How to tie it
- Tie on the hook. Tie a size 1 to 2 drop shot hook to the end of your line with a palomar knot, leaving about a foot of tag on the knot. Tag length can change with the depth you want (VA). See how to tie the palomar.
- Tie the weight to the tag. Use either a palomar or an improved clinch knot (VA).
- Hook the bait through the nose. Place the hook through the nose of the soft plastic (VA).
Adjust the leader length to where the fish are positioned in the water column (VA).
Weight and hook sizes
| Virginia DWR | New York DEC | |
|---|---|---|
| Hook | size 1–2 drop shot hook | 2 to 1/0 octopus hook |
| Weight | 1/4 oz shallower, up to 3/4 oz in deep water or current | 1/8–1/2 oz |
| Bait | five-inch straight worm in green as a start | 4–6 in straight tail worm |
How to fish it
Virginia’s rule is shake, don’t drag: let the weight sit on the bottom while you gently shake the rod tip. New York’s version is to let the bait sit a few seconds after it hits bottom, shake the rod tip, move it a few feet and repeat. Watch your line, since drop shot bites can be very subtle, especially in deeper water (VA).
- Gear. Spinning gear with a sensitive rod and light line to detect subtle bites (VA). Virginia says anglers often target smallmouth and largemouth bass with 6 to 10 pound fluorocarbon, especially around submerged rock piles and brush in summer and fall.
- Bait choice. Soft plastic minnow or shad imitations work in larger lakes with good baitfish populations; creature baits and craw imitations work in rivers (VA). New York pairs the drop shot with deep, clear water.
- Winter. Oklahoma lists the drop shot among soft-plastic presentations for bass holding on deep structure.
Other soft plastic rigs on the same winter list are the Texas rig and the Carolina rig.
Sources
- Wacky rigs for bass fishing, New York State DEC
- Drop shotting in Virginia, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources
- Winter fishing tips, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation