Curious as to what others are / will be using for shallow water drop shot main line this year (i.e. dragging a drop shot around in 5' to 12' water depth ?) Braid + FC / Co-Poly leader OR straight FC / Co-Poly main line ? I would like to try InviZx #6 lb. FC as a main line (with VMC Spin Shot hooks) as I hear decent manageability claims for a finesse FC line - but I am afraid of twisted spinning set up FC main line after a day of casting & dragging a drop shot set up around. Not sure if Tatsu or one of the newer finesse FC lines out by Seaguar offer any improvement for a spinning set up for drop shot applications ? Other option is PP #10 lb. braid main line plus a 7' ~ 8' FC leader ... Your thoughts and experiences with a drop shot set up primarily used for horizontal casting for Large Mouth & Spotted Bass versus dropping straight down vertically 60' on smallies in Lake Erie ? Thanks in advance ...
I've used a drop shot one time ever. I've decided to give it an honest go this upcoming season.
I have a spinning combo laying unused and that's what I'm going to use. It has 10 lb mono on it.
Now I just need to convince myself I have the patients to use it. LOL
My main drop-shot rig is set up with 8# Suffix Elite Mono in Hi-Vis Yellow. One-eyed wonder here and I need the help to see the line move. Knowing it might be 'seen', I'm going to go against 40+ years and use a leader of 6# Elite Lo-Vis green.
First time using a leader...ever.
8lb Berkley 100% fluorocarbon is what I’ve used on my drop shot rods for several years now and it works great for me. Most of my drop shotting is in deeper water for smallmouth, but I use the same rig when I’m shallower water for brown or green bass, and it’s been good to me so far.
6 lb YZH worked well so far
This year, I'm using Sunline Shooter FC..Pretty happy with this line so far.
4lb YZH (breaking strength of 7.5lbs)
On 3/3/2020 at 7:06 AM, Glaucus said:4lb YZH (breaking strength of 7.5lbs)
How are you liking it?
Im thinking about going down to 4 but im cheap and i dont want to lose more of anything than i have to
I've been using Power Pro 15-20lb tied to 8lb FC Sniper. Has worked great for me the last few years.
On 3/3/2020 at 7:31 AM, garroyo130 said:How are you liking it?
Im thinking about going down to 4 but im cheap and i dont want to lose more of anything than i have to
Great for DS and Ned Rigs, Wacky Rigs too depending on where.
I drop shot in about 30 fow I use 10lb braid to a 6-8 lb fluorocarbon leader. Same set up if I fish shallow.
Sufix 832 Braided Line Lo-Vis Green 10lb and an 8lb Seaguar Tatsu Leader - a Loooong one.
A-Jay
I don't drop shot much, but I've been using straight 6# Izorline Copoly when I do.
My main line is #12 braid. It's sensitive and reduces line twist dramatically. I always run my braid through a wet Mr. Clean Magic Eraser so it's invisible.
8lbs pp super slick to 6-8lbs mono. Wish they made maxcuatro in 8lbs
10lb braid to 8lb Tatsu leader, same as last year.
7 lb Sunline Sniper or 5 lb Maxima Ultra Gneen depending on what rod I pick up.
Tom
10lb Power pro to 6lb InvizX leader for me.
On 3/3/2020 at 7:49 AM, A-Jay said:Sufix 832 Braided Line Lo-Vis Green 10lb and an 8lb Seaguar Tatsu Leader - a Loooong one.
A-Jay
*I think this set up may be key to what I am looking for : PP #10 lb. Hi - Viz yellow braid main line with a long InvizX #6 lb. FC leader using a small knot ... No worries regarding line twist - plus gain the benefit of FC line for drop shotting .
On 3/3/2020 at 7:46 PM, ChrisD46 said:*I think this set up may be key to what I am looking for : PP #10 lb. Hi - Viz yellow braid main line with a long InvizX #6 lb. FC leader using a small knot ... No worries regarding line twist - plus gain the benefit of FC line for drop shotting .
For me 'line twist' that develops during drop shot presentations is almost always a product of how & what I choose to rig.
Starts with the bait - IT MUST NOT SPIN !
Not on the fall and not on the retrieve.
When it does, regardless of my mainline type/choice, there will be line twist.
The more spinning, the more twisting.
So my preferred baits are all deals that I can rig straight; No Bend - no kink.
Also when the drop shot weight is not tied on / rigged straight, it can also cause the rig to spin.
So when this is the case and one is dropping down 30 ft a couple of hundred times a morning and then reeling back up - hello problems.
Finally, and this is something I see 'the Pros' do all the time, reeling against the reels drag.
What is that about ?
My Dad would cuff me right upside the head if I did that . . .
I understand the concept of keeping a tight line but reeling just to introduce max line twist, seems unproductive at best.
A-Jay
^^ Yup, this. ^^
Line twist with spinning reels is preventable. Here's a video I made years ago that goes into detail about this:
^^^this^^^
Tom
I just cheat to prevent line-twist
https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Gamakatsu_Swivel_Shot_G-Finesse_Drop_Shot_Hook_3pk/descpage-GFDS.html
I drop shot on both a casting and spending combo and I use 7lb Sniper on spinning and 10lb Sniper on a casting reel. The 7 pound can’t survive even a minor backlash so I bumped up to 10.
12# hi-vis yeller braid to 6, 8, or 10# fluoridecarbite in a twoskosh length, a skosh being seven feet. Lunkerhunt(go ahead and laugh, they're razors,) dropshot hook and bullet weights casting sinkers between 3/16-1/2oz.
On 3/3/2020 at 9:07 AM, Columbia Craw said:My main line is #12 braid. It's sensitive and reduces line twist dramatically. I always run my braid through a wet Mr. Clean Magic Eraser so it's invisible.
I didn't realize just how magic that eraser is apparently.
7 lb Sunline Sniper. I get zero line twist because I use a finesse baitcast outfit instead of spinning. No issues with backlashing besides some occasional minimal overrun.
20lb Suffix 832 main with 8lb Sunline Assassin leader. ????
On 3/3/2020 at 10:21 PM, A-Jay said:For me 'line twist' that develops during drop shot presentations is almost always a product of how & what I choose to rig.
Starts with the bait - IT MUST NOT SPIN !
Not on the fall and not on the retrieve.
When it does, regardless of my mainline type/choice, there will be line twist.
The more spinning, the more twisting.
So my preferred baits are all deals that I can rig straight; No Bend - no kink.
Also when the drop shot weight is not tied on / rigged straight, it can also cause the rig to spin.
So when this is the case and one is dropping down 30 ft a couple of hundred times a morning and then reeling back up - hello problems.
Finally, and this is something I see 'the Pros' do all the time, reeling against the reels drag.
What is that about ?
My Dad would cuff me right upside the head if I did that . . .
I understand the concept of keeping a tight line but reeling just to introduce max line twist, seems unproductive at best.
A-Jay
*Good counter measures to avoiding line twist while drop shotting ... I sometimes clip the drop shot weight on the line but now will pay attention to tying the weight on straight .
On 3/3/2020 at 1:46 PM, WRB said:7 lb Sunline Sniper or 5 lb Maxima Ultra Gneen depending on what rod I pick up.
Tom
The #7 lb. Sniper is one strong line ... The Maxima Ultra Green is a unique line that is growing on me for more applications .
On 3/4/2020 at 5:49 AM, WSOzzie said:20lb Suffix 832 main with 8lb Sunline Assassin leader. ????
It's funny you mention that, I was contemplating 20 lb Sufix 832 with a mono leader on a baitcaster for drop shot.
For 12' max I'd just do straight 6 lb Yo-Zuri hybrid or 6 lb mono. I say YZH only because I standardized on that as a general purpose light line. Mono is probably fine. Disclaimer: I've tried drop shot only once, with no success.
On 3/4/2020 at 4:02 AM, FryDog62 said:7 lb Sunline Sniper. I get zero line twist because I use a finesse baitcast outfit instead of spinning. No issues with backlashing besides some occasional minimal overrun.
Do you have or install a drag clicker for this application? I have thought about using a bfs rod reel with a drag clicker for such things.
On 3/4/2020 at 9:06 AM, JediAmoeba said:Do you have or install a drag clicker for this application? I have thought about using a bfs rod reel with a drag clicker for such things.
I don’t, reel is Daiwa Alpha SV... don’t know if it can be added but seems to work fine for how I use it anyway...
6 lb straight mono. I do a lot more fishing with a split shot rig then I do with a drop shot.
Chartreuse 15# daiwa j-braid x8 with an 8# yo-Zuri top knot leader