| Have you ever wondered what the big deal is about | | | | You can drag your sinker though the weeds but the |
| using a drop shot rig? Is it that significant? Is it just | | | | hook is free of the weeds and in the strike zone. |
| another fad that people will talk about for awhile? | | | | The weed growth is twelve inches high you have an |
| You don't have to wonder any more. It is a great | | | | eighteen inch length from your sinker on the bottom |
| and effect way to fish for many fish not just Bass | | | | to you hook above. Your bait is approximately 6 |
| and it doesn't have to be complicated. It just | | | | inches above the weeds. You can always increase |
| depends on how far you want to take it. | | | | your dropper length to keep you bait above the |
| There are several pieces of tackle out there | | | | weed growth. I've found that it's better to have the |
| specifically made for drop shot rigs. They make | | | | bait to high than to low. Being above the fish is |
| special sinkers call drop shot weights .Their nothing | | | | always a good strategy whether Walleye fishing of |
| more than a little round ball of lead with a place to tie | | | | going after pan fish. |
| to. They make special hooks made to stand out | | | | When fishing deep points and Islands this really shines |
| from your line to keep you soft plastic perpendicular | | | | as well. You can add an ounce of weight or more if |
| to you line which in essences keeps the bait off our | | | | needed to effectively feel bottom. You want to be |
| line. One thing I've found is neither is necessary. As a | | | | able follow subtle to major depth changes with little |
| matter of fact the special hooks that stick out from | | | | to no slack in the line. You want to be able to stop |
| your line tend to catch weeds more often. | | | | your bait with a tight line at any time and just twitch |
| Rigging a drop shot rig for Bass can be as easy as | | | | it. You're able to add weight as needed and because |
| tying in a number two hook for soft plastics and | | | | it's below the actual bait. The fish won't feel the |
| leaving a tag end of about eighteen inches. It's been | | | | extra weight and it doesn't effect the action a soft |
| suggested that using a Palomar knot is needed. I | | | | plastic has by it self in the water. You can effectively |
| have found just about any good knot will work. I | | | | twitch your rod tip shaking the bait in place the same |
| happen to like the improved clinch not myself. It's | | | | with a ½ ounce sinker as you can a 1 ounce. |
| best to use a hook that doesn't have a turned in eye | | | | Not only does it work well with being able to stay in |
| like a common bait holder hook. The point of the | | | | touch with the bottom. It works well to keep your |
| hook tends to turn back into your main line. Using a | | | | bait from being caught by the bottom or visual |
| hook with a straight eye or a turned out eye works | | | | covered by subtle structure such as wood or rock. |
| best. The nice thing about it is that just about | | | | When around wood and rock it works best to lift |
| everyone already has a hook in their box that will | | | | your weight up and set it down instead of dragging it |
| work. | | | | on the bottom as you try to cover an area. The |
| Now what to do with that eighteen inch tag line. Well | | | | lifting action prevents your bait from being caught by |
| that's where the fancy drop shot weights would | | | | edges of structure and essentially snagged. By lifting |
| come in. Again they definitely aren't needed, as a | | | | it and setting it down you tend to pick it up form |
| matter of fact. One of my favorite things to use is | | | | one piece of structure only to set it on top of |
| split shot number four or larger preferably round split | | | | another . |
| shot not the type you can re-open. You can use | | | | The basic concept works so well in so many |
| either but the round shot is less likely to get hung up | | | | situations. I have used a similar technique targeting |
| on bottom weed growth. If it does catch weeds | | | | Steelhead on the Muskegon River. Contrary to |
| with a subtle snap of the rod the weeds tend to | | | | common belief when the Steelhead are in the holes |
| come off. This allows you to keep your line in the | | | | especially before they spawn .The fish aren't to line |
| water more instead of having to reel in to take the | | | | shy and will commit to a strike from some distance. |
| weeds off. It's nice when you need to add weight. | | | | In this situation the fish aren't affected by tying the |
| Rather than having to buy more than one size weight | | | | hook to the main line without a leader. When fishing |
| all you need to do is add another split shot. Now you | | | | bright colored spawn bags and or bright yarn balls. |
| have a rig with a sinker on the bottom and a hook | | | | The fish will hit this with no hesitation. I use this |
| eighteen inches up. | | | | method specifically in the fall. When the leaves are |
| I've found the presentation shines in so many ways. | | | | falling they tend to settle and almost create a |
| Fishing in Muskegon Lake for Bass the deep weed | | | | blanket on the bottom of the holes. |
| edges and deep points or sunken islands can be very | | | | This is right when the Steelhead fishing in the |
| productive. I usually use a Fry Assassin made by Bass | | | | Muskegon River is getting good. When you cast a |
| assassin lures simply hooked at one end. For the | | | | typical rig consisting of a 24 inch leader and trying to |
| most part the hook just sticks through to the other | | | | bounce the bottom you will spend more time cleaning |
| side of the plastic so it's almost weed less. I like | | | | leaves off your hook than anything else. When your |
| these because they hold up well and can be used | | | | hook is tied inline and it's above your weight. Even if |
| effectively for skipping docks because of their | | | | your weight catches leaves more often than not |
| weight. Saves on having to inventory two separate | | | | your bait stays off the bottom and clean of junk. |
| baits for two separate applications. | | | | If you haven't already tried to utilize Drop Shot rigs I |
| Any 4 to 6 inch plastic worm will work. On Muskegon | | | | suggest you keep these techniques in mind as you |
| Lake watermelon is always a good color when you're | | | | can tie up an effective rig with hooks and sinkers |
| targeting the area outside the main weed line. Where | | | | that most fisherman already have as part of their |
| you have patchy weed grows about 12 inches high. | | | | collection. |