Dropshot Weight Theory (which direction does the thud go???)

[Rich_Thiel]

Here is a Question and poll in Dropshot weight for you avid dropshot ethusiast.

The Question that I have is this> Which direction does the initial strike in obsorbtion go in dealing with two weights, 1/4 and 3/8's.

For years I've always used 1/4oz weights fishing from 5ft to 40ft, just waiting longer at deeper depths to hit the bottom. With the 1/4oz I always felt the intial hit and never thought to much about it other than I got hit and thus set the hook.

This past Wednesday in the afternoon with two clients we were dropshotting a point that had quality Spots on it. I positioned the boat so they could cast any direction they chose too. Me I fished from 25ft to 50ft and was using 3/8oz wt. What I noticed was that I didn't feel in the initial strike other than hmmm I think I got hit just felt weight. Sure enough I did and reeled in the fish, in some the clients did.

Question here is> By going to a heavier wt 3/8s does the lead obsorb the strike more compared to a lesser wt at 1/4 or less ?

Equipment used was a Lamiglass 7ft dropshot rod with Seaguar 8lb flourcarbon on a Shimano spinn'in reel.

Your comment will be interesting to hear.

Rich Thiel

[Gator]

If I feel the need to go to a heavier weight.....it seems to be "Hmm.....I have pressure.....better reel" instead of "I just got bit"....

Now this goes out the window when I am bubba-shotting. I usually feel the hits on that....bigger bait - bigger weight.

[BShafer]

I use the heavier weights and most of the time it is a pressure bite.

[ttb31183]

I think that the style of the weight changes the feel of the bite as well as the bottom. I started out using the round and teardrop shaped weights, but now only use the Mojo cylinder weights. I use 1/4oz 90% of the time, and only use 3/8oz when it is really windy. I have found that the cylinder weights are easier to detect that soft bite, but still there are times when it just feels strange, no real bite feeling. Drop shot fish are weird, they don't bite it aggressively alot of the time so its more important for me to feel the bottom so I know when it feels different. Then its on!

[Bill K]

90% of the time it is a pressure bite to me, the rest the slight tic
or hit. I also like 1/4 oz most of the time, but in very shallow water will use 1/8th. Bill K

[SKTR 20i]

I use 1/8 oz. 90% of the time unless I am fishing deeper then 30 ft, then I go to 3/16 oz. Very seldom do I use 1/4 oz. unless it is really windy and deep. Even with 1/8 oz. I usually only feel pressure or a slight "tic". I use 10 lb mono or 8 lb fluorocarbon.

John.

[Dewayne]

Personally I have never worried much about feeling the initial strike. Pressure and reeling tends to allow me to hook for fish that a bite I feel and want to set too fast. For weights I use 1/8, 3/16, 1/4, and on rare occasions 3/8. I use the lightest weight I can unless I am fishing for fish on bottom and really deep. I want the bait to fall slow enough to possibly catch suspended fish or allow them to take interest and follow it down.

While the weight is part of the equasion for feeling the bite the line can be a bigger factor when fishing deep. Most lines that work really well on spinning gear are soft lines that have a lot of stretch. Due to their stretch and limpness they do not transmit strikes well over long distances. For me I find a very light 4# or 6# florocarbon are better when fishing deep. I have tried braid with a floro leader, but the line twist becomes a big problem.

[Triton Mike]

Ditto Dwayne's comments. I use the lightest I can get away with. However when I am bed fishing I'll use a 1/2 oz to get that weight to stay put but I rarely go over 3/8oz. I know one thing I can't stand those long cylindrical weights. They don't stay on the bottom well because the weight is distributed throughout the lenght of the weight causing it to come off the botton and attracting attention to it which causes sinker bites for me. I do like the http://www.quickdrops.com weights because the majority of the weight is at the base causing the sinker to stay put when I am shimmying it. Also it is just as weedless as the cylindrical type sinkers. If it does hang up it is easy to get it unhung due to the tear drop shape coming to a point where the swivel is.

You won't catch me dead dropshotting without flurocarbon line. That alone is the most important fundamental of dropshot fishing.

T Mike

[Gator]

I currently use Yo-Zuri hybrid line in 4 or 6 lb. Seems to work pretty well, but since I am completely flouro now (except for the frog rod) I am gonna switch that over as well.

On a side note, how many people use a swivel above the rig to reduce/eliminate line twist? I do and it works wonders.

[Flipper]

I have been trying something a little different lately with my rigging.

I am running 20# braid to a ball bearing swivel, and then tying off 6# or 8# florucarbon as my leader (2'-4') to a 1/4 oz Mojo (3/8 oz on windy days).

The sensitivity I get from the braid is incredible, every little tick is felt.

By the way, if your not using a Loomis Drop Shot Rod, you need to try one.

[Marc]

I started off using the 1/8 the most, then the 1/16th ounce a lot, then 3/8 and 1/2 ounce sizes. Now I just make sure I have all six sizes between 1/16 and 1/2 ounce, and by far the teardrop shape works the best in all conditions.

One of the many reasons that I prefer the teardrop is because you can feel the bottom better than other shapes. What many don't realize is that you have to think in reverse of how you think when fishing a traditional rig with the weight between you and your lure.

When dropshotting you typically feel the bottom until you get a bite, and when you no longer feel the bottom it is probably because a bass is swimming off with your bait and your weight is no longer on the bottom.

The other thing that many do not realize is that even with heavy dropshot weights bass don't seem to spit the lure when swimming away. Maybe they think the pull of the weight is the bait trying to escape, and they hold on harder giving you time to set the hook.

ciao,
Marc

[TTaylor]

I use both the 1/4 and 3/8oz drop shot weights. I like to feel the weight on the bottom. Most of my bites are pressure bites. As for line, when I use flouro, I use a small swivel to help eliminate the line twist. Without the swivel, the line twist is to much.

Troyce

[Cooch]

using a 6'9", 11 guide baitcaster, 16# Sugoi Fluorocarbon and either a 5/16 or 3/8oz Mojo dropshot weight. Typically, when using this technique, I'm fishing the grass beds on either ClearLake or the Delta. When using this combonation and set up, I feel and detect almost every single bite, no matter what weight I'm using. The sensativity of the 16# Sugoi on this particular rod, is extreme. On many occassions, especially those when I don't actually feel the strike, I see that line jump or twitch. One of the beauties of Fluoro with it being a stiffer and denser line.

From my expereince, the level to which we detect strikes, is dependant upon which of the species of bass yer targeting. Spots and smallies, will typically strike a dropshot rig, with far less aggression than a largemouth. My guess is many of those who have posted in this thread, are primarily targeting spots and smallies with their drop shots, hence the overature we hear of the "mush" bite. I just spent this past weekend dropshotting on LOP in Auburn, those northerns up there were just hammering that 5 3/4" 157 Kut tail. The two pressure bites I got all day, were both 15" smallies! I started out using the heavier Mojo weights, but then lost the three that I had and had to revert to a much smaller weight because it was all I had. It made no difference in detecting the bite when these fish bit, versus which weight I had on.

Scienticifcally, one might assume that the force generated from a strike, much like current and electricity, would take the path of least resistance. Hence, that force would be absorbed by the weight, since it is only 2-24" away from the hook, versus your rod which may be 6-60' feet away. This is the beautiy of FLuoro in it's capability to telepath the strike to the rod. Much like the newer high tech CAT5, sheilded, electronic cabling we have today, it better funnels that force through the line, even over longer distances. No matter how much of that strike force is absorbed by the weight.

The force to which a fish strikes our bait, does not change just because we go up or down in weight. If a bass hits the bait at .04Gs, that force is telepathed in both directions. When it goes one direction, it dead ends at yer weight, what force travels the other way, goes to you rod and eventually the nerve endings in your hand. What you feel in your hands, is all paramont to the detection tools you are using between you and the fish, not the fish and your weight.

So, in answering your first question, the initial strike force(or obsorbtion as you refered) goes both ways, no matter what weight your using. As for your 2nd question, who cares what level of obsortion your weight receives, when it really doesn't matter because what is important, is what's between you and the fish! As for your Poll, I selected 3/8, only because ya didn't mention 5/16!

[mac (Doyle McEwen)]

Tried a drop shot rig, and I really don't know if I ever will..No doubt I am missing a great technique for catching additional bass, so I guess I will have to try it..This question and the replies as varied as they are has provided a primer for the technique..My big question is now, when would you decide to go to a drop shot rig over all of the other techniques and baits available..

mac

[lawrencelee]

Hey Rich;

Aren't you at work ? Your boss is way to easy, taking your run to LA, while you go fishing in the Delta and Berryessa last Wed & Thurs.

Lawrence

[Tm Customs]

The trick w/ a drop shot IMO is a real soft tip or else you loose alot of fish I used to fish drop shots all the time! A loomis crankbait rod is a good choice if your looking for a heavier rod than light I will usally throw a 1/4 on spinning and 3/8 on casting grear.

[Triton Mike]

I think you posed a good question about when should you go to a dropshot vs other techniques. The dropshot shines for me because I can keep the bait in a brushpile for as long as I like and still impart action to the bait. It also allows me to use super small baits like a 3.5 inch Cut Tail that would pretty much be "almost" impossible to use with any other tactic. So when would I chose a dropshot. When things get super tough for pressured fish and you have clear water and you feel you need light line and a super small bait to get bit. I will be honest when I first saw the dropshot I thought to myself why would anyone want to throw that piece of junk rig. After using it I now know why and it is by far my favorite way to sissy fish ~ Learn to use it and you'll understand it's strenghts. I gave the inside Line a pretty decent dropshot article that explains the strenghts of the dropshot in fairly good detail. I don't wanna spoil that for ya so be on the look out

T Mike

[Waterdog]

Rich , personally I have two set-ups for fishing the drop shot. One for the delta and the other for the lakes.

The Delta drop shot, or as I like to say, the Flip-Shot set-up, is 30lb. Power Pro and 12-20lb. P-Line CXX. Depending on the current flow I may use up to 5/8 oz. weight, but can usually get by with...the lightest weight I can without losing the bottom(whatever size that may be).

Now for the lakes, I go with 10lb. Power Pro and 6-10lb. P-Line CXX. I find that this combination gives me the best of what I'm looking for, sensitivity and strength. Again here depending on the current, mainly wind caused, I will use the lightest weight I can get away with and still maintane contact with the bottom. Most of the time, it will be a 1/8 or 3/16oz weight.

As far as which way the 'feel' of the bite goes...I haven't got a clue and have never really thought about it.

My .02

Jim

[Rich_Thiel]

By all of your replies to wether the lead in heavier wt 3/8 or better absorbs the initial strike. I came to a conclusion also is the amount of line is out.

Cooch, I THINK hit it dead on when he mentioned TRAVEL. What Im think here is Quality in Line maybe a factor here. Im not going to go into what brand is better than another. But there is diffenently a difference between using Mono Vs Floracarbon line.

Dewayne is correct when he mentioned he only use's 1/4oz in all depths because of suspended fish. I too have caught quite a few fish in the suspended mode.

Someone mentioned soft tip rod. I found it to be very much TRUE. Being I guide, I have to have sometimes as many has 3 rods including myself setup and I did notice a slight difference in action of the bait and the feel of the strike. Setting of the hook with a stiffer rod I would recommend a sweep.

Lawrence Lee (Smilee) LOL Buddy,, Rules or Rules, I just keep him honiest LOL!!!! Wednsday Guiding. LA/Friday.

Anymore comments to this poll or thread ARE MORE THAN WELCOME. I imagine a lot of folks have learned from this thread or advanced in their approach with dropshott'in. I myself figured out where that thud goes and how far a normal strike will travel up a line. HOOKSets or Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee....at 40ft LOL..

Thank you all again

Rich Thiel

[Marc]

Rich,

When I'm fishing for suspended fish, as well as active fish on the bottom, I use a deadly technique that I call "DropSwimming", so called because you are constantly moving the bait horizontally, or swimming it on a dropshot rig.

I wrote an article about DropSwimming, which I will forward to sTony for the library.

ciao,
Marc

[rickey]

In my experiance i have always thought lighter is better ! i never go to a havey wieght unless its windy but even then i will go as light as i can . most bass that hit are finiky anyways so to fell a heavy hit is not very common ! i have never had a hard hit on a drop shot. could just be me though