Drop shot advice...

What baits can be recommended to fish on the drop shot. Haven't done much of it before but trying to give it a whirl.

Also any advice on it's application? Like, when would you guys prefer to fish the drop shot as opposed to something else?

You can drop shot anything really. Had a buddy who was catching them drop shotting brush hogs just a few days ago.

I prefer to drop shot flat bottom as opposed to slope... when water is 15 feet or deeper, but you can really do it anywhere. I like to drop shot on lakes where there is soot, because it keeps the bait above the soot. as for baits, you could use anything, but I look at drop shotting as a finesse tactic, so I use smaller worms. You also need to use baits that float...so that they will not fall down along the line... the other thing I like is a tougher bait. I tend to nose hook my baits, so if they are soft, they will get torn right off. I like RoboRorm and a bait from a company called stalker.

Last thing I would say is that drop shotting is successful in clearer water or when you can see fish on the graph. It is not a bait to catch suspended, moving or for finding fish.

All of this my opinion and experience.. someone will come on here and pick it apart, but that's what has worked for me. I have lived up north most of my life and drop shotting is excellent for smallies and clear water finesse tactics, but I have used it successfully in Tecas for the last 15 years as well.

The Z-man ElaZtech baits work the best with drop-shotting.

https://www.zmanfishing.com/cms/elaztech-plastics

I drop shot just about any bait...it's a confidence thing. Certain baits I upsize my line, leader, hooks, and swivel.

I've drop shot as small as 2" creature baits and as large as 10" power worms.

I feel it gets the bites that C-rig may not have.

One thing I started doing last summer, was using a texas rigged drop shot in deep brush. Loved it. Was using
an NRX 822 DSR, but I feel like this is more of an open water drop shot rod. Would love to get some feedback on rod
choices for this technique (If anyone is using an NRX, that would be a plus!). Also, are you using a longer fluorocarbon leader because
of the brush? Have an 852 NRX casting I think would work great, but kinda like the ol fairy wand for this technique.

I use a Shimano Intenza medium light, they are a great rod without breaking the pocket book open too wide. Think I paid $120 or something like that... great rod. (7 footer)...
And I think line choice will vary, but I like straight braid. You do need to color your line with a sharpy or something, but I love the sensitivity of it. you can feel every single thing you touch....or touches it.

Roboworms are good on a dropshot.

What reel and line do you recommend?

I use two different conventional rods in which both are built for for drop shoting. I use Shimano Metaniums with either 10 or 12 # seaguar invix depending on what I am fishing in. I have caught bass up to 9# on them. For ,me accuracy of casting is much better than with spinning gear.

I also fish with many different size baits. From 2.5" to 8" trick worms.

I like 10lb braid to a 8lb tatsu flouro leader. I use zoom finesse worms and roboworms.

I've caught several thousand fish on a drop shot and I don't use spinning gear. Hint, in clear water just use a plum colored finesse worm.

Use a roboworm and concentrate on NOT imparting action on the bait at all. Try to keep it absolutely dead still. The bait does all the action and work for you.

I also do not use spinning gear for dropshotting and I throw it 90% of the time and I fish every weekend, almost. I use a Dobyns Champion 702 , Shimano SLX and 15# Invizx line when throwing a 6-8 inch trick worm. For finesse worms I use a Majorcraft 6ft 8in rod with a Daiwa Tatula Elite and 12# Invizx. I mostly use straight type baits but you can experiment with just about anything. I use an Owner #1 rigging hook for the finesse worm and an Owner 1/0 rigging hook for the larger one. I use many different brands of baits so just choose some you like and give it a try.

I also have a drop shot set up for punching grass. It is a 7ft 6in Power tackle rod PG 104 with 65# test braid, 4/0 wide gap hook and a 3/4oz drop weight. I usually punch with a senko type bait or a slim creature type bait. This one is not a finesse set up as you can see but it works well punching grass.

Just dead stick it for a few minutes and then recast? Or do you drag it a bit and then dead stick?

Dead stick, move it a little, dead stick, repeat, which works most of the time. Sometimes they want it faster so I will shake it on those days. I learned this one day when I was reeling it back to the boat after dead sticking it and a bass ate it on the move. That day I shook the bait and that is how they wanted it rather than dead sticking.

Thanks for the comments guys! I'm interested to know how many of you guys cast out your drop shot and work it back (at whatever speed) versus fishing it vertical.

Log story short...I'm an incredible novice fishing structure, in deeper water, relying mostly on my electronics. I know I need to get better with this - I'm tired of beating the bank. I feel like learning the drop shot could be a big step with this - though I know a drop shot is not exclusively and offshore technique.

I never fish vertically on a drop shot. Cast and bring in. Unless Ive graphed fish right under me. Only difference with me and some of the other comments is I never stop my bait. ITs always moving. I feel it gets way more bites that way.

If I feel like if a fish is there, I don’t move it. I wait on them. I might move it a few feet and dead stick it again.

I really started moving it less after watching the fish on Active Target. They will swim to it if they are feeding.

For drop shot of roboworms...I use 2 methods

When the fish are more active and agressive, I use the slide quiver technique. I cast out as far as I can, I slide (drag) the bait from 4 o-clock (rod pointed at water) to 1 o-clock, stop, reel down to 4 o-clock, quiver the bait ever so slightly, and repeat. Do this until the bait back to the boat.

When fish are very pressured or finicky, I do as stated above. Cast, let sit, let sit, let sit, for about 45-seconds - 1 minute, drag 4 o-clock (rod pointed at water) to 1 o-clock, repeat dead sticking.

These methods have caught me good ones and filled the livewell on many days.

Thank you both!

I hand pour these with a floating blend. They are 4.1 in and absolutely deadly on a drop shot. Pretty much all I use. I have them available to buy if interested DM me.

+1

Roboworms. FX sculpins if you can find them, if not 4-1/2" morning dawn or Aaron's Magic w/red flk. Good stuff!

Many nuances to the drop shot, but Roboworm is the only way to go. Power shotting with the 6" FAT worm or 7" straight tail is underutilized in Texas. Best colors and action around.

Neutrally buoyant baits have worked best for me. Not the super buoyant baits like Zman and not the salt laden heavier baits. Something in the middle, like the Excite, Mister Twister, Roboworm, and Netbait plastics.
As previously mentioned, just about anything can work, including a baby brush hog.

Same here. I use it as an alternative to a Texas rig shallow or dragging a C-rig, when I want the bait truly suspended off the bottom. I keep my line taught, drag, stop, drag, stop. If I feel a bump I wait to feel pressure and set the hook. For me it is one of the harder baits to land the fish (I think it is the small hook) and I find it extremely important to keep the fish pinned all the way to the boat.

my baits of choice are plum finesse worm and Roboworm in morning dawn, 99% of the time. One opinion I will add. If bite is tough go to the drop shot. If bite stays tough, my tendency is to fish the drop shot faster and faster thinking I am covering water. I've found, particularly if I'm on docks and specific structure, slow slow slow down and let current give the bait action. Faster is typically not better.

What's funny, I've found that sometimes dragging a C rig FAST gets more bites. Just never know what they want on any given day!

Are you going to use spinning tackle or a bait caster? Answers will vary depending on which you use. I use bait casters (Daiwa Tatula Elite and a Shimano ML70 SLX) with 12-15# test fluorocarbon.

Baitcasting setup for me:

Finesse =
Diawa Sol w/ 20 lb Diawa J-Braid to 8-10 lb Sunline Sniper leader

Power =
Diawa Tatula SV w/ 40 lb Diawa J-Brain to 14 lb Sunline Sniper leader

I wreck em with a custom craw I made but usually start with gambler We go. Sadly they dont seem to make the color i really liked anymore

I normally use a zoom finesse worm with the tail dipped, but a fluke works great too.

I won't spill all my secrets...but here are my go to:

Finesse = Roboworm Aaron Martens Magic Red / Black Flake
Power = Zoom Baby Brush Hog Green Pumpkin Red w. Tails dipped in JJ's Chartreuse

Tiny Flukes are good also

I did well last month at CB drop shotting a Mag Fluke on 50# braid with a 1/2 oz weight. The owner banned Carolina rigs so we had to improvise in the wind.

I punch grass with a drop shot using a 4/0 hook, 1/2-3/4 oz weight and 65# braid, either a creature type bait or Senko type bait.