...
In deeper water (say more than 10' or so) casting it too far can be a bad thing and not necessary...
It can be fished vertically...
Light line, I never use more than 8 lb fluorocarbon (a 4-6' leader uni-uni knot to 12-15 lb braid)...
Weed edges are your friend...
Don't "set" the hook.  Raise the rod with a short snap and start reeling...

[thedude]

like mike said, it is a really good tactic if your goal is finishing 1 spot out of the money.

[Genie]

If you want to win money - dropshot a C-Flash ...

[Dan]

The best thing you can do if you want to learn to dropshot is to buy the DVD by Seth Burrill. He covers everything as well as some secrets that you won't get from folks around here. It will be the best $20 you are ever going to spend on a technique. Click on the picture for the web address and a short description. It is an excellent instructional DVD!!

[Waterfoul]

like mike said, it is a really good tactic if your goal is finishing 1 spot out of the money.

Yeah, at places like Hamlin Lake.  Oh wait....

[Big dreams]

Do most of you prefer it a certain way? such as vertical compared to horizontal.

[Genie]

Do most of you prefer it a certain way? such as vertical compared to horizontal.

I'll take it any way I can get it

[Waterfoul]

Do most of you prefer it a certain way? such as vertical compared to horizontal.

It all depends on water depth and what kind of cover you are fishing.  On places like St. Clair basically just throw it over the side of the boat!  Most other places you really need some kind of cover/structure.

[detroit1]

Dartag's advice is good for any new bait / technique you want to learn.

[Mojo]

The best thing you can do if you want to learn to dropshot is to buy the DVD by Seth Burrill. He covers everything as well as some secrets that you won't get from folks around here. It will be the best $20 you are ever going to spend on a technique. Click on the picture for the web address and a short description. It is an excellent instructional DVD!!

Or take Mojo 101:

Gear:
Open face reel, fast tip, med backbone rod, 6-10 lb floro - 1/2 to 3/4 spool. 1 or 2 small
gamma or owner hook (SSS straight shank), 6-12 in tag line, 1/4 - 1/2,0z weight ( lighter is better BUT YOU MUST be able to feel bottom)

Bait:
Anything 1-4 inches, from a cigarette butt to gulp 400x smell minnow or worm baits. Too many options, and everyone will bomb you with the it sponsor products.... Best I can tell you is park at Sportsmans Direct, Justin and John have all the ht DS baits.

Technique:
Cast a little ways out, find dark patches if you can see bottom, let your boat drift so you get a semi constant 'tic' feel from the bottom rocks, or if no wind, set trolling motor to get that feel, if too windy, throw wind socks. Speed is part of it, keep line semi to tight, the bass will inhale, and put jaws to the bait to stun them, you'll feel a tap- tap or just a tap, lift rod to feel weight and set the hook ( don't need to break a jaw with the small hook and floro and weight), constant pressure easy to the boat, let em fight their fight, don't yank, don't get crazy, scoop em, weigh em, photography your ugly mug next to their bewildered good looks.... And let em go for the rest of us !

Good luck ! And just go fish !

[Manxfishing]

The best advice I can give is

Tie one up every trip, and even if you don't throw it. Cut it off and re tie it
For the reason. You need to get good at tieing the rig up
I dragged a DS rod around on the front deck for a year and never fished it.
And that was a huge mistake.

I myself like a longer drop tang then most 12-18"
Like braid with a leader or all fluro, a gam. 1/0 hook and a 1/4 oz round weight
With that I can fish the little worms or the goby's and go shallow or deep
Works for me

So, give it a trie
There's nothing hard or special about fishing it
The key is come up with a rig that you have confidence in throwing and know will catch fish.

[Big dreams]

Thanks to all for the tips.  I was way off on my rigging.  I met Laporte this weekend and he helped me fix my mistakes.  Now I need to take it out and wet the line.  Once again, thanks for the tips!

[Waterfoul]

There you go.  Class dismissed.  Please send a check for $29.99 payable to Waterfoul.

Thanks.

[thedude]

like mike said, it is a really good tactic if your goal is finishing 1 spot out of the money.

Yeah, at places like Hamlin Lake.  Oh wait....

pretty sure those were senko fish.....

[Waterfoul]

like mike said, it is a really good tactic if your goal is finishing 1 spot out of the money.

Yeah, at places like Hamlin Lake.  Oh wait....

pretty sure those were senko fish.....

Nope.  Both our smallies were on the dropshot as were several of the fish we culled.