Dropshot success!

[Spoonminnow]

This last spring I decided to dropshot for panfish and was pleasantly surprised to catch many sunfish in one area. The strike was typical of any dropshot hit - a load on the rod and then the fish hooks itself.

It's mid fall and I decided I must do some shallow water fall dropshotting until fish school in open water. Being the water temperature was 55, I knew that any lure placed in front of a crappie's nose would be hammered.
The lake was like glass most of the day and fish were inactive on the flats and in dying pads. Normally I'm guaranteed fish if I work the edges or vertical jig in the pockets. Instead, I tied an Octopus hook 16" up from the sinker and nose hooked my hand poured minnow.

The nice thing about any vertical presentation is the time you have to entice a strike in one small area vs. casting horizontally and hoping a fish will chase or reflex strike your lure. All I did was pendulum the rig into indentation or pockets, let the sinker hit bottom (usually in 4-5'), quiver the rod tip a few times, hop the sinker a few times and then wait for the strike. The hits were dramatic and fast and the hook ups easy. I had no problem pulling fish out of cover using 6# test XL. At first the action was slow when I tied the hook only 8" up. When I raised it to 1 1/2', the action was fantastic for crappie, big white perch, yellow perch, sunfish and small bass.

Late in the day I saw small pad cluster in open water an thought I'd give them a try. The depth was 6' and at first I ran a jig and minnow down to see what was around. Incredibly the same species were in open water near those pads so I pulled out the d/s. More great action! But this time I cast beyond a pad cluster and worked the lure slowly towards me hopping, dragging and pausing. Fish of all size took the lure and I didn't lose one off the hook.

The only problem I had using the d/s were the tangles between hook and sinker as the flopping fish made the sinker and line jump an twist. I think I've figured out a way to prevent it and I'll get back to you if it works.

[6poundtest]

Great report and many thanks for another tidbit of information to tuck away in the back of my mind!

[genec]

what size weight did you use?

[skiptomylu]

I like the drop shot too! Have a lot of the drop shot weights and actually like the onesie for that!

Good report!

[Spoonminnow]

what size weight did you use?


I cut the hook off old 1/8 oz ballhead jigs I won't use anymore (especially if the hook is brass). The way I found prevents line tangles from a flopping fish is to add 6" of 20 # test fluorocarbon line to the drop line up from the sinker, still keeping it at 1 1/2'. The line stiffness prevents the sinker from doing its dance.

[DroptineJoe]

Great info! I might give it a try myself!!

[Cmj]

Hey Senko, dont be ashamed of them panfish. Most of us Crappie fishermen like Bass too and vice verse!


(C.J.)

[Spoonminnow]

You'd be surprised how many diehard bass anglers turn their noses up at panfishermen, especially in NY!
But one thing I've learned is that many small lures, especially soft plastics, are universal for most species and you never know what will hit. For instance, I became good using plastic worms when I got into a mess of rock bass in a river. From that point on I knew it was a lure I could catch bass on. Small lures do catch the largest and smallest fish of any species and sometimes I'd rather get numbers than go without a bite for hours.

[Cmj]

I fished for bass exclusively for many years, mostly with my father-n-law. I was introduced to Crappie fishing a couple years ago and i fell in love with it! Hardly ever bass fish anymore, but i still enjoy it from time to time. Unfortunanely my father n law is the type that thumbs his nose at Crappie fishing, so i understand what you mean there. And you are right, small lures catch just about everything. Sometimes i catch more bass than crappie while jigging stumps and Cypress trees here in Ar.


(C.J.)

[Tony from Oak Point]

Great post. I need to try this more! I've experimented once with a 1/8 oz jig and a 4" worm and a nose hooked tube above it (yes I was going for bass and crappie at the same time fooling around LOL).. I caught a crappie on the worm and then lost the rig LOL.

Using two jigs has a huge disadvantage in that it is tougher to feel the bottom, or to judge if a fish is lifting the bottom lure. I'm going to try a more traditional drop shot rig and see how it goes.