Power Drop Rig - by Brad Wiegmann

On your mark, get set, go! Now stop! In the evolution of crappie fishing anglers are finding that stopping, positioning the boat and dropping a lure needs to be done quickly. Once stopped an angler can cast to the standing timber, stump, brush pile or roaming crappie, however, sometimes a crappie just won’t bite unless you put the lure in its face and leave it, but it has to be done quickly with a power drop rig.




Recently, I was in the boat with 2 crappie pros that had their own version of a power drop rig. The first was the legendary Blue Bank Resort head guide and B’n’M Poles pro Billy Blakley out on Reelfoot Lake in Tennessee. Blakley’s power drop rig setup was a tungsten weight then a plastic bead with 2 bobber stops to keep the tungsten weight in place and prevent it from sliding down his line towards the jighead. The fishing line from his reel to the jighead was braid.



When fishing the power drop rig, Blakley would quickly and skillfully navigate his boat through the stumps on Reelfoot Lake searching for crappie. Once he saw one he would pitch or drop his lure down to the crappie using a long 14-foot B’n’M Poles Diamond Series Pole with its stiff backbone, but sensitive tip to reach out and set the hook. Depending on how aggressive the crappie was Blakley would often get an aggressive quick bite, but would hold the rig in place until the crappie would bite at times.


Blakley’s power drop rig setup with braid fishing line and bobber stops allow him to quickly adjust the distance from the tungsten weight to the jighead while the bead adds protection for the bobber stops. The number of bobber stops used depends on the size of the tungsten weight used. To change the tungsten weight size an angler can cut off the jig head and slide off the bobber stops and change the tungsten weight then slide on a couple bobber stops up the line and retie on a jighead.





The second crappie pro was Brett Luther. His power drop rig consisted of a bobber stop than a tungsten weight than another bobber stop. Unlike Blakely, Luther uses either braid or fluorocarbon fishing line from his reel to this jighead. “I really like using fluorocarbon fishing line because I don’t think that it’s as noisy under the water and the crappie can hear it,” Luther went on, “I think you get more bites when the crappie are finicky with fluorocarbon fishing line.” The two bobber stops on each side of the tungsten weight kept it in place. By using bobber stops to adjust the distance from the tungsten weight to the lure this is typically 6-inches. Luther is able to change lures quickly and get back to fishing if he breaks off with braid or fluorocarbon line. Similar to Blakely, Luther would navigate his boat around searching for crappie before casting or dropping.


As for what size tungsten weight Luther uses it depends on the depth he is fishing. “I normally use 3/8-ounce, but may go up to 3/4-ounce in windy conditions like I have experienced on reservoirs like Ross Barnett Reservoir,” said Luther.


Anglers wanting a hybrid of Blakley’s and Luther’s rigs can use one that PICO Lures Owner Mitch Glenn recommended utilizing PICO Lures Vanguard Tackle terminal tackle and braid line to make this power drop rig. Forceflex 12-pound braided line from the rod with an egg weight slipped in between the rod tip and barrel swivel with a short 5- or 6-inch leader 8 pound test of Forceflex Mono fishing line with a 1/8-, 1/16, or 1/32-ounce PICO Eye Scope jighead tied to it. “You can use a 3/8- to 3/4-ounce egg weight,” Glenn continued, “It just depends on how windy it is and how deep you are fishing. The best part about this rig is if you get hung up you can use the egg sinker like a plug knocker and get your jighead unhung.”