Anyone Using A Drop Shot Style Of Rig For Ice Fishing?

[thirdeye]

I'm looking forward to trying this type of drop shot horizontal type of hook for ice fishing this season. Basically you leave the tag end of the knot long enough to attach a weight on it.

Does anyone have any experience with these or advice on rigging? I'm thinking a couple of split shots below for a suspended bait presentation, or an Egg sinker below for fishing a certain distance off the bottom.

[cold one sd]

I have one rod rigged with two standout hooks and a jig on the bottom.

[bobbymalone]

i have thought about doing it but haven't tried it yet. I am going to try out some circle hooks under the ice this year though.

I have one rod rigged with two standout hooks and a jig on the bottom.

don't try that one in MN.

[PerchJerker]

+1 with what bobbymalone said .....

..... the multiple hooks and jig setup is not legal in MN, and .....

..... i've thought about using one through the ice but haven't tried it yet.

I use dropshot rigs a lot in open water and use StandOut hooks for bigger fish, but for panfish and/or ice fishing I'd go with a smaller hook. You can tie a dropshot rig with a regular Octopus hook or any light wire hook, I use a number 8 hook and a Nuggie for open water panfish in deeper water and it's deadly. I just use a small splitshot weight below the Nuggie when going after panfish.

To tie a dropshot rig with a regular hook, tie the hook on with a Palomar knot and leave a long tag end, like 12" or so. Pass the tag end back through the eye of the hook, from the "top" of the hook to the "bottom", and then attach the weight. You want the hook to be as horizontal as possible. Good luck.

[Meat-Run]

+2 on the drop shot idea.

mr

[Outfitter17]

We don't use any drop shot techniques in the winter, but all the time in the spring for SMB.

I do have a few guests that drop shot for panfish through the ice in central MN

[turbo5oh]

ive been realy thinking about this for ice fishing on a river with fast current. i getting sick of trying to drill holes down stream a foot or 2 to pick up jig on the vex, the drop shot would alow a heavy weight with out the fish feeling it as much

[Northlander]

This is a killer river walleye rig in the winter. Keeps your bait just where you want it no matter the current just use a heavy enough weight.

[Dark Cloud]

I have used em alot the past 20+ years for deep perch. We typically used them after finding a good school of fish and "setting up" on them. We'd fish two holes, one with a regular type jig or spoon and the other a few feet away with a bell sinker on the bottom and two small #12 hooks or flies tipped with a spike or two. Set the bottom hook 6-8 inches off the bottom and the other about 2 ft up. A spring bobber or a tiny slip bobber was used on the dropper rod with the sinker/bobber set so the weight was just pulling the float under that way you could see the slightest hit. When rigging sometimes we'd tie the hook/flie direct with a double overhand knot or on a very short 1/2 to 1 inch dropper. Too long of a dropper and hit detection becomes tough.

Most of the time we'd consentrate on the main rod then grab the dropper rod after catching one one. If they were schooled up good you could get another one and maybe get back down quick with the dropper rig and get another. We mostly used this when fish deep, 30-50 ft...

Be sure to know your regs, out here we are allowed 2 handlines and multilpe hooks/baits are ok...

[deadeye]

quote=cold one sd I have one rod rigged with two standout hooks and a jig on the bottom. ]

don't try that one in MN.

He's in South Dakota where everything isn't illegal like here...So no big deal...As long as its not in MN.

Anyway, I did try it a couple times last year but I didn't really like it too much. I like using a deadstick and it seemed like a missed a lot with it. I could see it working well in certain situations though. Just not any that I have been in yet.

Maybe it could work for a tip up with a frozen cisco?

[bobbymalone]

it seems like a drop shot rig would inhibit a minnow quite a bit.

[cold one sd]

If I were to come to MN I would exchange the jig on the bottom for some splitshot. It is kind of nice to have three baits down there though.

[PerchJerker]

If I were to come to MN I would exchange the jig on the bottom for some splitshot. It is kind of nice to have three baits down there though.

You'd also have to get rid of one of the hooks, you can only use 1 hook per line in MN unless the multiple hooks are part of a lure

[reinhard1]

i have thought of this concept myself. however with todays electronics you can see where your bait is off bottom and you can only use one hook anyway. good luck.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

I'm looking forward to trying this type of drop shot horizontal type of hook for ice fishing this season. Basically you leave the tag end of the knot long enough to attach a weight on it.

Does anyone have any experience with these or advice on rigging? I'm thinking a couple of split shots below for a suspended bait presentation, or an Egg sinker below for fishing a certain distance off the bottom.

I've got a buddy that does something similer to what you're talking. Only he puts a spoon on the bottom line with a minnow or minnow head on it then about 4in up the line he'll tie a a lure with a hook on it and put a wax worm on that. it's not to uncommon for him to pull up two perch at a time when were on them.

[Bobb-o]

http://www.hotspotoutdoors.com/forum/ubb...nfi#Post1504349

[Chris Barlage]

One other great way to do this is to used the blade from a spoon as the weight. It will give off some flash and the graphic to attract fish in and then they will key in on your bait. Works very well also.

[CJH]

i have thought of this concept myself. however with todays electronics you can see where your bait is off bottom and you can only use one hook anyway. good luck.

+1 When using a flasher, its so easy to adjust your line/lure depth to where the fish are, it might seem to hurt you more than help in normal water with no current.

If you legally use multiple hooks, then that definitely makes a stronger case for it.