Drop-shotting ice

[Guest]

Last few years I've experimented with dropshotting while ice fishing. I found that it works extremely well on tip-ups as well as great for jig-sticking.

On tip-ups:
A standard drop-shot rig allows you to set the depth by not snipping-off the line below the sinker. Using a small split shot as a "sliding-stop" with a knot at the end of the line, you can set the sinker/weight distance from the hook... to any distance desired. Say you want to fish three feet up from the bottom... you are there, by sliding the split shot three feet away from the hook.
Reeling up all the slack once you are on bottom will allow your minnow to stay exactly three feet from the bottom.
Now...if you give two foot of slack BACK in the line, your minnow can "range" from one foot off the bottom to three feet up off the bottom. This keeps that little sucker from laying on the bottom to hide... and gives him only about a two foot circle to swim round in. Great for Northern!

Jig-sticking:
Rigging-up the same fashon will allow you to go to the bottom and know that you are exactly three feet up with the hook... as soon as you feel the weigh hit bottom with a tight line. Lowering your rod two feet (sitting it on the floor)will place your minnow from one foot above the bottom to a swom range of about three feet up... and he can swim in a two foot circle. The big plus... no weight is felt by the attacking fish. The weight remains on the bottom while the fish swallows your minnow.
FINESSE maxed out! It is like not having any weight on at all... and being in the zone for sure... be it in thirty feet of water.
Try it, you may like it!
Catch'n
Dave Hoggard

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Fishermen are catch-n on
Catch'n Tackle
For Bass, Walleye, Pike, Lakers, Trout, Panfish
Used by FishingMN Family

[cubbies11]

There was a article about dropshotting in the Ice Guide by In-Fisherman. It is a great idea, I use it all the time on Lake Michigan for perch because of the currents. I am gonna use it this year more on lakes around here. Great idea for tipups too.

Cubbies

[Chris Haley]

The idea has been utilized by fishing great Brian "Bro" Brosdahl for years. The diagrams and article in the In-fisherman were his. A new jig coming out on the market is called the Bro Bug and was designed with drop shotting in mind.

[#Boater#]

I picked up some tip ups at an auction last year and the they were set up for drop shot with a three way swival. The auction was from a widow of a pro/semi pro? walleye fisherman. I know that they hadn't been used for 6-8 years because he had been dead for that long. When I got home and looked I thought that it was brilliant. Almost every box of what everybody thought was a box of junk ended up having misc. walleye rigs and jigs in the bottom of every box. I baught as much as I could except for his boat which went for $3700. I still kick myself for not trying to get it but who knows what the other bidder would have went to. It was a $9000 boat easily.

Sorry for rantin, not usually like that...

[IceC]

Great idea's Dave! I'll have to try that on tip-ups.

I did use drop-shot rigs jigging a few times last year with good results. I like to "pound" the sinker on the bottom a few times to cause a commotion, then your minnow is just outside the silt cloud created by the pounding,in perfect view of investigating fish.

IceC

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Have an Ice day

[deadeye]

That is an excellent idea for the tip ups. That way you don't have to screw around with getting the right depth, because it is already set there.
I like the jig sticking idea too, I could have enough weight on there to feel the bottom and still have the small presentation.
good thinkin'
><>deadeye

[Guest]

Dave;
Is the In-Fisherman type legal? They fish with multiple hooks on 1 line. I was told in another thread that it's illegal in MN.
Any Input?

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I don't drive fast, I fly low.

[Guest]

Frozenminnow,
I missed the InFish article so I am not hep.
That rig might be legal in state boundry waters... but in MN state waters I know it is ok for two rods to ice fish... and you may not tie straight to a trebble hook (which is considered more than one hook). A "lure" can have more than one hook... but must be considered a lure. That is why MN residents use quick strike rigs made with a spinner inline... making it a lure. This is not needed in WI.
A guy has to be reading the yearly regs. book close to be sure.
Catch'n
Dave Hoggard

------------------
Fishermen are catch-n on
Catch'n Tackle
For Bass, Walleye, Pike, Lakers, Trout, Panfish
Used by FishingMN Family

[This message has been edited by Catch'n (edited 12-01-2003).]

[Chris Haley]

ttt

[JP Z]

You can't use more than one hook on a line in MN. Unless they are "flies". But you need to remember In-Fish doesn't just do articles for MN. They cover all 50 states. So in some states, that presentation is legal.

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Tight Lines,

JP Z

[willowcat]

I use something like that on my tip-ups. I make my own leaders adding a spinner blade,bead,and trebels. Crimp it onto a 3-way swivel,then I use a rubber core sinker on the dropline so it can be adjusted.

[DavidH]

There are a couple ways to tie a drop shot rig.

You can tie the hook directly to the main line and attach the weight below. The problem with this though is line twist.

A better way is to cut yourself about 3 or 4 feet of line and tie on a swivel to this line. Tie on your hook and put your weight on to this line as well. Then, tie the main line to your swivel. This way there is less twisting going on.

Hope I described that properly.

[honker23]

I would much rather just put a split shot on my line at the desired depth and reel the tip up to the split shot each time, seems easier for me to move up or down, and most walleye tip-ups I set are 1 ft off the bottom so the drop shot may too much hassel. Just my thoughts.

[NELS-BELLS]

Sorry, I am mentally challenged. Is the hook tied directly to the main line above the weight or do you use a short leader and a 3-way swivel? If its the later, how long a leader?

[NELS-BELLS]

Thanks David H. That makes sense, I'll have to try it.

[woodyjdh]

It's ok Ben, I am in the same boat. I read it, then re-read it and still can't visualize it.

[Bruce Mosher]

Dropshotting works great in the summer as in the winter through the ice. I usually tie a palomer knot to a small ice jig about 1' to 2' above the weight. For my weight I use the Foam Walker. It is a self standing slip sinker that you can attach different weights to the bottom of the unit. For summer dropshotting it is ideal because of the keel weight on the Foam Walker. It helps keep your rig from twisting. But in the winter you can quickly get your small ice jig down deep to the target zone. Then I slowly lower my rod tip, quiver, shake and jig my ice jig and bait to entice a strike. You can find the Foam Walkers on this sight. have fun, Bruce Mosher

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Bruce Mosher,www.icebusterbobbers.com

[Guest]

Bruce,
Your Foam Walker is an excellent addition for Drop Shotting! Like you say, when it is pulled forward on the bottom, it wobbles and shakes the line against the float... which makes much greater action at the lure. I have use it with great success! It is much less snaggy than a bell sinker too. Thanks for sharing and reminding us.
Catch'n
Dave Hoggard

------------------
Fishermen are catch-n on
Catch'n Tackle
For Bass, Walleye, Pike, Lakers, Trout, Panfish
Used by FishingMN Family

[DavidH]

Hmm...ok...last time I posted a link for something, it was deleted.

Going to risk it again and post a link.

For those that wanted to see a drop shot rig with a good description and a picture...

http://ww2.basspro.com/guides/dropshot/index.cfm

[BD110]

DavidH,
Thanks for the post It's making things very clear. I was able to print off a copy and will have it in the Otter Lodge when I try Drop shotting. Thanks to all for all the great info that makes our hobby even more fun.
Take care, BD110

[mnrstrider]

I had the idea to try out "drop shotting" on Mille lacs, but the fish were bitting, so I didn't need any real finesse, I still plan to try this out next time I find a tougher bite.

I suppose I not totally talking about drop shotting, I'm talking about tying another little hook (size 14) on my jig with some 6-12 inches of vanish line, and waxie to top it off. I'm not 100% about the legality of this, but it was in infisherman a couple months back, and they said the had sucess on MN lakes with this technique, so I'm assuming it is legal.

[Ben1022]

Is there a link anywhere that shows this. I too must be mentally challenged because I can't conceptualize what this looks like.
I'm envisioning a "depth checker" at the end of your line and you drop it down. Somewhere above that is a splitshot or something like it that moves up/down as you disire w/another line/leader to the side w/a hook on it. Kind of like a crappie rig w/o the steel spreader bar-like apparatus. If my description isn't in the ball park, could someone please direct me to a diagram?? Thanks.