The drop shot has become one of most popular rigs for catching all species of bass. If you have never tried this technique, here is a video that features Alton Jones explaining how to tie a Drop Shot Rig. If you are new to bass fishing, or even a seasoned angler, this is one technique that can produce fish under some of the toughest conditions.

Alton Jones Drop Shot Video

Here is a good video that clearly shows how to tie a Palomar Knots (which is used when drop shotting).

How to tie a Palomar Knot

I hope you all find this helpful and if so, let us know how this technique works out for you.

Bass Regards,
Brendan

That was a great video...somethin I def need to add to my arsenal thx alot!

Cool, I'm glad you like it. I have been thinking about the boards and how we can try to change things around a bit to promote more interaction from our members. I think that an area where anyone can share tips and help each other would really add to the site.

We are always looking for input from our users, so if you have any suggestions, please let us know.

Thanks,
Brendan

Is this something you only try from a boat ? Or can you try this way from shore fishing ? Thanx for the help.

MbBass, the dropshot works well from the shoreline also. In fact it is the way I catch most of my bass at Castaic.

Not the biggest ones, but most of them.

From the shoreline though I would try using a little less tagline than Alton does in the video. I usually use about ten inches of tagline.

But ya know all of these things end up as personal preference and also what works best depending on the bottom conditions.

Where I fish the bottom is rocky for the most part, not a lot of grass. When you cast out far from the shoreline your line will be laying down pretty flat. If you use a really long tagline it becomes almost like a reverse Carolina rig.

With the shorter tagline, when you feel some resistance from a rock or whatever you know your lure is probably up against the rock. What I do is just shake it very gently and let it stay still.

After stopping, when I fell even the slightest tap I know it's a bite and try to get a quick snap hookset.

Good fishing to ya, later........... geobass

That's good advise from GeoBass. I use a drop shot from the shore often. It works great in so many scenarios...

BC

Another thing to keep in mind, no matter if your fishing from boat or shore, is the location of the fish in relation to the bottom or the structure. If fish are 3-6 off the bottom and you rig with a short tag line, you will be under those fish. Experiment with the length is the best thing to do, the fish will tell you where they are located if you arent set up to meter them.

Great tip robo... an easy way to do that without having to redo your rig is to leave a long tag end (say 36") and then tie an overhand knot every 6" or 12". Start at the very bottom and work up the line. This way as you want to adjust, you can just move the weight up to the next knot until you find the right depth range (as roboworm was mentioning).

Or if you use the drop shot weights with the clips..no need to retie...just slide up an clip it in ...or if you use the Peg-it System, popularized by Don Iovino you can place the weight anywhere on the line and you can use this same rig if you split shot and this method wont pinch and damage your line, especially if you use fluorocarbon.

here is a link to the product:

http://www.iovino.com/sinkpeg.html

Robo,

good alternatives... I have been using the standard Bass Pro lead drop shot weights, however I have had issues with them slipping and/or cutting the line (as they are designed to do when you get snagged). I started using the knot so that I would not need to pull the line too far into the line keeper.



What do the "clip on" weights look like, or are these the same ones you are talking about?

thats them

Thanx guys i really appreciate all the tips . I cant wait to use them . I have been catching alot of bass lately but want to try something else . I like being able to catch fish useing alot of different presentations .

Did you guys read up on bass like i did . Cause i wanted to know how to locate them better and what they did for every upcomeing season ? I really feel this has made me the fisherman i am today . I alwayz wanted to ask that but figured i was takein it way to serious . Well good luck to ya and get those lines wet as possible cause winter will be here soon .

Mb... I have a library of books on bass. It's funny when I think back, but that's how this website came to be... As someone trying to learn more about bass fishing, I found it difficult to find information about the subject in one place. So as I came across more info, I figured why not share it with other people... what better place than the internet.

Hey, if you get the chance, pick up a copy of the book "LUNKER" by Bob Underwood. It will really open your eyes to what bass really do. This guy spent over 1,000 hours underwater observing bass and also doing various experiments to see how bass would react in different situations and circumstances. Once I started reading the book, I couldn't put it down.

BC

Here is a great link to an article from the Master my buddy, Aaron Martens:

http://bassfan.com/tips_article.asp?ID=216

I use the nose hook method most of the time, but I do you use Aarons method with the Re-barb hooks. For nose hooking I use either the Gamakatsu Drop shot hook in #2 or #4 depending on the bait. If I want a really light hook on real small baits, I use Owner Mosquito hooks in size 6-8 I use light wire hooks whenever possible I feel it gives more natural action to the bait. The drawback is...more chance of lost fish with the smaller hook.

Robo... I am a big fan of the #4 size Gamakatsu drop shot hook. Most of the time, I use finesse baits 2 1/2" to 3 1/2". I also nose hook the lure.



Link to Buy Gamakatsu Drop Shot/Split shot Hooks

Although the hook looks big in the above picture, these are tiny hooks. This photo might give some of the other people reading this post a better perspective on the size. Keep in mind that the worm in this photo is 3" long:



As for line 6 lb fluorocarbon does make a big difference, but I caution people trying this technique to be sure that you are using a quality spinning reel with a very good drag system, or you will break off a lot of fish, unless you back reel. I also found this video that features Ben Matsubu (BASS Pro) dropshotting, just another video to watch.

Ben Matsubu Drop Shot Bass Fishing

thanks for adding the images..i didnt have the time to do it...

i use between 4-6 lb fluorocarbon line...iven been sticking with berkley vanish, i have not had problems with it at all and tough as nails...see the 24lb carp

when i use the 4-6" roboworms, the re-bark hooks work better the baits stay level and dont twist over.

you need to start a topic on the Flick Shake

Here's an idea, why don't you start a topic on the Flick-Shake worm? Last time I checked, this site is open for everyone to bring up topics to discuss. You can do it man! Go ahead... put up a post...

haha...i knew that was coming..i deserve it..tomorrow on my lunch ...we will have a post about the "Fantastic Flick Shak"

Dont forget also with drop shot...you can use bigger baits and heavier line and tackle flipped and pitched, known as Bubba Shotting.

We call it "Power Shotting" on the east coast... Next we'll have to come up with something like "Flick Shotting"

There are some better video tips out there.

The things he misses in this video are, tieing the palomar knot and after tieing the knot..most important tip...is to thread the line back through the eye of the hook. This will help the bait stand straight out from the line.

No question there are better videos out there. Great tip for threading the line back through the eye. If you have any links to some other videos, please post them.

Thanks,
BC

Just to add some more details, I found this very interesting and versatile article on Drop Shotting written by Marc Marcantonio - Northwestern Staff Writer for the Inside Line:

Article: Refining the Art of Dropshotting

Brendan, did I hear you say "Flick Shotting"? Been doing it a lot this past year with much success. At times it outfished the conventional style of dropshotting 5:1. In fact, I fished it so much this year that I credit this technique for earning me the AOY award. Keep in mind that I fish at the back of the boat.

Yes, I did Daryl... you could also call it "wacky-shotting".

Hey man, congrats on winning AOY in your club... and from the back of the boat no less!