Drop Shotting for Rainbows

[Sailor Joe]

Has anyone tried this and have feedback to share? In smallish riffle, runs, pools etc...

[MichaelAngelo]

I'd just bottom bounce with a split shot up the line.. but I don't see why drop shotting wouldn't work. One thing I see being different is the tension on the line would not cause the bait to move naturally in the current as it would loosely behind a split shot.

You may lose less tackle using drop shotting since you can use a breakaway line tied to the weight... but you can also do that for splitshots, just takes a bit more effort.

[Sailor Joe]

(03-18-2013 12:00 PM)MichaelAngelo Wrote:  I'd just bottom bounce with a split shot up the line.. but I don't see why drop shotting wouldn't work. One thing I see being different is the tension on the line would not cause the bait to move naturally in the current as it would loosely behind a split shot.

You may lose less tackle using drop shotting since you can use a breakaway line tied to the weight... but you can also do that for splitshots, just takes a bit more effort.

Yeah, I can see that being a disadvantage; ...bait not moving properly. But I wonder if the accuracy of DropShot more then makes up for it…. Will have to experiment and see.

[MuskieBait]

The difficulty with this is the fixed distance from bottom the bait is being presented.

On a regular day on the river, you could be fishing a few pools, runs and riffles. In different environment, fish are often holding at different depths. In a pool, fish could be holding 2-3 feet off bottom near a log jam or over a boulder. In a shallow riffle, you really only have 2-3 feet of water and fish are holding usually just inches from bottom. In a fast run, fish are usually tight to bottom as well, while in a slower run, fish could suspend a little higher up.

So during a day of fishing, moving from spot to spot, you would have to adjust your depth throughout the day...which means a lot of retying and re-rigging.

Also, what kind of bait/lure are you presenting to the fish? Unlike on Niagara, small river steelheads seldom chase after minnows (with exception of the crankbait bite...but I think cranks are effective more so due to the vibration triggering a strike). I've tried drop shot soft plastics before using a float rig...not getting hit at all. But I guess with a drop shot rig you could sight fish for steelhead and work a plastic in their face. It's okay as a presentation to imitate a minnow struggling to hold in the current...but if you were to fish worms and insect imitators with a stationary dropshot rig, it may look unnatural (drifting slower than the current). If you are in a deep slow pool though, it could be possible.

[Sailor Joe]

You could also space your hooks on your rig. 4 in total. Use a dropper loop for interchangeable hooks and spacing. Or just fish all 4 at once.

[MuskieBait]

(03-18-2013 05:35 PM)Sailor Joe Wrote:  You could also space your hooks on your rig. 4 in total. Use a dropper loop for interchangeable hooks and spacing. Or just fish all 4 at once.

As I often explain to Michael...More isn't always better.

Steelheads have a propensity to run to the nearest log jam or boulder to break you off.

Having 4 hooks on the line...you may hook up with a fish...but good luck trying to avoid the 3 other hooks from snagging in the log jam or on bottom...not to mention the free swinging shot line that could also get tangle up. Running too many hooks is just increasing your probability to snag something and having the fish break you off when your line is snagged during the fight.

Alternatively, if I were to do this...

Tie on your drop shot rig as usual with just one hook. On the end of the line where you would attach your drop shot, I would trim the line so that only 1" of line is left from the hook and then tie on a small swivel. Then you can attach a shot line via a perfection loop to the swivel...so you can change the shot line length as you desire when necessary. Essentially, you can have shot line of various length...from just 6" to 3'...and just change them on the go.

Not saying dropshot is not possible...if I were to do it, that's how I would do it.

[Freshwater]

(03-18-2013 05:49 PM)MuskieBait Wrote:  Tie on your drop shot rig as usual with just one hook. On the end of the line where you would attach your drop shot, I would trim the line so that only 1" of line is left from the hook and then tie on a small swivel. Then you can attach a shot line via a perfection loop to the swivel...so you can change the shot line length as you desire when necessary. Essentially, you can have shot line of various length...from just 6" to 3'...and just change them on the go.

Not saying dropshot is not possible...if I were to do it, that's how I would do it.

Maybe this type of hook can help you adjust the shot length on the fly? I don't know how much the tag end will interfere with the fishing though.

http://www.basspro.com/Gamakatsu-Swivel-...LL_PRODUCT

[MuskieBait]

(03-19-2013 02:23 PM)Freshwater Wrote:  

(03-18-2013 05:49 PM)MuskieBait Wrote:  Tie on your drop shot rig as usual with just one hook. On the end of the line where you would attach your drop shot, I would trim the line so that only 1" of line is left from the hook and then tie on a small swivel. Then you can attach a shot line via a perfection loop to the swivel...so you can change the shot line length as you desire when necessary. Essentially, you can have shot line of various length...from just 6" to 3'...and just change them on the go.

Not saying dropshot is not possible...if I were to do it, that's how I would do it.

Maybe this type of hook can help you adjust the shot length on the fly? I don't know how much the tag end will interfere with the fishing though.

http://www.basspro.com/Gamakatsu-Swivel-...LL_PRODUCT

Why buy a new type of hook and swivel and quick release "gadget" when you can just use a regular dropshot hook and a regular swivel to accomplish the same effect?

Don't buy into all this hype and marketing...new is not always better...it's just marketing to make you consume and spend money...otherwise, tackle company sales just stagnant and saturate.

And yes, if you have to change your shot length from 3' to 6", now you have 2.5' of tag end near the hook.

That's not to say you can't have different shot length of line to switch out...but then, back to my initial comment...if you are changing shot line anyways, why buy a new and more expensive "gadget" when you can accomplish the same with just a swivel and a perfection loop at the end of your shot line?

[Freshwater]

(03-19-2013 02:58 PM)MuskieBait Wrote:  Don't buy into all this hype and marketing...new is not always better...it's just marketing to make you consume and spend money...otherwise, tackle company sales just stagnant and saturate.

And yes, if you have to change your shot length from 3' to 6", now you have 2.5' of tag end near the hook.

That's not to say you can't have different shot length of line to switch out...but then, back to my initial comment...if you are changing shot line anyways, why buy a new and more expensive "gadget" when you can accomplish the same with just a swivel and a perfection loop at the end of your shot line?

Haha - that's excellent insight MuskieBait! That's another reason why I joined this forum. For the fishing wisdom. I have to admit that since I'm new, I've already been lured into buying this new gadget to build up my tackle box.

[mcfly]

I use drop shot rigs for trout regularly and catch plenty! Though I'm targeting smaller trout in the river systems using live bait. I have the hook about 6-8" from the sinker, and the river I fish is about 2-3' deep I believe on most days. This puts the bait close to the bottom and they just eat it up!