Drop Shot Rigs

[NSR Fisher]

Hey all, I am learning a new type of fishing recently: the drop shot rig.

I taught myself the knot and everything but on a lot of demonstrations the guys have these little weights with a "pinched eyelet" where you can take the tag end of your Floro leader and pinch it in there. Makes it easy to adjust the depth that you're fishing quickly and easily instead of tying a new knot every time to a standard weight.

I checked out the fishing hole but they didn't have them, as well as Canadian tire. Does Whole sale sports have those fancy weights maybe? I'm currently living in Edmonton by the way.

*edit*
I don't mean split shots, these are like your standard snag-less stick weight with a pinched eyelet on top. they come in 1/8oz to 1/2oz sizes.

Also, as a side question, what would ya'll recommend as soft plastics for drop shotting? I have live nightcrawlers, and some chartreus swimbaits but would love to hear any and all tips & tricks / general advice!

[RavYak]

Cabelas is the best place for dropshot weights. They have some expensive tungsten ones and cheaper lead ones.

[TylerThomson]

I've been crushing walleye lately with a drop shot using a powerbait leech. Sometimes instead of using a weight ill tie on a jig head with a twister tail.

[aulrich]

One way I am thinking about getting around the specialty sinker thing is to dig out a setup that I used in BC steelhead/salmon fishing.

There you bought coils of lead wire (wholesale Calgary has ¼ and 3/16) and used it by running your line through a small section of surgical tube , you would set your leader length and then press the lead wire into the tubing it was snug enough to maintain the set leader length. One change since there is no gear on the end, so it does not slip through every time it hangs up I think I will add a loop and small bobber stop bead to generate a bit of back pressure.

At this point this is untried but it is on the todo list the next time I go out.


I do the jig thing all the time with slip bobbers, and that is another decent option. since you can have 3 hooks on a line I tie up a dropshot rig with a fly, wire worm and a small tube jig.

Another to do is to tie up a couple of basice flys Prince,hare's ear etc on upside down dropshot hooks. I am thinking it should provide better hook ups than a normally constructed fly while drop shotting

[RavYak]

Why avoid the proper weights... They are like 5 for 3 bucks or a 29 piece variety pack for 10 bucks...

Regular bell sinkers can be used too just need to tie on which only takes a moment.

[NSR Fisher]

Thanks for the tips guys!

I never even thought about tying multiple in-line hooks into my drop shot.

Maybe I'll try one closer to the bottom (maybe 6" off) and tip it with a big juicy worm and then have one a little further up the line maybe 12" and put a minnow on there.

I'm excited to try this rig out as I've heard it is one of the best rigs for fishing river eddies / structure without getting snagged up all the time. Keeps your hook right in the area you're targeting.

[TylerThomson]

Lots of times if I'm fishing for perch ill drop shot with a jig head on the bottom and then a hook with a plastic leech about 18 inches up and then either a worm or maggots another 8 to 10 inches above that. Or instead of the top hook ill run a spoon with the treble removed and then tie my rig to the split ring. This works awesome info stained water by adding a lot of flash.

[wildwoods]

Depends what I'm fishing. Drop shotting works for different species. If you're after rainbow, drop shot with indicator and nymphs is gonna catch fish. Walleye I keep is really simple:
Bare octopus hook tied roughly 18" above a 1/4 ounce jig (with willowleaf flasher). Tip the bare hook with live leech and the bottom jig tipped with minnow. They mostly take the jig but sometimes they turn off and only want the leech. Fishes two depths effectively and if one bait somehow falls off you have another to back it up. I'm a big fan of using this rig with a slip bobber. You can with it without but I find the bobber suspends it perfectly off the bottom without having to angle at all. Set depth, cast, play out a bit of slack (if you have one before a walleye bites) and you are in the zone. Hope this helps.

Edit: for river fishing don't use the slip bobber and bump that jig up to a 3/4 ounce on the bottom. Still tipped with minnow. Real bait will out produce artificial by a good margin most days.

[aulrich]

Why avoid the proper weights... They are like 5 for 3 bucks or a 29 piece variety pack for 10 bucks...

Regular bell sinkers can be used too just need to tie on which only takes a moment.

Multi tasking, cheaper and never running out of "the right size".

[TylerThomson]

I'll take you up on the real bait vs plastics challenge any day haha. I used to use nothing but bait but over the years I've switched almost completely to plastics and regularly out fish guys with tubs of leeches and minnows. Each to their own but I find the price of bait hard to swallow. Pun intended.

[wildwoods]

I'll take you up on the real bait vs plastics challenge any day haha. I used to use nothing but bait but over the years I've switched almost completely to plastics and regularly out fish guys with tubs of leeches and minnows. Each to their own but I find the price of bait hard to swallow. Pun intended.

You're right on the price for sure! I fish with both extensively. Pretty thin margin but I've found real bait regularly outfished artificial- especially dead sticked. Trolling can be another story.
I guess it depends who you're fishing with ;) I'm no Wayne Christie but I can hold my own...

[Timidhc]

Hey all, I am learning a new type of fishing recently: the drop shot rig.

I taught myself the knot and everything but on a lot of demonstrations the guys have these little weights with a "pinched eyelet" where you can take the tag end of your Floro leader and pinch it in there. Makes it easy to adjust the depth that you're fishing quickly and easily instead of tying a new knot every time to a standard weight.

I checked out the fishing hole but they didn't have them, as well as Canadian tire. Does Whole sale sports have those fancy weights maybe? I'm currently living in Edmonton by the way.

*edit*
I don't mean split shots, these are like your standard snag-less stick weight with a pinched eyelet on top. they come in 1/8oz to 1/2oz sizes.

Also, as a side question, what would ya'll recommend as soft plastics for drop shotting? I have live nightcrawlers, and some chartreus swimbaits but would love to hear any and all tips & tricks / general advice!

I got some 1/4 ounce drop shot weights from cabelas with the line pinch thing. And honestly I wish I hadn't. They cut your line if you pinch them all the way to the top. So you have to be delicate when attaching them to your line and if you get snagged up at all they cut themselves free.
I think that's what theyre designed to do but they come off a little to easy in my opinion.

[TylerThomson]

You're right on the price for sure! I fish with both extensively. Pretty thin margin but I've found real bait regularly outfished artificial- especially dead sticked. Trolling can be another story.
I guess it depends who you're fishing with ;) I'm no Wayne Christie but I can hold my own...

Real bait for sure if you're dead sticking.

[RavYak]

You won't really be able to use a drop shot properly in a river. The key aspect to a drop shot is shaking the rod tip with slightly slack line which wiggles the bait/lure on the spot.

The technique is meant to entice fish(primarily used for bass and walleye) that aren't actively feeding. Sometimes fish just aren't willing to chase a jig, crankbait or spinner so you need to slow things right down and just lay the bait/lure right in front of them with little twitches to entice the bite.

You can use a drop shot style rig in the river but the drop shot weights won't be heavy enough most spots so you will have to settle with using a bell sinker. Fished this way they are really no different then a pickerel rig or 3 way rig, hook is just attached in a different way is all.

[trigger7mm]

I'll take you up on the real bait vs plastics challenge any day haha. I used to use nothing but bait but over the years I've switched almost completely to plastics and regularly out fish guys with tubs of leeches and minnows. Each to their own but I find the price of bait hard to swallow. Pun intended.

Hi Tyler, what type of plastic do you have good luck with on walleye. You're right, the cost of bait is crazy. Thanks for the tips.

[bobalong]

I just use a snap swivel and regular bell sinkers and stand out hooks. The system works well for ice fishing to.

[TylerThomson]

Hi Tyler, what type of plastic do you have good luck with on walleye. You're right, the cost of bait is crazy. Thanks for the tips.

Impulse leach, trigger x minnow, gulp double tail twisters and swim baits. I don't like the trigger x minnows for drop shotting though they are to stiff so I'm looking for something else. Those impulse leeches are deadly for a drop shot though I thread about a quarter inch onto a bare hook and the action is awesome. I find the fish even if they aren't hitting hard will mouth them a few times without spitting them out so they must like the taste. I was fishing with a few other people and was out catching live bait because I never had to rebate my hook. They just stay on.

For perch I like trigger x mustache worms and blood worms or the 2 inch grubs. If I find the big girls and they are eating leeches ill take a impulse leech and cut off a third to make it smaller.

I've had really good luck jigging gulp tube baits in the winter for walleye. I just ordered a bunch of bfishn authentix moxis and pulsers so when I get a chance to try them out ill report back.

Oh one more tip get one of the bigger tubs of gulp baits that come info the plastic tub with a screw on top and a bottle of gulp scent to top it off with. I toss a bunch of whatever's working in it and let them soak. Even non scented plastics I find are given a boost by doing that.

[NSR Fisher]

You won't really be able to use a drop shot properly in a river. The key aspect to a drop shot is shaking the rod tip with slightly slack line which wiggles the bait/lure on the spot.

The technique is meant to entice fish(primarily used for bass and walleye) that aren't actively feeding. Sometimes fish just aren't willing to chase a jig, crankbait or spinner so you need to slow things right down and just lay the bait/lure right in front of them with little twitches to entice the bite.

You can use a drop shot style rig in the river but the drop shot weights won't be heavy enough most spots so you will have to settle with using a bell sinker. Fished this way they are really no different then a pickerel rig or 3 way rig, hook is just attached in a different way is all.

Thanks for the advice and yeah it is similar to a pickerel rig but I think you feel the bite a little more quickly because the hook is inline and less parts dangling in the current getting snagged. Where I fish there is a lot of logs and structure (good walleye territory!) and it would be nice to just kind of skip a 1/2 ounce to 3/4 ounce bell sinker (or snagless stick weight) along the eddies with my bait seemingly floating / wiggling above. I won't be fishing the main current with this rig just the slower water and eddies around this stretch of river that I fish. I will also be using the dropshot in lakes I fish.

I actually use 3/8 ounce jigs in the river when I jig minnows / mr twisters and have no issue finding bottom. It's all about matching your gear to where you're fishing. When I finally figure out how to post pictures here, I will show ya a picture of the area I fish and how slack the water actually gets. I don't think up sizing my weight will be a huge issue.

Thanks for the reply!

[NSR Fisher]

Impulse leach, trigger x minnow, gulp double tail twisters and swim baits. I don't like the trigger x minnows for drop shotting though they are to stiff so I'm looking for something else. Those impulse leeches are deadly for a drop shot though I thread about a quarter inch onto a bare hook and the action is awesome. I find the fish even if they aren't hitting hard will mouth them a few times without spitting them out so they must like the taste. I was fishing with a few other people and was out catching live bait because I never had to rebate my hook. They just stay on.

For perch I like trigger x mustache worms and blood worms or the 2 inch grubs. If I find the big girls and they are eating leeches ill take a impulse leech and cut off a third to make it smaller.

I've had really good luck jigging gulp tube baits in the winter for walleye. I just ordered a bunch of bfishn authentix moxis and pulsers so when I get a chance to try them out ill report back.

Oh one more tip get one of the bigger tubs of gulp baits that come info the plastic tub with a screw on top and a bottle of gulp scent to top it off with. I toss a bunch of whatever's working in it and let them soak. Even non scented plastics I find are given a boost by doing that.

I do this too! And yeah I picked up a tub of the Gulp! Emerald Shiners and they look perfect for what I'm trying to present. Their tail is so long and flippy I think it will have a nice action down there. I sometimes throw my Mr Twister curly tail grubs in the Gulp bath as well :-)

A story of mine to back up the idea that fish like Gulp stink is that I actually dropped a leach pattern Gulp in the water one time by accident, we were trolling and I couldn't quite scoop it up as it drifted by, as we turned to make another pass I was watching it waiting to try and scoop it up and a fish took it right off the surface before we could get close enough! Big surface disturbance and gone! Poor thing probably died trying to poop that plastic thing out haha.

[RavYak]

Thanks for the advice and yeah it is similar to a pickerel rig but I think you feel the bite a little more quickly because the hook is inline and less parts dangling in the current getting snagged. Where I fish there is a lot of logs and structure (good walleye territory!) and it would be nice to just kind of skip a 1/2 ounce to 3/4 ounce bell sinker (or snagless stick weight) along the eddies with my bait seemingly floating / wiggling above. I won't be fishing the main current with this rig just the slower water and eddies around this stretch of river that I fish. I will also be using the dropshot in lakes I fish.

I actually use 3/8 ounce jigs in the river when I jig minnows / mr twisters and have no issue finding bottom. It's all about matching your gear to where you're fishing. When I finally figure out how to post pictures here, I will show ya a picture of the area I fish and how slack the water actually gets. I don't think up sizing my weight will be a huge issue.

Thanks for the reply!

Finding bottom with a jig is much different then holding on bottom with 1-2 suspended baits/lures. It doesn't take much current to need 1-2 ozs of weight.

Try it out, I just don't know if it will work as good as you are thinking/hoping for especially if you use the little drop shot weights you originally asked about.

[wildwoods]

Finding bottom with a jig is much different then holding on bottom with 1-2 suspended baits/lures. It doesn't take much current to need 1-2 ozs of weight.

Try it out, I just don't know if it will work as good as you are thinking/hoping for especially if you use the little drop shot weights you originally asked about.

I get all your points and agree for the most part. You can find a back eddy and deadstick with a drop shot. For the most part, the weight required to keep it there is usually too significant to have a hook-weight at the bottom.

Another aspect of drop shotting is non static ie letting it run in the current. The term is too broad to paint with one brush.
Just throwing that out there

[trigger7mm]

Impulse leach, trigger x minnow, gulp double tail twisters and swim baits. I don't like the trigger x minnows for drop shotting though they are to stiff so I'm looking for something else. Those impulse leeches are deadly for a drop shot though I thread about a quarter inch onto a bare hook and the action is awesome. I find the fish even if they aren't hitting hard will mouth them a few times without spitting them out so they must like the taste. I was fishing with a few other people and was out catching live bait because I never had to rebate my hook. They just stay on.

For perch I like trigger x mustache worms and blood worms or the 2 inch grubs. If I find the big girls and they are eating leeches ill take a impulse leech and cut off a third to make it smaller.

I've had really good luck jigging gulp tube baits in the winter for walleye. I just ordered a bunch of bfishn authentix moxis and pulsers so when I get a chance to try them out ill report back.

Oh one more tip get one of the bigger tubs of gulp baits that come info the plastic tub with a screw on top and a bottle of gulp scent to top it off with. I toss a bunch of whatever's working in it and let them soak. Even non scented plastics I find are given a boost by doing that.

Hi Tyler, you might want to try some Fish Arrow Flash J minnows. I have had good luck using them on a drop shot. Look for them on EBay or just google them.

[NSR Fisher]

Finding bottom with a jig is much different then holding on bottom with 1-2 suspended baits/lures. It doesn't take much current to need 1-2 ozs of weight.

Try it out, I just don't know if it will work as good as you are thinking/hoping for especially if you use the little drop shot weights you originally asked about.

Thanks for the advice, and I only went with 1 suspended bait hook.

Ended up with 3 gold eye, 2 walleye and a small pike.

Not bad for my first time drop shotting! It took me awhile to get used to the feel, and I think I was being too impatient and moving my bait a lot, jigging it back and re-casting.

I found I got most of my strikes keeping it still and just kind of letting the line go slack for a second, and popping it back up straight. They would grab it right as the bait settled back down after I popped it.

I caught the pike reeling my rig back in slowly trying to cast in a different spot, he just smashed it haha. The lil guy was maybe 11" long Lol so cute.

I was using a 3/8 oz sinker and I had no issue keeping it on bottom. I casted at 2'o'clock angle and just let it drift down into the hole I was fishing.

I used just a half worm, as I found with a full one they were biting it in half without taking the hook. I think next time I will even downsize my hook, I was using a size 2 StandOut™ hook and I found the Goldeyes were having trouble taking the hook. I felt the vibration of them pecking at it but my hookup ratio wasn't good. It improved when I started using the half worm.

This is a great thread guys and I appreciate everyones advice!

[TylerThomson]

Hi Tyler, you might want to try some Fish Arrow Flash J minnows. I have had good luck using them on a drop shot. Look for them on EBay or just google them.

Thanks man ill look into that.

[RavYak]

I used just a half worm, as I found with a full one they were biting it in half without taking the hook. I think next time I will even downsize my hook, I was using a size 2 StandOut™ hook and I found the Goldeyes were having trouble taking the hook. I felt the vibration of them pecking at it but my hookup ratio wasn't good. It improved when I started using the half worm.

This is a great thread guys and I appreciate everyones advice!

Hook size probably isn't the problem. Goldeye and walleye are both notorious bait stealers and that is probably part of the reason why it isn't a wide spread technique for walleye like it is bass. My theory is that walleye and goldeye are smart and they have figured out to only grab a part of the bait and try to rip it off a hook rather then just swallowing it.

If you want to improve hookups what I would try instead of using a smaller hook is using a small trailing hook. Thread it through the worm and have it come out near the tail. I bet you will find you hook up a lot more and catch lots/if not most of them on this trailing hook.

I do something similar when bottom bouncing and it improved my catch rate significantly.

[NSR Fisher]

If you want to improve hookups what I would try instead of using a smaller hook is using a small trailing hook. Thread it through the worm and have it come out near the tail. I bet you will find you hook up a lot more and catch lots/if not most of them on this trailing hook.

I do something similar when bottom bouncing and it improved my catch rate significantly.

Yeah I will try a trailer hook perhaps.

I also have some longer shank "Aberdeen" style hooks, they reach a little further and I can get more of the worm on the hook. I bet those will help.

As always I appreciate the advice!

[RavYak]

Yeah I will try a trailer hook perhaps.

I also have some longer shank "Aberdeen" style hooks, they reach a little further and I can get more of the worm on the hook. I bet those will help.

As always I appreciate the advice!

Longer hook shanks mean a more rigid presentation and may cause the bait/lure to spiral and cause line twist in the current rather then just wiggling the bait like you would prefer.

[NSR Fisher]

Longer hook shanks mean a more rigid presentation and may cause the bait/lure to spiral and cause line twist in the current rather then just wiggling the bait like you would prefer.

Hmm, I'll have to consider that.

I'm going again this weekend so I will update you on my results, for better or for worse :-)

[trigger7mm]

One little trick I use when drop shotting is to get some large split shot and pinch one on the end of your line. That way if you get hung up in the rocks, you just give it a good pull and the shot will slip off the line. You only use the sinker, and not the hook. Don't have to re tie, just pinch on another split shot.

[RavYak]

One little trick I use when drop shotting is to get some large split shot and pinch one on the end of your line. That way if you get hung up in the rocks, you just give it a good pull and the shot will slip off the line. You only use the sinker, and not the hook. Don't have to re tie, just pinch on another split shot.

That is effectively what the actual drop shot weights do that the OP was originally asking about. The shape pinches the line and allows the line to pull free from the weight if the weight gets snagged.

[NSR Fisher]

Yeah I tried using the largest split shot I owned and it wasn't quite enough to fight what little current I had.

I settled on a 3/8oz snagless sinker. I just manned up and tied knots every time I needed to change depth.

This thread has been very useful and please feel free to bump it with any other tips / advice you can find.

Would love to know more about different soft plastics I can try. Going to pick up some Gulp™ leeches as I have had success jigging those.

[trigger7mm]

I like the split shots because of the cost. I have a bunch of drop shot sinkers, and they work great, just a bit too pricey. Another good soft plastic try are the Keitech series of baits. Check them out on Google (Keitech Baits)

[trigger7mm]

Check out Keitech Custom Leech, or Shad Impact baits. Excellent on drop shot rigs.

[trigger7mm]

Went down to the Battle River tonight and tried some Impulse Jig Leeches on a drop shot rig. They worked pretty good, caught 6 walleye just at dark.

[TylerThomson]

Went down to the Battle River tonight and tried some Impulse Jig Leeches on a drop shot rig. They worked pretty good, caught 6 walleye just at dark.


That's the ticket right there. Best plastic leech I've found so far.

[trigger7mm]

The black Keitech Custom Leeches are pretty deadly too. Going to go e both another try tonight, should be fun.

[trigger7mm]

Fished the Battle River last night and caught about a dozen walleyes on a drop shot rig. One little trick that seems to make a difference, is to put a small neon chartreuse bead just above the hook. Seemed to help in the off colored water. Both worms and leeches were working. Fish seem to be smaller on average this year.

[The Fisherman Guy]

You won't really be able to use a drop shot properly in a river.

lol ok

[highwood]

lol ok

Haha

[Dweb]

Great thread.....

Sunday I will be loading up the RZR and hitting the quad trails out by frt Assiniboine that run along the Athabasca river , can't wait to try some of the techniques described here.

[neilsledder]

Great thread.....



Sunday I will be loading up the RZR and hitting the quad trails out by frt Assiniboine that run along the Athabasca river , can't wait to try some of the techniques described here.



You see an orange harbercraft go bye give me a big wave! Unloading at the ferry and heading to the mouth of the Pembina! I tied a few drop shots and some good pickerel jigs.


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[Dweb]

You see an orange harbercraft go bye give me a big wave! Unloading at the ferry and heading to the mouth of the Pembina! I tied a few drop shots and some good pickerel jigs.


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Haha will do! I haven't fished the Athabasca before, so should be a fun adventure.

What bait do you recommend leech , worm or minnow?

[neilsledder]

Minnows


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[neilsledder]

Haha will do! I haven't fished the Athabasca before, so should be a fun adventure.



What bait do you recommend leech , worm or minnow?



What area you going? South of the ferry easy to find a deep spot north is pretty strait and shallow. But you will still find spots


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[Dweb]

What area you going? South of the ferry easy to find a deep spot north is pretty strait and shallow. But you will still find spots


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Just west of Fort Assiniboine near top land , there's tons of quad trails that follow the river. I'm just gonna rip around and explore see if I can find any decent pools.

[neilsledder]

Yah there's lots of bends in and around that part of the river. You will find holes!


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[Dweb]

Just walleye/pike down that far , or is there still signs of trout and grayling??

[Salmo]

I'll take you up on the real bait vs plastics challenge any day haha. I used to use nothing but bait but over the years I've switched almost completely to plastics and regularly out fish guys with tubs of leeches and minnows. Each to their own but I find the price of bait hard to swallow. Pun intended.

X2