Dropshot technique question

[Sea Monster]

Guys, I have been lurking long enough, time to participate. I will be taking the family for our annual trip to Whitefish next week. Would like to try dropshotting. My question is what weight dropshot for a depth of 12-16 feet of water? Additionally, what does a fish hit feel like, subtle or slam it?

[Deitz Dittrich]

Sea Monster- Welcome.. thanks for joining us!!!

For that depth if its not too windy probably 1.4 oz will be all you will need.. maybe less even! And a bite will feel like all other bites.. the main thing with a drop shot is.. do not set the hook.. just start reeling fast and hold pressure to the fish.

[delmuts]

deitz ??? please tell me you ment 1/4 oz???? not 1.4

[Deitz Dittrich]

yep.. my bad.. typo!!!!!!!! 1/4 oz

[ocf]

I dont think you can even get a 1.4 ounce wieght

[Deitz Dittrich]

uhhh hate to tell you this.. but I have 5 oz sinkers...dontuse them for bass fishing.. but they make em.

[delmuts]

hmmm! i was having vissions of deitz drop shotting with a muskie out fit??? ya, you would be amazed on what size sinkers/weights they make!

[Wallydog]

Sometimes the bite is refered to as a "yoyo" bite. The fish simply grabs your presentation and swims.......sometimes a tick, sometimes they hammer it. In my experience they tend to hammer it more when a worm is fished wacky style. We often drift a bank in 15-35' and stroll for takes. 1/4 oz to as heavy as 3/4 oz based on depth and wind. You need to stay in contact with the bottom.

WD

[rangerforme]

Go as light as you can go and still feel your weight on the bottom, with a good rod and a low stretch line(flouracarbon) you can feel the whole setup the weight and you can feel your lure jiggling. 18 feet of water you can probably fish it almost vertical. I have some good days in Trout lake dropshotting on the whitefish chain, not big fish, but off some of the points i've had some 30-50 fish days.

[ocf]

I meant 1.4 is an odd size to make anyways they have some 1 lb. weights

[Sea Monster]

Thanks for info. Headed to Capra's to stock up on gear. What size hook is best? Also will any plastic work or should it be a floating style? How big of a plastic?

[Deitz Dittrich]

SM- the drop shot is generally a finess presentation...I most often use a 4" straight tail worm(non floating). I'll usually use the 1/0 downshot hook by owner.

[ikeslayer]

did deitz say "owner" i thought he only knew how to say mustad

Why is this deitz??? ike

[Wayne Ek]

Deitz, a couple of things:

1. In Minnesota a 5 oz. sinker is referred to as a decoy weight.

2. What are you doing posting at 10 am. on a saturday, afraid of the fish or...

3. We hammered the smallies on the Ottertail river this morning.

4. I found another new lake with piggies on Friday, let me know when your dates line up.

Now for drop-shotting, my rig is:

7 foot medium spinning

size 20 Quantum Energy

6/14 Fireline, with a 6 foot flurocarbon leader.

I like Owner "Mosquito" hooks in size 4 or 6 (red)

For plastics I like Berkley 4" straigh-tail finesse worms,black/chart.tail or Gulp leech.

Sinker, I use a 1/4 or 3/8 oz. bell sinker.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Ike- I feel I use what is best for my style fishing.. and for dropshotting, as much as it pains me to say.. the owner is best in my opinion. LOL

Wayne- I hate big winds and weekends.. .LOL

[Pherris]

I use a Shimano Crucial 7' Drop shot rod with a stradic 2500 8 lb gamma. I tie on a swivel and make the leader drop shot rig about 20-24 inches total with the hook anywhere from 8-18" above the weight. I use the Gamagatsu G Lock hook size 2 and most of the time I use Robo worms but have had success with the gulp shad, senkos, and cutails. I try to use a 1/4 ounce drop shot weight and will go to 3/8 when necessary. I prefer tungsten over lead. I really like this style of fishing on blue sky high pressure conditions. Good Fishing!!

[Deitz Dittrich]

Whoa Pherris, I also use the 7'2" Shimano Crucial Dropshot rod.. but I use Gamma 6lb floro... ... great set up you got!!!!

[Wayne Ek]

I hear ya bro.. wind and weekends can at times be come a pain in the place only hemorrhoids lurk

[Central Bassman]

Hey guys where and when is the best time for Drop shotting???