Drop Shot Hooks Angler

Written By - Andrew Buss - 05/14/2007

Link to Original Article here



Okay, I can admit it. I'm not too proud of a man to admit when I'm wrong. And boy was I wrong. When I first saw a drop-shot rig, I thought the inventor must have been nuts. Sure, maybe perch, bluegill, crappie, or an occasional dink bass would knock this thing out, but 5-pound smallmouth bass? Give me a break. What lunker bass is going to bite a little worm wiggling aimlessly 2 feet above the bottom on 6-pound test line with a weight under it? Well, I'm now here to say that break aforementioned has officially been delivered to me.

The truth; I grew tired of getting my tail kicked by guys using this little fish rig. I had to swallow my pride and fish this little rig myself. More truth; like most anglers, I don't care what it takes to catch fish, and this rig catches fish. Now with some experience and a greater appreciation for this little fish tactic, I'm an improved angler. Lucky for me too, I've had some help putting this rig together.

I contacted two of the more proficient anglers in the Great Lakes region (and fellow GreatLakesBass.com members) who have proven their prowess with this technique. Steve Clapper of Lima, OH has won over $100 grand in the Stren and BFL leagues while Heath Wagner of Angola, IN has won nearly 7 thousand dollars on the Michigan BFL circuit in just the past three years tossing this rig. Their frequent 20-pound sacks and 5 pound smallies on Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair are evidence enough for me. One of the most challenging aspects about this rig though is that the varieties of presentations are boundless.

It was just this past summer that I began experimenting with the drop shot. I had caught some fish with it previously, but during a small club tournament I was getting skunked. I threw everything in the tackle box with no success. Finally, I picked up my drop shot, backed off the ledge, and immediately began catching fish. I started doing the right thing too late to win a check, but managed a respectable finish that gave me some valuable points to stay towards the top of my club standings. It was this day that I got hooked to it.

Speaking of variety, while I was getting hooked using a three inch Senko, Steve Clapper put the drop shot on display this summer by winning the Michigan Division Super BFL and the Canadian Fishing Tour Pro Open (jackpot of $35 grand) with a Poor Boy's Goby, and Heath Wagner posted two top-ten finishes in the same BFL division throwing the drop shot rigged with worms. Bait variety is one of the greatest aspects of this rig as Steve Clapper says; "I am a firm believer that whatever you use for bait on your drop shot, it is okay. I have seen lizards fished wacky on a drop shot and produced, so use your imagination."

The most commonly used baits on a drop shot include a variety of finesse worms. Wagner, who has qualified for the BFL regional all three years he's participated, often prefers beginning with finesse worms, "I almost always use a finesse worm of some sort for my drop shots." While these baits consistently produce fish, they are not the only option. Wagner continued, "If the fish are feeding good and not timid, it is hard to beat a five inch Senko." Clapper, winner of seven BFL tournaments and sixteen other top 10 finishes, also experiments but admits, "The Poor Boy's Goby will be my first pick! The Goby has been my bait of choice since its inception. Poor Boy's Baits has done a great job with colors and the addition of the rattlin' eye version."

Bait selection is important, however any bait can be productive with the right conditions; having an open mind, being diverse, and having a willingness to change is necessary to consistently catching fish with a drop shot rig. Begin with a finesse worm and adjust accordingly to your level of success.

The distance between the bait and weight also varies between anglers, but both Clapper and Wagner agree that the fish should ultimately determine the setup. As with bait selection, it is sometimes necessary to try different things until the fish bite. Both anglers begin tossing the drop shot with a short distance between the hook and weight: somewhere between twelve and twenty inches. However, a good sonar unit can give clues about the distance you should be using. If your sonar graph shows fish suspended off the bottom, don't be afraid to make that distance even longer as Wagner once learned at a classic tournament with his brother, "We noticed the fish were suspended just off the break in 10 feet of water, but they were coming onto the flat to feed. He decided to try a 5-foot leader to get closer to their face. Well, in a matter of thirty minutes he finished our limit and began culling fish."

Clapper has also lengthened his leader up to three and a half feet but has also had days where four to six inch increments made a big difference. Thus, Clapper adds, "The distance between the weight and hook is a trial and error deal. It can be very critical."

The tackle used is also critical and varies. Both Clapper and Wagner use 1/0 or 2/0 hooks depending on the size of bait used, however, Clapper uses a Gamakatsu split shot/drop shot hook while Wagner prefers an Owner mosquito hook. The weight used on the bottom also varies accordingly to conditions. A general rule of thumb is the deeper the water the heavier the weight. In water shallower than ten feet a 1/4 ounce weight or lighter is recommended.

However, Clapper, who boasts seven top 10 finishes in Stren Series events, has experienced that heavier weights, 5/8