Drop shot: Everything you need to know about drop shot fishing

Posted On 15 September 2021

The drop shot fishing is a technique too subtle than playful and effective, especially on the most difficult fish. The drop shot allows you to insist for a long time on a position while limiting hanging in obstacles. Drop shot fishing therefore allows you to present your lure to the depth and desired speed, all in a natural way. As you will have understood, this technique can be ultra-effective, especially on perch and pike-perch. Here is an article presenting you all there is to know about drop shot fishing.

History of the drop shot

Drop shot fishing has deep-rooted roots in the eastern United States, dating back to the mid-1970s. In the early 2000s, it was widely democratized in Japan in areas with high fishing pressure. Over time, the Japanese refined the drop shot that went back to the United States. The drop shot then conquered the biggest American competitions.

Before that, drop shot fishing was relatively unknown. Only a few fishermen in southern California used it and were careful not to reveal its secrets. It was not until the winter of 1999 that this fishing technique officially appeared. It made it possible to win two major tournaments on the American circuit. The BASS on Lake Oroville and the WON Bass Classic on Lake Cachuma.

The drop shot assembly

The drop shot assembly is the most basic of all. The latter rests on an elongated or round lead placed on the bottom. About 1 meter from the sinker, use a palomar knot to fix a single hook, point facing upwards.

As for the animation, again, nothing could be simpler. The goal is to launch your drop shot assembly on a desired station and to print small draws with the lure. This will have the effect of animating the latter while slowly advancing the sinker and the lure.

If you want to insist on a position, it is not even obliged to advance its editing. You can also at times avoid animating your lure. Fish, especially perch, are very often sensitive to the lack of animation. They will often suck your lure on the descent or on the bottom.

The touch is therefore manifested by a knock or a series of knock that we feel very well because the banner is always stretched or semi stretched. We tighten and thanks to this tension the fish often stings on the edge of the mouth. Ideal if you want to practice "catch and release".

The basis of a drop assembly is to be able to present a lure or a bait in a natural way taken off from the bottom and to feel the attack live.

Benefits of drop shot fishing

Drop shot fishing is very effective because it allows to offer a natural animation to the lure suspended in the water, as no other assembly could offer it. By shifting the weight under the hook, you can now insist as long as you want on a given area. But the benefits of drop shot fishing don't end there!

Here are all the points we have identified that allow us to say that drop shot fishing is a machine for catching fish.

• Allows realistic action - Drop shot fishing brings your soft lure to a weightless state with realistic action and natural displacement with current, wind and waves

• Allows to insist on a given area - You can fish in a certain area for as long as you want. Unlike almost all other techniques, you don't have to move your decoy to be effective. The drop shot can stand still, letting only the water move your lure.

• Resists abrasion - Your line is protected from abrasive structures. The end of your line can withstand abrasion, your critical area of the hook line remains intact.

• Allows the lure to stay in constant suspension - By playing along the length of the leader, your lure can be animated above any structure. Fish naturally lift their heads for food. So it makes perfect sense to know why a drop shot works.

We also noted some drawbacks to drop shot fishing. A first is linked to the twist of the line. However, this can be reduced by using a swivel above the hook. There are also new hooks with integrated swivels that may be worth trying out.

Our preferred alternative is to use a main line with braid and a fluorocarbon leader. This avoids the problem of twisting and allows you to present your drop shot assembly more discreetly.

The drop shot knot

The drop shot node is basically a variation of the palomar node. The subtlety of the drop shot knot will be to ensure that the tip of the hook is positioned upwards.

Here are the steps to make a drop shot knot:

• While holding your hook up, double your line to make a long loop and pass it through the eye of the hook.
• Tie an overhand knot with the doubled line.
• Pass the hook through the loop made by the overhand knot.
• Moisten the wire to avoid chafing and tighten it firmly.
• Make sure the hook is still facing up.

Once the drop shot knot has been made, add a drop shot lead to the end of the leader.

Here are the steps to make a drop shot knot!

Fishing equipment

The basic drop shot fishing setup doesn't have to be very elaborate to be effective. Take a simple approach to drop shot fishing, and you'll have more success with this irresistible finesse fishing tactic. The most important thing is to choose a rod with a strong resonance, equipped with a tip slow enough so that the fish can attack the lure without feeling resistance. A good Medium Light spinning rod therefore does the job perfectly.

As for the reel, a size 2500 is for us the most versatile and allows you to have fun on any type of fish.

Drop shot fishing is a finesse but also very discreet fishing. The choice of line is therefore a preponderant element in this fishing. In order to avoid any twisting problem, we recommend that you use a light braid as the main line, then fluorocarconne at the bottom of the line.

An 8-strand braid from 8/100 to 12/100 will allow you to feel the slightest touch, while the fluorocarbon will provide you with a discreet presentation.

What lure for the drop shot?

The best lures for drop shot fishing are above all neutral buoyancy lures. They will give you a very suspending swimming action that the fish cannot resist. You can literally fish with any drop shot soft lure. But there are some that stand out from the rest.

• Finesse Worm - A simple worm in finesse. Roboworm and Zoom Finesse are the most popular lfiness worms although there are dozens of other brands and varieties in this category.

• Micro Shad - Whenever you notice that the fish are feeding heavily on small fry, opt for micro shads on your drop shot assembly. We are thinking, for example, of the Keitech Shad Impact, the Reins Rockvib or the Fin-S Fish Lunker City.

• Craw Baits - Crayfish style lures are some of the best drop shot lures you can use. An OSP Dolive Craw or a Berkley Chigger Craw are great drop shot lures.

Useful links to complete this article:

Pike lures: 10 pike lures to have in your box of lures

The 10 best zander lures for winter

The 10 best types of black bass lures

Learn to fish with a fishing guide

Start lure fishing

Find a fishing guide