Drop-Shot for trout

Post by **Chalk** » January 23rd, 2004, 11:29 am

As I suffered threw a couple of days with no Internet at home last week. I had to watch TV, so I watched a lot of OLN and OCN and whatever I could find related to fishing.

I used to chase bass a lot, before I graduated to trout and redfish

. I had heard a lot about drop shotting (sp?) never really understood the concept til CSMarine explained it to me and by watching several shows last week.

So, it got me think about drop shotting for Trout on the flats. I know we have discussed Carolina rigging before, but not this.

I think it would work, better than Carolina rigging in the grass beds. You would need to have it high enough to clear the grass.

Whatcha think?

dstockwell · Post by **dstockwell** » January 23rd, 2004, 11:41 am

First explain what drop shoting is.

Post by **Chalk** » January 23rd, 2004, 11:45 am

Basically you have a piece of weight at the end of your line and up the line towards the reel, a foot or more you tie your lure on. Fish it tight lined and it elevates the bait off the bottom....In a nutshell

Post by **Tom Keels** » January 23rd, 2004, 11:52 am

Where does the cajun thunder go?

dstockwell · Post by **dstockwell** » January 23rd, 2004, 11:56 am

Maybe, but what if you always drift. Not sure how that will react with the wait grabing and letting go as you drift.

Post by **Chalk** » January 23rd, 2004, 11:59 am

Where does the cajun thunder go?

On the bottom

Here you go DS....http://www.bassresource.com/features/drop-shot.html

Post by **dbplug** » January 23rd, 2004, 12:00 pm

Thats how I rig my sabiki and I once caught a HUGE trout that way.

Post by **Ken K** » January 23rd, 2004, 12:11 pm

I think it would work OK to fish some deep holes in the winter.

Post by **CSMarine** » January 23rd, 2004, 12:16 pm

The Drop-Shot method was first used By the Cal. Bass Pros for fishing deep clear rocky water. They used it up north a lot also for Walleye. One of the advantages is it is good for drifting on rocks. I use a split shot on the end. If it hangs on rocks, the split shot pulls off and you save having to retie. I've tried it briefly in the St. Marks. Didn't put much time into it. Don't work well with heavy weight in grass. You also have to make sure you tie your hook in a snell fashion or the fish don't hang well. Use it quite a bit in Georgia for Bass and Crappie.

dstockwell · Post by **dstockwell** » January 23rd, 2004, 12:26 pm

CSMarine wrote:Don't work well with heavy weight in grass.

Well that may rule it out alltogether for the flats. Would seem it would work anytime of the year depending on how much line between the weight and lure. At least a foot to the bottom of the grass.

Post by **CSMarine** » January 23rd, 2004, 1:48 pm

ds, the key word in my statement was "heavy" weight. A smaller weight works o:k in grass. You just have to put the hook above the grass. On the flats the grass gets pretty thick in close.

Littoral · Post by **Littoral** » January 23rd, 2004, 1:56 pm

Most interesting. If you used a leader on the lure you could slowly work a real light lure (fly) that way. In grass it would require a real small weight but the weight bouncing could trigger action as well.

Post by **CSMarine** » January 23rd, 2004, 2:06 pm

Your right Lit. That was another advantage the Bass fishermen found. You could use small "finesse" type lures. Especially plastic lures, and you could keep it in the strike zone longer.

Post by **Ken K** » January 23rd, 2004, 4:06 pm

Instead of a plain weight on the end of the line you could put a Texas rigged trick worm with a 1/8-1/4 oz. bullet weight pegged on. Put a tiny jerk bait or plastic shrimp body about 16" up the line.

Post by **CSMarine** » January 23rd, 2004, 4:42 pm

Ken, your saying use a regular Texas rigged worm, then put another smaller bait 16" above that bait?