The impact of Dropshotting

[Savage]

Well guys, with the rules changing this year, how much of an impact will drop shotting have on tournaments this year?  I would suspect that a few guys will be using it right away, with the popularity growing quickly each year.  Not sure if it will ever dominate in Michigan where everyone throw tubes, tubes, and more tubes.  I personally think it works well in the mid summer on natural lakes.  I've done well with the old "modified" dropshot, using a tube on the bottom.

What kind of lures has eveyone tried on the business end?  I like the Mann's Draggin finese worms myself.  Roboworms have produced for me, too.

How about equipement?  I'm using a St. Croix 6'-9" med-light with an extra fast tip.  It does the job well, and it's powerfull enough that I use it as a grub rod to nail spawning smallies in the spring. 6 lb line, #2 dropshot hooks round out the deal.  The reel doesn't matter in my opinion.

What's everyone else doing?

[Dan]

Well, I'm one of those slow to move kind of guys and to be honest I have never tried drop shotting. Have carolina rigged with jigs as weight and drug a zipper and that has been effective. I know both of the baits in that scenario are on the bottom and the highlight of drop shotting is positioning the bait off the bottom. I am definitely going to be giving the technique a workout this year. What time of year do you feel it's most effective. Ever try a hair jig on a slip bobber for suspended fish?

[MBell]

Don't think much will change, a lot of guys already have it worked into their rotation.  Now they can just start using it in tournaments.  I've been drop shotting for about 4 years now, use it mostly for vertical presentations on a 6' rod.  Use roboworms and some homemade goby baits. 
-Matt

[smbassman]

My view;

On smallies - there will be little difference between the tubes, C-rig as more and more start using the technique.  I think its success on the great lakes is due the the different look it gave to the fish.  Tournament days where 4-5+ boats are fishing one small reef and the fish are there watching tube after tube after tube, then one guy throws this bait that hoovers and shakes like nothing they have seen and BAM!  If half off those boats start using the D-shot then the fishes reaction will end up just like the tubes.

On Largies - I think fewer people will see the benefit and this will be less popular, especially with the fisherman that don't fish slow.  There are a large percentage of people that won't even fish a jig or plastic worm because it is too slow and if they do fish a D-shot, they fish it too fast with too much action.  This is a case of "what they don't know will hurt them" when it comes to weigh-in time.  I can't say, I have caught BIG fish on this but it is a great numbers technique.

[Savage]

Maybe it's just because I am looking at them more now, but there seemed to be a ton of dropshot baits at the show in Novi.  I'm guessing that plenty of DS baits will be sold over the next few months as guys build their arsenal up a bit.  Now that it is tournament legal, I would assume guys will use it on the tough days.  I know that I will, to compliment my other trusty go-to "tough day" bait!

Looks like there are a good selection from Poor Boys, and I use Roboworm as well.  Roboworm is harder to find in Michigan.  There are plenty of Goby imitators designed for DS, I bought some from Schubert's, and liked the look of the new Case Goby.

[Cheetam]

Mikes Rx Baits had a pretty good selection of Roboworms at the Novi show yesterday.  Plenty of the 4" special FX worms in a decent selection of colors.  If you haven't checked them out, you should...

[Savage]

Yep, I saw tyhe Roboworms there.  I have several of them already stocked up.  My favortie is called summer shad, I think.

[Revtro]

I've had some success with small paddle tail worms.  Usually 3 inch.  I haven't fished it much unless I was in Canada, so this year I hope to learn more about it.

[dhuff]

I know alot of guys that were already using it, even in tournaments.  I know tournament directors taht said you can use it but at your own risk to the DNR.  So I really don't think that the new law is going to change much.  The guys that are going to use them are the ones that were, sure you are going to see a few new guys using them in tournaments but I don't think they will have enough success at the starting level with them to really win or change alot of tournaments.

[Savage]

Too many guys are still wary of this technique for some reason, maybe too complicated to rig?   I think an angler who can get a reasonable ammount of experience and confidence will dropshotting will be ahead of the curve on those tough days when other techniques don't seem to work.

Someone pointed out to us the other day at the fishing show that the bass seem to prefer a goby suspended up off bottom over one dragging in the rocks.  I suspect that if I had to choose between diving head first on zebra muscle encrusted rocks, or simply picking one out of the water column, I would choose suspended bait, too.

Something to consider, that's for sure.  I will have a DS rig on the deck every day after the spawn ends, and might even use it to nail a stubborn bedder or two.

[djkimmel]

I've played with them a little on bedding fish - the initial results were lackluster.

I will admit I'm behind the curve only because I didn't want to get too hooked on something I couldn't use unless I ran into Canadian water.

I had some interesting results in seeing fish on camera that where piled on one little rock pile and totally ignored my tubes after the first two dumb fish bit immediately.

These were BIG Erie bass. I rigged up a drop-shot Pulse worm. 3 nice bass in about 5 quick drops. And they whacked it good and hard. But I'm way behind. Looks like I have some catching up to do.

[Savage]

It's gonna be tough to win on Erie without dropshotting......