Last year I had the privilege of traveling to Alabama to fish the Tennessee river. It was the dog days of summer so the temps were high but so was the action, all because of the Drop Shot Rig. We found the Bass schooled up around 30ft off inlet points and I didn’t change up the entire trip.
When I came back to my home in North Carolina I had to find out if this was a fluke or not, but it was the real deal. I didn’t have access to a boat or a fish finder like I did in Alabama, only my Kayak and I was still getting strikes.
What is a Drop Shot Rig?
This is a finesse technique. The hook is tied to a line with a trailing leader that ends with a weight. The most proven way to fish this technique is to simply drag it slowly on the bottom. You can also twitch during your retrieve or fish it vertically for suspended bass.
Drop Shot Hooks
No surprise here, you’re going to need a Drop Shot hook. I recommend 1-1/0 size Gamakatsu Hooks.
Drop Shot Weights
They key here is to use the lightest weight possible. If you’re faced with thick vegetation use a skinny cylinder-shaped weight.
When dragging through rocks the teardrop shape will help prevent hang ups.
Best Baits
When it comes to baits, my favorite is a 6″ straight tail in Morning Dawn. You can do a simple nose hook with these or you can fish it wacky style.
Of course, you can never go wrong with a Yamamoto Senko worm. I recommend the four-inch Green Pumpkin Black Flake.
Final Thoughts
Whether it’s Smallmouth or Largemouth, this is a deadly technique that will help you get more bites. I hope you decide to try and tie on this amazing rig.