Drop Shot Fishing for Bass: A Complete Overview

Drop Shot Fishing is by far one of the most productive ways to entice bites from a plethora of species. I utilize this technique primarily for Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass and Walleye - But have also had sneaky success implementing this for Crappie and Muskies!

In layman’s terms, the drop shot rig is essentially a means to suspend your bait a specific distance off the bottom. The rig consists of a hook and a fixed weight attached to a leader below. This technique works in all situations but really shines when the bite is tough or when the fish are very pressured.

Rod, reel, hook, weight and leader line selection are very important to improve your odds of success. A common complaint that we often hear in the shop is that “ I get a lot of bites and hook a lot of fish but I lose more than I land”. This is often a result of using this heavy a rod action, improper hook selection or poor reel drag function.

I prefer a soft rod - By soft I mean a medium light fast to moderate fast blank and tip. I want the rod to be soft enough that I’m not over working the bait. This will also help to avoid bending my hook in a fishes mouth and help absorb head shakes, runs and jumps. Maximizing my landing ratio. Let’s face it. The most important aspect of this whole setup is that the fish end up in the net. Below are a few rods in a couple different price points that I would suggest;

• Megabass Orochi X10 JadePython 7’0” Medium Light (F3.1/2-70XTS)
• Daiwa Steez The Ned 6’10” Light (STAGS6101LXS)
• Megabass Destroyer P5 Addermine 6’11” Medium Light (F3.5-611XS)
• Gloomis NRX+ Drop Shot 6’10” Mag-Medium Extra fast (822S DSR)

Don’t sleep on this one! It’s not labelled as a drop shot rod, but I prefer it over all of the above mentioned. Even the G.Loomis NRX+ 822S DSR or 821S are my go to drop shot rod.

A reel with a sensitive drag is crucial in your success while fishing a drop shot. I prefer a 3000 sized reel for all of my finesse applications. Most have the same body size as a 2500 but have a larger and typically smoother drag surface as well as a larger line capacity which typically translates into longer casts.Below are a few reels that I recommend in a couple different price points ; 

• Daiwa Fuego 3000
• Shimano Nasci 3000

$200-$400 Price Range 

• Daiwa Tatula MQ LT 3000
• Shimano Stradic FM 3000
• Daiwa Ballistic MQ 3000
• Shimano Vanford 3000
• Shimano Sustain 3000

$500+ Price Range

• Daiwa Certate 3000
• Shimano Exsence 3000
• Daiwa Exist 3000

Drop shot fishing is typically a light wire hook application. Although there are times when the opposite is true. The following are my hook recommendations for nose hooking, bait threading and weedless rigging.

• Owner Mosquito #2
• Hayabusa Finesse drop shot #2
• Hayabusa Finesse drop shot HD #2
• Ryugi Fog Shot #2
• Decoy Shot Rig #2
• Decoy Worm 7 Light Special #2
• Gamakatsu G Finesse Drop Shot #2

• Owner Cover Shot #1
• Hayabusa FPP Straight 1/0
• Decoy Flippin Straight #1 or 1/0
• Gamakatsu Re-Barb #2
• Gamakatsu G Finesse Stinger #1 or #2

In terms of line, I prefer to run straight Braided Line to a Fluorocarbon Leader (Specifically 8-10lb Braided Line and 6-8lb Fluorocarbon Leader). My personal setup is 10 lb Daiwa X8 grand to a 7lb daiwa J Floro Samurai fluorocarbon. I use an Albright as my braid to floro connection knot. It is the smallest connection knot I have found. And more importantly I have yet to have it fail me after 10 plus years of use. Some Braid and Leader Line suggestions below;

• Sunline Shooter Finesse Special
• Seaguar Tatsu
• Shimano Mastiff
• FC Sniper
• Sunline FC Leader
• J-Fluoro Leader

• Daiwa J Braid X8 Grand
• Power Pro Super Slick V2
• Sunline Defier Sinking Braid

Lures

There is a very wide variety of soft plastic baits that can be used for drop shot fishing. The sky really is the limit. I’m going to break it down into three categories that I tend to live by. Minnow imitations, worm imitations and creature style baits. Below are a few of my favourites;

• Great Lakes Finesse Drop Minnow
• Megabass 3” Hazedong shad
• Raid Little Sweeper
• Duo Realis Versa Shad 3”
• Nishine Drop Shot Minnow

• X-Zone Hotshot Minnow
• Reaction Innovations Shiver Shot
• Roboworm Alive Shad
• Z-Man Trick Shot
• Nories Lady Fish
• Gary Yamamoto Shad Shape Floater
• Gan Craft Shape S Jointed Claw

• Great Lakes Finesse Drop Worm
• Berkley Maxscent Flatworm
• Berkley Maxscent Hitworm
• Duo Realis Wriggle Crawler
• Keitech Custom Leech
• Evergreen Flathead Minnow
• Evergreen Bow Worms
• OSP Dolive Crawlers
• OSP MMZ Worms
• Megabass Tournament Crawler
• Reins Bubbling Shaker
• Nikko Sand Worm
• DStyle Torquee Straight
• Roboworm Straight Tail and Curly Tail
• Zoom Trick Worm
• Xzone Deception Worm
• Nikko Zaza Leech
• DStyle D1

• Nikko Hellgrammite
• Nikko Tadpole
• Nikko Octopus
• DStyle Duba
• 6th Sense Glitch
• Eco Gear Rock Claw
• Raid Avi 35
• Raid 2way and Micro 2way
• Raid Oka-ebi
• Raid Egu bug
• Deps Bullflat 2”
• Evergreen C-4 shrimp
• Evergreen Gezzy
• Evergreen C-4 Leech
• Evergreen Antlion
• Kasumi Design Dancing Bone Doctor
• OSP HP Bug
• OSP SS-Gill
• Geecrack Bugpee
• Geecrack Bellows Gill 2-2.8”
• Geecrack IMO Kemushi 40-60 mm

Drop shot fishing is very addictive. Not only does it generate a tone of bites but it doesn’t deter those big bites as well. Big fish and the drop shot go hand in hand. Trust me.. Hope you found this article helpful. I’m certain these recommendations will help you to become a better drop shot angler.

Tight lines!