Looking for a little help on drop shot baits. Is it better to go with the smaller baits like 4" or do you go medium with a 6", or do you guys go big, or all the above?? I have NEVER fished this technique but spent the better part of today sneaking thru YouTube vids on it. I plan to stock up on some baits for the weekend and i was wondering what you experienced drop shotters would go buy tomorrow, if you lost your drop shot box today?? I primarily fish Fork if that matters.

Zoom finesse worm.

The drop shot is used widely in Southern California. I have used it when I go to Lake Fork each year. Most folks here use 6 to 8 lb flourocarbon or monofilament on a spinning setup. I prefer the barrel shaped weights that wedge on the end of the tag line with a stand-out drop shot hook. The most used lure is a small plastic worm like a Roboworm. I prefer the 4 1/2" curly tail in Morning Dawn. It is also effective with the 3" Berkley Gulp minnows. This would probably work well for crappie.

Go to the website in my signature for River A Tackle and order the custom Owner Spin N Hook....get the 1/0 for your 4" baits and the bigger 2/0 for your larger baits. Hands down the best on the market in my opinion and completely custom. It allows for a weedless presentation and has a big enough gap for the bait to clear and allow for a solid hook up. You may have to call them for the 2/0 size. You can get weights there as well.

Now as far as baits....for 4" and smaller my go to's are the Grande Bass Baby Rattlesnakes, Zoom Finesse worm, Zoom Fluke (not super fluke and not the Jr.) and a Roboworm Straight tail.
For the 6" and larger baits I use the Grande Bass Rattlesnake, Grande Bass MegaTail (cut tail), Zoom Trickworm, Zoom Super Fluke and a Yamamoto Medium Craw.

Some help on the presentation....there is really no wrong way to fish a drop shot except for too fast. Start with Slowly dragging it with long pauses, then short pauses, then slightly shaking it, then like a Texas rig with a short hop. I will say that when reeling it up make a habit of killing the bait a couple feet from the boat. I cannot count how many times I have had a fish follow it all the way up and hit it at the boat.

Hit me up by pm when you go...if I am around I would be more than happy to share a few of my hooks and some baits to help you along the way.

-Shawn Mead

+1 on ShawnMead's response. Go slow. Last year at Fork I also had success with the wacky rigged senko dropped along side trees. This time of year when the bass are deep, I have had good results just slowly dragging the drop shot on the bottom of creek channels. Here is Southern California, I generally fish from a float tube. I just throw the drop shot out and slowly kick backwards, dragging the drop shot weight along the bottom. Most of the time the bite is very subtile. I generally put my finger under the line, like I am about make a cast, to feel the bite. This is a finesse technique.

I dropshot with a jig for my weight.....the Sutton Rig......Then tie on my dropshot hook further up the line.....2 feet

Great advice guys, thanks. Another question on presentation. Are you guys casting this rig, just dropping beside the boat next to a tree, or both? Can this application be used for suspended fish, or primarily bottom? If it can be used for suspended fish, how do you fish It? Just let it hang there with the weight dangling below the bait?
Dang, one more question, what is your avg length between weight and Hook? 6", 12", 18"?

It depends on how far up the fish are suspended off of the bottom. If more than 2 foot then no. I adjust the leader length to the depth I think they are holding at. I usually go no shorter than 8" and no longer than 24". IMHO...there are other baits and presentations that work better for fish suspended higher in the water column.

I use a G.Loomis DSR822c....casting version paired with a Revo Premier that is spooled with 12 lb Flouro. I cast or pitch to my target trying to get it as tight to the structure as possible. I hand feed the line for a more vertical presentation.

I might have to borrow that idear!