The Dropshot Technique

In Northern California the dropshot technique has been quickly becoming as popular as splitshotting. And in pro level tournaments it has become the method of choice for cashing in on deep dwelling, fall and winter bass. More and more bass anglers are applying this finesse style of angling to lakes like Folsom, Oroville and Shasta. Why this popularity? That’s simple, the dropshot is easy to master, you don’t need to invest a ton of money to be properly rigged, and it’s very effective for catching these finicky, winter bass. With a little practice you can be putting fish in the boat with this technique that got it’s start in Japan.

The setup for dropshotting, or downshotting as it’s sometimes called, is quite simple. A six and a half or seven foot finesse rod with a fast tip and a spinning reel is the standard combination to use. Some anglers will use baitcasting equipment, but that is the exception to the rule. The spinning reel should have a good drag system and a constant anti-reverse. Line size is normally 6 or 8 pound test.

To tie the rig you use a small, #1 to #1/0 hook. A couple good choices are the Sugoi split shot hook from Yamamoto Custom Baits and the “G-Lock” hook from Gamakatsu. But no matter what hook you use it should be a light wire hook and not a heavy forged style hook. Tie the hook on using a Palomar knot. Leave the tag end about 15” to 24” inches long. Hold the hook out horizontal with the point up and run the tag end of the line through the eye, from the top. This will hold the hook out sideways with the point on top. Then tie on a weight to the end of the line. The distance between the weight and the hook varies depending on what is working to get the bass to bite on any given day. The result should be anywhere from 6” to 24” between the weight and hook. You can also tie on two hooks and have them at different depths.

There are special weights made just for dropshotting but they are pricey and not readily available. I use a teardrop shaped casting sinker with the brass tie that comes out of the center. Some anglers like to use a couple small brass sinkers with a bead in between them and them put a split shot on to lock it in place. This will put off a rattle and attract fish. The weight of the sinker will depend on the depth, the quality of your rod, and your angling skill. It can also be affected by the weather. Less weight is needed on a calm day and more will be required when the wind is blowing and the water is rough. Try to use the minimum weight required to maintain contact with the bottom. Start out with about 3/8 ounce and adjust from there.

The dropshot method is most commonly used to fish vertically right under the boat. Using your graph you can locate schools of baitfish and drop your rig right into them. You can also do the same if you see a rock pile, drop off or other typical fish holding structure. The dropshot rig can also be used for fish feeding on schools of suspended bait by dropping into the school and holding the rig at that depth. Obviously a good graph helps locate the bait and the bass.

The plastic baits that are used for dropshotting are small, finesse lures. 4.5” worms, small leeches, grubs, and minnow imitating baits are most common. Smoke patterns with black, blue, purple or red flake are popular. Morning Dawn and any shad or ghost pattern worms will also work well. At times, a worm with a chartreuse tail will out produce a plain colored worm. There are two ways to rig the plastic on the hook. You can thread it on like you would if you’re splitshotting or Texas rigging a worm, and bury the hook point. Or you can nose hook the bait by running the hook point through the bait about a ¼” back from the head and leave the hook point exposed. It won’t cause problems leaving the point exposed since you’re using this bait in open water. The advantage to this rigging method is the added action the plastic will have with a minimal amount of input from the angler.

You’ll need to experiment to find how the fish want the bait presented and any given day. Start by dropping down to your target and just letting the boat drift slowly and drag your weight along the bottom. This is the standard method for using the rig. On some days the fish might want the bait to have a little more action so you’ll need to shake the rod tip and get some movement from the worm. And on yet other days the fish want the bait sitting perfectly still. This is referred to as “dead sticking”.

When the fish finally bite it won’t be the crushing blow of a bass picking up a jig. Instead it will be a soft pickup that can be best described as a pressure bite. You will be working the bait and it will just start to feel a little bit heavy, or it might feel like you’ve hooked a rubber band, or you may lose contact with the bottom and the depth hasn’t changed. That’s a fish sitting down there with the bait in his mouth. One advantage to this method over splitshotting is that you are in direct contact with the hook. The weight isn’t dampening the sensation of the bite, so you’ll have a better chance of detecting it. I highly recommend using a scent on your plastic lure for this method. I believe it will cause the fish to hold the bait just a little longer and increase your odds of getting a hook in him. Now, you can’t just reel down and cross their eyes like you do with a jig tied to 20-pound test line. First of all you have light line on which has a lot of stretch. Secondly, this application is most often used from 30 to 60 foot depths and more. This also adds to the amount of stretch between your rod tip and the hook. The best method is to reel down on the fish raise the rod to put pressure on it and reel quickly to maintain that pressure. The Sugoi hook I mentioned earlier is perfectly suited for this hook set. The small circle type hook will slide to the corner of the fish’s mouth and the extremely sharp point will penetrate with the constant pressure and no sudden hook set.

It will take a little time to get used to where, when, and how to apply this technique. But once you get comfortable with dropshotting you’ll find that it is an effective way to entice wary, wintertime bass into biting.