How do you catch fish on a dropshot?

[occasionalfisher]

How the &^%* do you catch a fish on a dropshot? I have the right equipment, have a rod that is good for it, have all the weights and the hooks and it is not that I can't catch good fish on it, it is that I can't even get bit on it. I fished it a good bit Saturday in the clearer water that we found, fished it from a foot to 35 feet, dropped on a big school of fish a few different times and never even got a bite. I have tried the worm wacky style and nose hooked on the small dropshot hooks, but most of the time if I am using those things I stay hung up most of the time. For that reason I normally texas rig the worm on the rebarb hooks. What really bothers me so much about this is I have been trying to learn how to do this for over 5 years and I am still just as bad at it as I was the first time I tried it. I know the winter bite is tough, but I have tried it when fish were actually biting well and still nothing. I just want to throw all this crap out of my box and be done with it, but I know some people actually catch fish on this and I think to be better when it gets tough I need to know how to use it. Anyone got any tips on what to try get better at this? Thanks

 

[lafae7]

It’s really a specialized technique. It’s not like throwing a jig. The only time I throw a drop-shot is if I catch a fish and find mud on their belly. So basically only when they are buried on the bottom is when I’ll throw one. I always use roboworms as my choice of soft plastic. They are the best imo.

 

[Kickerfish]

I never had any faith in the dropshot until I went out on a guide trip with Hensley Powell. I second the roboworm though. We caught them all day on that bait. I couldn't believe it because like you, I could never make it work previously. I will only use it when fishing is tough. I haven't thrown it in the winter yet but I did pretty well after I built my confidence back up in it. I have found that it is really easy to miss a bunch of schoolers entirely by watching your graph. That was a lot of my problem. I thought I was throwing into that school but I wasn't touching them.

 

[jb366]

You just have to work with it and learn when to use it. I've had days in the summer where I've caught fish out of a school on 5 or 6 different baits and they wouldn't touch the ds. Then I've had days where all they would touch is the ds. If I graph a school offshore and they are just up off bottom, I'll throw a ds first. Most of the time I can get bit to get the school fired then I move to a faster presentation. If I graph over and the fish are sucked to the bottom, the ds stays on the deck unless I pull the school I'm catching from up under the boat. Then I'll drop it straight down and "video game" fish.

This time of year I really only use it shallow. The best days I have are on warm sunny days after a few cold cloudy days. The fish pull up to get some sun but are still a little too sluggish to chase a trap or you have to pause a jerkbait for a long time to get bit, toss that ds a few times and you'll get bit.

Another thing, I never throw a straight worm on my ds. I throw shad shaped plastics. Fluke, bento minnow, alive shad etc etc

 

[occasionalfisher]

Thanks for the help guys, just really frustrating I can figure out most things but not this one.

 

[muskyman]

I like to throw it in open water, suspended fish. Also when the area your fishin gets beat up. And I will also wacky rig drop shot and tandem where it's allowed.

 

[jsb]

I don't fish it alot but when I do it's to fish suspended. I also use it shallow just draging it slowly. One thing I do alot when I do use it is use a jig on the bottom for a weight. You might be surprised how many bites you get on the jig instead.

 

[Fshn Cpa]

I prefer a drop shot to a shakey head. The length of the drop is determined by the structure you are fishing. Usually a foot to foot and a half. Once the weight is on the bottom take up most of the slack it doesn't take much movement to make the bait shake and quiver. Usually use a finesse worm nose hooked or sometimes wacky style. Don't be in a hurry. If you go to you tube you can find some videos by the pros on using it. Also use as light a weight as you can for the depth you are fishing. I usually use 1/8 or 3/16

 

[Fshn Cpa]

There is a good you tube on the FLW home page right now. Luke Dunkin drop shotting