Drop shot?

Confession, have never thrown it. I know been missing out. Video recommendation for tying it and other helpful tips would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

Try this one, covers a lot from one of the best at the technique.

http://scout.com/outdoors/bass-fishing/Article/The-Last-Drop-Shot-Video-Youll-Ever-Watch-105346216

Find a place where fish are schooling, and drop it down so that you can feel the bite and get confidence in the lighter setup and hookset technique.

Do you guys tie a palomar to the hook with a loooong tag end or do you do something like a uni knot with a long tag end?

Palomar is easiest and quickest. Aaron Martens and others use a doubled uni

Run the single line tag end back down through the hook eye to the weight

If you have a graph; you can adjust the leader length depending on how you see the fish relating to the bottom. 18 inches would be a common default length

I use a palomar.. works for me. Everybody probably does it differently but there are videos by Aaron Martens that are really helpful on getting started. It is for sure a finesse technique in its origins but it can be used in more of a power fishing environment as well. I use 1/0 Gama drop shot/split shot hooks and because of the Texas wind.. like 3/8 oz weights. I also use 30lb fiber for main line and a 10-12' 12lb Invivix leader joined with an Alberto knot. The longer leader is nice because you tend to break off a lot in the brushpiles and it means you don't have to tie on new leader so often. I use spinning gear, so the braid really helps fight off line twist.. even though it does still twist.. just doesn't cause as many issues as straight florocarbon.
Welcome to the club.. its a good way to catch a lot of fish.. and some big ones too!

BD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgUXfVPhKII

good explanation on how to tie and set up the DS

Palomar knot is what to tie. Make sure the hook is facing up, but I do not seem to have problems when it is facing down. Sweep set the hook, not a HARD jerking motion. I use baitcasting rods, an 8' ML rod with 12# test McCoys Mean Green for my drop shot setups. I have caught fish upwards of 5 lbs on it with no problems at all. If throwing it in brush, use a little heavier weight, so it doesn't get fouled with the hook. I fish a lot of weeds and timber and brush with this rig, so I do NOT nose hook the bait, but I Texas Rig it and still catch most of the fish that bite. Hope this helps. Tight lines, keep safe and good luck.

Thad Rains

Sometimes I'll flip a drop shot with a really short leader... like 6 inches into shallow cover and have got bit doing that. In fact I've started doing that a lot.

palomar works for me. I generally have two tied up on deck. One with 12 lb for fishing without heavy cover like hydrilla or standing timber and one with 15 lb for all of the rest.

Be careful not to burn your main line if you use a palomar.

You have two drops tied up on the deck!? Wow

I always have a drop rigged up, but, honestly it's buried in the bottom outside edge of the rod rack. I'll dig it out on the worst of days.

drop shot bombing

Confession, you really don't need to throw one. Texas rig will out fish any other rigs in MY OPINION.

Yep ^^^ no real need to drop shot

Just keep thinking that way

I feel that there have been some really good advice given so far in regards to knot used, line, rod/reel, etc.... In the end all the different rigs are essential to being a well rounded bass fisherman. They all have there uses and they can all catch Fish. I commend you for asking about the drop shot and wanting to learn more about a technique that you have not fished.

My 2 Cents: I have actually been throwing a drop shot recently and was just like you about a month ago...I decided to take the plunge and just fish a drop shot exclusively so I could learn it. Now I don't fish from boats to often, I will be more bank fishing than anything. The drop shot can still be a valuable tool when casting from the bank.

My Setup: 6'6" Medium Spinning Rod, 12lb braid with 8lb mono leader. I usually tie on a 6-8ft leader. As for the hook, I currently use a size 1 gamu drop shot hook that is tied on with a uni-knot. The tag end is about 15" and I use the 1/4oz cylindrical drop shot weight.

-Options...you can mix this setup however you want...I have seen guys use 2/0 EWG hooks with 1oz bullet weights pegged on the tag end of line....You can just use straight braid or straight mono...there are endless possibilities when it comes to the different elements of the drop shot. In the end, you can either use what you already have on hand, or just go out and buy some simple tackle to set it up.

-My Experience: After exclusively fishing with the drop shot for a month now, I have really enjoyed it. I have caught a good number of fish on the setup. Since I have fished from the bank, there really isn't any vertical fishing with the rig, but it has done a great job of suspending the bait, bringing it to the bottom, or giving me the control to give the bait as much "action" as I want.

-Tips: experiment with the different plastics you can put on a drop shot. Everyone will tell you to use a trick worm, robo worm, senko....but throw on a creature bait like a craw or lizard, use minnow style baits, tubes, grubs, pretty much anything can be put on a drop shot. Below is a picture of the bait I threw on a drop shot yesterday and caught this 2.5lb bass...it also caught 4 other smaller bass all in about 45min:

I drop shot quite a bit and have two rods rigged up on deck all the time. It catches fish when many other presentations do not. I prefer using bait casting equipment instead of spinning tackle, but that's just me. I use a 6ft 9in. rod with a soft tip so I can detect the slightest bite. It is a custom rod made by Ron @ Reel time rods located at Lake Fork. I have one rigged up with a 1/0 Owner rigging hook, 1/4oz drop shot weight,12# Invizx, and a finesse worm. The other rod is rigged up with a 1/0 Owner rigging hook, 1/4oz drop shot weight, 15# Invizx, and a Zoom trick worm. You can fish it shallow or deep, in open water or around cover and it works well in all presentations. I have several go to colors depending on the water color, or if it is sunny or cloudy out. I experiment with those until I find out which the fish want most on that day. Sometimes you need to change colors during the day as conditions change. I always use a Palomar knot. No problems with it if you tie it correctly.
I usually have 11 rods on deck, and 12 others in the rod box, so I do fish other baits as well.

I live on Canyon Lake, and fish it at least once a week. Sometimes a drop shot is the only way to get bit. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure you could catch a few on a T rig or C rig (and I throw both quite a bit), but the drop shot just seems to consistently outperform when you're fishing 30-45 feet in clear water. I wish I didn't have to rely on the drop shot so much, but if that's what it takes to put fish in the boat, then this dude will oblige...

Will do! I've fished all the different rigs, but nothing beats a texas rig. A watermelon red trick worm or brush hog texas rigged will smack in any bass

The t rig is my favorite way to fish but I normally keep 4 dropshots rigged on my deck and would bet dk2429 would eventually be asking to use one of them most days during the summer. Friends that I reguarly fish with are serious power fishermen but they all own a dropshot rod or 2 now.

If you fish in off color water you can definitely fish t-rig and do fine in most conditions. Switch to a clear water lake and in certain conditions a drop shot becomes much more of a necessity.

I consider myself a so called " power fisherman" but I keep a drop shot on the front deck with all my big worms and big jigs. there are a ton of ways to rig one up just find one you like and go with it.

I got laughed at a lot at the beginning of last year when I started forcing myself to use it.
I wanted to learn how to use it because of seeing my friend have success with it.

It took a little bit for me to gain confidence with it but once I did, it became my go to technique last year when the bass would quit biting the big stuff through out the day.

I'm not going to lie, I use to be one of the guys making fun of other guys using it. but after seeing what it can do I changed my ways LOL

I have learned you have to be versatile in this sport to be successful.

I live in the Weatherford area and would be more than willing to help you out with how to rig up and where to fish it.

Drop shot wacky worm rigged has been doing it for us these past few weeks.

The T-rig is my go-to bait presentation I use the great majority of the time, but I do like drop-shotting as well because I know exactly where the bait is suspended in deeper water, like at the ends and sides of floating boat docks. Letting it fall to the bottom, reeling in the slack, and giving the bait a couple shakes and waiting for a few seconds or more. Then walking it a couple feet, shaking again, waiting again. Then repeat. If no action, move on.

Senkos, BBH, trick worm, U-tail, lizard... they all have worked for me. I don't use more than a 1/4oz DS weight.

I'm not saying it doesn't work, but to me the t rig has never failed to catch me fish any time of year. Even in mid summer. I'll throw all kinds of different things. But when the fishing is slow/conditions aren't the best, the last resort is always a watermelon red t rig. It'll at least get some sort of action

I like drop shots around concretes structures like bridges. Main problem is the fish tend to wrap the weight around the line and I have to retie quite a bit. I had the weight go through the gills the other day. But I got 33 in a short weekend only fishing about 6 hours. Bet I'd of gotten 1/2 that or less with a T-Rig. I do tend to catch smaller bass with a drop shot, but when I need to catch fish, it's my best option. I think around concrete you get underwater wave movements that give the drop shot worm a lot of good action but that's a guess.