When you are using flies on your drop shot do you tie the fly to the main line, or have a dropper line off the main line. If a dropper line how long is that line generally?
I am an ex fly fisherman and haven't done so for about 18 years or so. I fished for smallmouth with a fly rod for 4 years and loved it. I just got tired of fighting the wind and tying knots all day! As the kids got older it was just easier to switch back to spinning gear. I just got the bug to buy a cheap fly rod for fishing with poppers and spiders. I have done poppers behind a casting bubble and had some success.
For rods I have longer 6'6" to 7' for my dropshot rigs. I also use an Outlaw 11' rod to reach into shore line brush and dropshot vertical.
gillchaser999, Flyfisher66048 LIKED above post
When you are using flies on your drop shot do you tie the fly to the main line, or have a dropper line off the main line. If a dropper line how long is that line generally?
I use a palamar knot to tie to the main line with hook point facing up. After tying the palamar, run the tag end through the top of the hook and then attach your weight. This helps keep the fly perpendicular to the main line. I don't use droppers because the walleye bite them off! The small panfish flies catch walleye and bass just as well as they do panfish!
I know a lot of guys like to use a really light dropshot weights. I prefer a heavier weight and usually use 1/4 to 3/8 ounce weights. I cast my dropshot rigs and work them back slowly with twitches and pauses, or slowly drag it and pause. The heavier weights help keep slack out of line when doing this. I typically cast this in front of and parallel to deep weed edges and work it back to the boat. This technique is deadly and will catch just about anything hanging out around the weeds. My normal approach is to pull right up to weed edge and anchor/spot lock 2-5 feet in front of the weed edge. Cast out about at a 30 degree angle from the weed edge and work slowly work the dropshot back to the boat. Next cast is less than 30 degrees. I keep doing this to probe the weed edge until I am right in front of the weed edge. I usually accomplish this in 4-5 cast. You catch all kinds of fish out in front of the weed edge while working your way in to being right in front of the weed edge. The cast right at the edge of the weed edge will bring any fish in the weeds out. I do this off both sides of the boat and then move. This way I cover ground quickly until I find the hotspot!
gillchaser999 LIKED above postFlyfisher66048 thanked you for this post
Makes sense Peshtogost.
You never know what your going to catch on weed edge.
peshtigost LIKED above post
I use a double loop knot with jighead about 1”-1 1/2” from main line .
1/16 oz is about the heaviest I use in weights . But I’m using 2-3# test line .
Sometimes I’ll go to 4# test .
“ The bigger the Bend , the Wider the Grin ! “peshtigost LIKED above post