Drop Shot Rods... 2024
zildjian reply :
Hey guys,
What do you recommend for a drop shot rod? Looking to get a setup dedicated for just drop shots for smallmouth fishing.
Thanks,
-zildjian
lmbfisherman reply :
On 4/30/2013 at 2:43 AM, zildjian said:Hey guys,
What do you recommend for a drop shot rod? Looking to get a setup dedicated for just drop shots for smallmouth fishing.
Thanks,
-zildjian
What is your budget? I use these as my drop shot rods.
1. Shimano Crucial 6'8 ML/XF - Spinning, which costs around 150.
2. St Croix Avid 6'6" M/F - Baitcaster which is around 170.
smalljaw67 reply :
It depends on your budget and whether you prefer spinning or casting, but for a good start I'd look at the Fenwick Elite Tech Smallmouth 6'9" ML-F, it has a fast tip but is very forgiving if you use braid and it is versatile should you want to ever use it for other techniques plus it won't break the bank.
EDIT: I'm refering to a spinning rod, I forgot to add that and I didn't want to confuse you.
MarkH024 reply :
I am forcing myself to drop shot this year so in the off season, I picked up a Shimano Ci4 2500 and put it on a Croix Rage 6'9 MLXF. It feels really great. Originally had planned on a LTB but I couldn't drop the coin for it. Perhaps down the road if I decide to upgrade. I'll be out this weekend for the Wisconsin opener. Hopefully we do well.
zildjian reply :
i don't really have a budget, usually before i buy a rod i like to see what every ones setups are and their likes and dislikes. then i will go from there. but i never fished for small mouth, and this season i want to start and i want a dedicated drop shot setup just for this purpose.
I wasn't sure which rod, length, action, tip, line and reel is preferred for drop shot fishing... but i want to use a spinning reel for this setup. i'll be using 10lb super slick power pro braid and 8lb fluorocarbon line as leader.
any thoughts?
g loomis
falcon
dobyns
duckett
shimano
st. croix
Teal reply :
I use a Powell Endurance 712 with the 10lb braid and 6-8 leaders. (I dont fish for smallies, not many smallies here) love this rod. Powell did not make this rod as a drop shot specific rod, but i did, and i absolutely love it, light and sensitive. I have it paired with a Stradic Fj
All of the brands you listed are fantastic rod builders. If money was not a variable, I personally would shoot for the G Loomis NRX 822DSR.
Alot of the brands you mentioned make Drop shop specific rods that will have line and lure ratings that your set up will fall into.
Silas reply :
I think the Shimano Cumara 7'2" spinner in medium is a fantastic drop shot rod!
I just bought my second one (brand new) of the bay yesterday for $104!. The first one I got a month ago new with tags on another forum for $120. Best money I ever spent!1
Have one rigged with a Sustain 2000 and the incoming will have a Daiwa SOL 2000.
I fished the Sustain today and was delighted with just how well it works!
flippin and pitchin reply :
What ever manufacture/brand you choose, look for a rod with a forgiving tip. Each angler has their own preference in length and grip style. The ability to rest your fore-finger on the blank is an advantage. I have three rods that are used to ds, two are 7-0 ( Lamilgas 701TSTH, Dobyns Champion 702SF ) and the the third is a 7'4" Dobyns DX742SF. Balance on all three makes a tip up presentaion easy all day. Add your favorite 2500 or 3000 series reel and go to work.
zildjian reply :
On 4/30/2013 at 6:03 AM, Silas said:I think the Shimano Cumara 7'2" spinner in medium is a fantastic drop shot rod!
I just bought my second one (brand new) of the bay yesterday for $104!. The first one I got a month ago new with tags on another forum for $120. Best money I ever spent!1
Have one rigged with a Sustain 2000 and the incoming will have a Daiwa SOL 2000.
I fished the Sustain today and was delighted with just how well it works!
how you like the sustain? worth the money? was looking at the 1000 vs 2500
zildjian reply :
On 4/30/2013 at 6:14 AM, flippin and pitchin said:What ever manufacture/brand you choose, look for a rod with a forgiving tip. Each angler has their own preference in length and grip style. The ability to rest your fore-finger on the blank is an advantage. I have three rods that are used to ds, two are 7-0 ( Lamilgas 701TSTH, Dobyns Champion 702SF ) and the the third is a 7'4" Dobyns DX742SF. Balance on all three makes a tip up presentaion easy all day. Add your favorite 2500 or 3000 series reel and go to work.
i have multiple dobyn rods... how do you like the 702SF? tip wise, action, length? might go that direction
Silas reply :
On 4/30/2013 at 7:19 AM, zildjian said:how you like the sustain? worth the money? was looking at the 1000 vs 2500
Bought both Vintage Sustains off the bay a couple of weeks ago. The 2000FB was $186 NIB and the 2500FD was $125, in mint condition. I love both of them. They were well worth the money.
New Sustains are about $329 and can be had for about $275. I also bought a Twinpower 2500 almost new for $150. The Japanese version of the Sustain (but in my opinion, much smoother)
I feel that the Sustains are definetely worh the money.....check out for used Shimano Twinpowers too.
The 2500 is an excellent size. I have the Stradic 1000 and it's a tad small for the rods I use. More suited to an ultralight or finesse rod.
zildjian reply :
On 4/30/2013 at 7:51 AM, Silas said:Bought both Vintage Sustains off the bay a couple of weeks ago. The 2000FB was $186 NIB and the 2500FD was $125, in mint condition. I love both of them. They were well worth the money.
New Sustains are about $329 and can be had for about $275. I also bought a Twinpower 2500 almost new for $150. The Japanese version of the Sustain (but in my opinion, much smoother)
I feel that the Sustains are definetely worh the money.....check out for used Shimano Twinpowers too.
The 2500 is an excellent size. I have the Stradic 1000 and it's a tad small for the rods I use. More suited to an ultralight or finesse rod.
yeah i was thinking it might be to small... for my rods its between the shimano crucial drop shot spinning 7'2" Medium Extra Fast or Dobyns Champion 7' Medium/LT 702 Fast paired up with shimano sustain 1000 or 25000 with 8lb fluorocarbon line. can't decide on either yet
Highhawk1948 reply :
I use a Berkley Lightening Rod, 6' 6" Medium Action, Mitchel Spinning reel, 10# test Trilene XL, clear. Works great for me. Nothing real expensive.
Koofy Smacker reply :
Weight in the set up is a big deal with such finesse presentations for me. Also I am insistent that an extra fast tip is needed to get proper action on the bait. A fast action is going to bow a lot more than an extra fast, especially in deeper water with the bigger weights while the extra fast keeps you connected a lot better.
That said, I am using a St. Croix Legend Xtreme 6'10" ML XF with a Pflueger Patriarch 9530x and 6 lb fluoro. Whole setup weighs in right at 10 oz and is by far the lightest most responsive setup I have used for finesse fishing.
Hogsticker reply :
Can you be more specific? What kind of tip action do you prefer for drop shots? Some like a parabolic rod, some prefer an extra fast tip. I like a softer fast action rod. I currently use a Falcon Cara medium spinning rod, fast action.
zildjian reply :
On 4/30/2013 at 6:14 AM, flippin and pitchin said:What ever manufacture/brand you choose, look for a rod with a forgiving tip. Each angler has their own preference in length and grip style. The ability to rest your fore-finger on the blank is an advantage. I have three rods that are used to ds, two are 7-0 ( Lamilgas 701TSTH, Dobyns Champion 702SF ) and the the third is a 7'4" Dobyns DX742SF. Balance on all three makes a tip up presentaion easy all day. Add your favorite 2500 or 3000 series reel and go to work.
hows the tip on the dobyns champion 702SF? i know its a fast tip, but would you rather have a extra fast over the fast tip?
zildjian reply :
On 4/30/2013 at 6:14 AM, flippin and pitchin said:What ever manufacture/brand you choose, look for a rod with a forgiving tip. Each angler has their own preference in length and grip style. The ability to rest your fore-finger on the blank is an advantage. I have three rods that are used to ds, two are 7-0 ( Lamilgas 701TSTH, Dobyns Champion 702SF ) and the the third is a 7'4" Dobyns DX742SF. Balance on all three makes a tip up presentaion easy all day. Add your favorite 2500 or 3000 series reel and go to work.
You think the 1000 size would be too small being paired up with the 702SF?
Lucky Craft Man reply :
Well, I have used several Drop Shot Rods and the G Loomis NRX 822S DSR is by far the best from my experience. I have it paired up with a Pflueger Supreme 8030 and 15 lb. Power Pro Braid (topped with a 6 to 8 lb. Fluoro Leader). With this set-up, you will feel a fish just swim by your lure. If you use a tungsten drop shot weight, you can literally feel even the sand grains as you go over them. The feel is incredible and I use it on Lake Erie for Smallmouth all the time. I have caught Smallmouth up to 6 pounds on this rod and it handled them well. People will say that when you feel some "resistance," just lift and you may have a fish. That was very true with the other drop shot rods I tried, but with this rod, there is no "resistance." You feel a definitive "tap" and there is no doubt there is a fish. There are times I could feel the fish just lightly mouth the tail of the bait and I just shake and wait, because many times that fish will finally commit. With what I have used in the past, I never really could feel that light mouthing bite and if I did feel any resistance because of the fish lightly mouthing it, I would lift to set the hook only to come back with no lure. This is a technique where sensitivity in a rod is a premium and a rod like this will really help you in your learning curve of mastering the technique. This rod is the first rod in my boat no matter where I fish. I have even fished somewhat heavier weed cover with this rod and pulled up to 3 pound largemouth out of the cover with it. Even though it is a lot of money, I don't think you would be disappointed one bit with it (and you may even find some good deals on one). My wife is instructed to bury me with this rod in the unfortunate event that I may pass (which I hope is a long long time from now and I hope to still have this rod then). Just a great rod.
Disclaimer: This is based on my personal experience only and I have no affiliation with G Loomis or Pflueger. These are just bad @ss rods and reels.
Good luck in your search and I hope you find the right rod for you.
flippin and pitchin reply :
On 4/30/2013 at 11:22 AM, zildjian said:hows the tip on the dobyns champion 702SF? i know its a fast tip, but would you rather have a extra fast over the fast tip?
The Champion 702SF is a fast action but the shut off point is a little further down the blank. That's one reason I like it. I fish #8 flouro with it (1/8 to 5/16) and use a 2500 series Stradic FJ. It balances perfect for me. I don't own a reel smaller that a 2500 series. I want to minimize line twist, increase drag washer surface and maximize casting distance. It's just what works for me.
Dobyns also made the move to the Kigan No Tangle guides which is nice.
Felix77 reply :
I use the Drop Em rod by Rapsody. I absolutely love it!
jhoffman reply :
As stated you need a forgiving tip. The reason for this is the drop shot is a light line presentation, at least where the bait is concerned. You can over power that really fast when a fish surges.
Thaddeus reply :
I'd recommend a Dobyns 682sf paired with a Shimano Saros or Stradic 1000 reel. It is a very versatile rod and can be doubled as a vertical jigging rod for walleye if you're into that.
zildjian reply :
Still having a hard time choosing reel size 1000 or 2500 shimano sustain fg
MarkH024 reply :
2500
SissySticks reply :
I would always go with the bigger reel.
As far as rods are concerned, there are as many opinions on what makes a good drop shot rod as there are people who fish it. There are so many manifestations of the drop shot. Are you open hook nose rigging? Texas rigging the bait? Big bait or little? How heavy of line are you using? How heavy a sinker? Water depth? Cover? I think a 6'8" MXF rod is the best all around drop shot rod, but I also have a LMF, a MLF, a MF, and a MHMF that I use quite a bit for different kinds of drop shotting. If I were going to have 1 rod for this technique, I'd have a Batson 802.75 blank built up for me by a good custom builder. For an over the counter rod, quantum's smoke and exo rods are tough to beat for the price, and the Bass Pro Carbonlite's are shockingly good rods for $100.
thehooligan reply :
I like 6'8 length for dropshot. Ive used a dobyns champion, cumara, and phenix m1. All great rods and very sensitive.
I prefer 1000 size reels, there lighter, and there is no problems with line twist if you use braid & flouro leaders. At the moment I have a 6'8 cumara, 1000 size ci4, and 10lb power pro/6lb leader as my dedicated drop shot setup.
zildjian reply :
I'm doing 10lb braid 6 or 8lb fluorocarbon leader. Just nervous the 1000 reel would be to small. But I'm only using it for drop shot 1/8 oz -1/4oz weights nose hooking small plastics in shallow water. Just don't want to make a mistake with reel choice. I decided on the DX702SF for my rod.
OkobojiEagle reply :
Are the drag washers (note plural) smaller in the 1000 size reel vs. the 2000 size model? If so, look more closely at the larger size.
oe
thehooligan reply :
On 5/3/2013 at 3:07 AM, zildjian said:I'm doing 10lb braid 6 or 8lb fluorocarbon leader. Just nervous the 1000 reel would be to small. But I'm only using it for drop shot 1/8 oz -1/4oz weights nose hooking small plastics in shallow water. Just don't want to make a mistake with reel choice. I decided on the DX702SF for my rod.
Nice, thats a sweet rod. I was playing with that exact rod in the tackle shop and really wanted to pull the trigger but the cumara takes care of business.....
zildjian reply :
That cumara rod is itching into my mind now... I doubt it, but does any one own both the Cumara 7'2" and DX702SF? Or ever fish both for drop shots?
down4ttown reply :
I seriously need a shimano spinning reel. They are by far the best I have ever used.
zildjian reply :
I think I'm going to go with the 2500 size Sustain FG... I'm not sure about the size of the drag washers compared between the 1000 vs 2500 model reels if they are smaller or same size. What else is the 1000 size reel designed for? since I'm only using this for light weight drop shot fishing. Is it just better to go with the larger reel?
mod479 reply :
On 5/3/2013 at 9:56 PM, zildjian said:That cumara rod is itching into my mind now... I doubt it, but does any one own both the Cumara 7'2" and DX702SF? Or ever fish both for drop shots?
Got both, fished both the last 2 weekends. I put 2500 sized reels on them for balance. Sustain FG on the 7'2" cumara and a Ci4 on the 702DX. I prefer the M/XF cumara for dropshotting. Better tip, more backbone, lighter.
BobP reply :
There are rods specifically designed for dropshotting and if that's what the rod will be dedicated for, you should choose one of them. Good dropshot rods have a "hinged" blank with a M butt section and an extra fast but light power tip section. I've used a $150 Shimano Crucial CRS-DX-68M for several years on the recommendation of some west coast pros and it has been a great choice. Very sensitive, handles 1/8 oz weights well, and it can handle big bass. Lifetime OTC warranty. Other companies have come out with dropshot designs since then but I haven't tried them. As to reel choice, I would go with a 2500 size because that's the sweet spot for weight versus spool diameter and line handling characteristics. Yes, a 1000 size would handle braid OK but if you decided to go "all fluoro" at some point, the smaller diameter spool is definitely sub-optimal. I use a Shimano Symetre 2500 or a JDM Shimano Biomaster 2500. But I think the rod is the main thing to consider for this presentation while a wide variety of reels will work just fine.
zildjian reply :
Thank you guys for all your input!! Really appreciate the replies.. I'm going to go with the Shimano Sustain FG 2500 Reel and most likely the Dobyns DX702SF with 10lb Power Pro Super Slick Braid with 8lb leader of Sunline FC Sniper fluorocarbon line.
G3Steve reply :
Good choice. I recently picked up a 702SF with 2500 Symetre. Light tip and balances extremely well. Perfect for tip up presentations.
If you're going after balance though, I would recommend moving down to a Stradic FJ or Symetre. The heavier reel will balance the rod out better. They're about an ounce heavier than the Sustain, but will bring the balance point slightly closer to the reel seat.
basshole77 reply :
Can I throw in the Abu Garcia Veracity in? Stiff with a soft tip and light. The handle allows you to feel the blank as well. I just purchased a shallow spool ENOS for my drop shot set up. This is my first shallow spool reel has anyone used one? Thoughts?
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