Drop Shot rig

[fpomilia]

New to bass fishing after 50+ years in the salt water. While fishing and continuing to research the Drop Shot Rig I notice that some pros use a worm hook and some the drop shot hook. Both have a diffrent look and action. Any ideas?

[markguyver]

welcome to the maddness, i use the worm hook to basically make it weed less, drop shot hook in more open water. bait size makes a difference as well. mark

[elfish16]

i used to strictly fish an Owner Riggin hook for my drop shot needs and it works very very well. But after playing around with the Gamakatsu drop shot hooks and nose hooking in deeper water and away from heavy cover, I've fallen in love with it. Using light line that drop shot hook(nose hooked baits) is buried in the fishes mouth.

But again if I am fishing heavier cover in the flooded lakes like they are now, I have gone back to the riggin hooks to keep from hangin up.

Drop shotting is DEADLY! Caught my biggest bass drop shotting a 4" green weenie worm of 8lb string! 15.25lbs! Don't think its only a limit catcher, but its a big fish catcher too!

welcome aboard

[acm95301]

I variety of hooks can be used to create a drop shot rig to gain certain advantages like a weedless presentation or to match a certain bait.

An offset hook or EWG might be used to texas rig a bait, while still being used as a dropshot for heavy cover.

a standard drop shot hook like a gamagatsu size 1 is a good choice for nose hooking a bait, but sometimes a wide gap finesse hook is better for wacky rigged baits, especially if they are thicker like a senko or kuttail.

Another option is a size 1 light wire round bend hook, some claim higher hook up percentages.

[ash]

I have two different styles of hook that I prefer for dropshotting - for open water dropshot - IE rocks, structure little grass - like our reservoirs have I use the Owner Mesiquto hook in sizes 4 and six (i like the red hooks) with this I nose hook the bait or will wacky rig by skin hooking believe it or not this is a fairly weedless presentation the way I nose hook is that the worm head extends just ever so slightly past the tip of the hook as long as the worm swings freely without touching the hook shank im good to go- my preference for dropshotting is the Robo worms in 6".



For areas that have heavy vegetation or sticks where an open hook is not conducive I prefer the Owner Rig N Hook http://www.outdoorproshop.com/v/vspfile ... RigN-2.jpg – size varies on the plastics that im dropshotting but typically its the size 1, 1/0 or 2/0

I know that there are dropshot or downshot hooks available on the market, however I have not been very happy with them.

Regards,

Ash

[Oldschool]

Both Owner and Gamakatsu make good drop shot hooks;
Owner; 5177 Mosqito, 5172 Weedless, 5133 Down shot.
Gamakatsu; Wicked Wacky, Wide Gap Finesse and Drop shot.
I use all of the above; like the 5133 size 1/0 for weedless skin hooking in light cover and Drop shot size 1 & 4 nose hook in rocky open water areas. Like both the Wicked wacky weedless finesse hook and 5172 in size 2/0 for o-ring hooking wacky rigged Senko's, size 1 wide gap finsesse for wacky rigged drop shot worms.
Welcome back to bass fishing soft finesse plastics.
Nose hooked tends to present a more natural motion, wacky more movement and less line twist. Try both nose and wacky and let the bass decide which they like.
Tom
PS; take a look at Roboworms line of soft plastics.

[L Dub]

Ewg vs gami drop/split shot hook - is there a difference when you're hook-setting? I mainly use the gami's (wacky robo) and reel-set. Do you set hook if you're t-rigged?

[kane-o]

i also use the owner's mosquito and mutu, and gamies in size 4, 1, or 2, for nose and wacky rigging, but dont forget about the re-barb hooks, light wire in a number 1 or 2 these are great for weedless presentation, and allows the worm to work great. and it also has a keeper for the baits so they wont always be sliding off the hook when fishing cover.. i usually only use the robo re-barbs on 6" and bigger worms

[ash]

Ewg vs gami drop/split shot hook - is there a difference when you're hook-setting? I mainly use the gami's (wacky robo) and reel-set. Do you set hook if you're t-rigged?

Dub step - I am not a fan of EWG's for dropshot, I stick with the owner Rig N Hook if I am using a gammie its the G-lock in size 1 1/0 and I set the hook if I am T rigging - I typically set the hook on the nose hook as well and just reel set down so it looks like I pop my rod strait up and keep grinding to get the hook point in my Hook sets on the T-rig dropshot is not the boat moving set that I use when pitchin and flippin the Rig N Hook sets right on top of the worm and I just barely put the hook point into the plastic - the reason why I like the Rig N Hook is that it sits short on the worm on a 6" robo the hook point is at the front of the egg sack and does not take away from the action of the bait.

[Oldschool]

Ewg vs gami drop/split shot hook - is there a difference when you're hook-setting? I mainly use the gami's (wacky robo) and reel-set. Do you set hook if you're t-rigged?

The Owner 5133 is a light wire and sharp hook. I skin hook the side of fatter worms and reel set with a firm rod sweep.
Tom

[mark poulson]

I use the #2 Mustad Mega line EWG fine wire hook when I want to rig my dropshot weedless.
The hook has a huge gap, so it really moves when it gets bit, even with fatter plastics.
And it doesn't open up under load, like used to happen to me when I used Owners.

[L Dub]

Thanks for the responses - Pretty much what I expected to hear. After years of avoiding the DS (I hate fishing light line...), I'm a new believer.

[ash]

Thanks for the responses - Pretty much what I expected to hear. After years of avoiding the DS (I hate fishing light line...), I'm a new believer.

L - Dub - light line doesnt scare me, I just HATE dropshotting, if I could throw a jig all day and get bit I would - but there are times when it just flat catches fish and the two ways above are how I go, even on the Delta I have been known to pick up the 6lb drop shot and go to work - why fight it a very natural presentation that effectivly catches fish. PS this year I started using Sufix 10lb Braid with a 6lb Mono Leader about 8' long and I love this setup - very sensitive on the dropshot and i feel gives me more control of the fish - knock wood no lose at the leader knot

[green_monster]

PS this year I started using Sufix 10lb Braid with a 6lb Mono Leader about 8' long and I love this setup - very sensitive on the dropshot and i feel gives me more control of the fish - knock wood no lose at the leader knot

Yeah buddy! Even better when you're drop shotting swimbaits in 200 feet.

[froteur]

l dub ------- do you even KNOW how to set a hook?

-perry-

[L Dub]

[quote="froteur"]l dub ------- do you even KNOW how to set a hook?

-perry-[/quote]

Haha Perry. Har-dee-har. Hope all is well with you and the family!