Drop Shot On A Baitcaster? 2024
BigSkyBasser reply :
Went out for the first time in about two weeks hoping to catch some Montana LMB starting to transition to shallow water for fall. Started throwing larger jigs and rattle traps and wasn't getting the reaction I'd hoped for. I finally decided to hit the drop shot even though I only had my flippin' combo w/ me. I've seen Aaron Martens throw this rig similarly in MLF before. Just wondering if anyone else messes around with this on baitcasters or has any reasons why it wouldn't be advised? BTW following the switch to drop shot I proceeded to catch my best largemouth of the year and several others close to it. Was a great day to be on the water!
PitchinJigz reply :
There's some guys out there who use the BFS reels and rods for dropshots. It's definitely more difficult on most casting reels. Basically the reason we use it on spinning reels is there isn't many casting rods and reels designed for finesse lures that are a good price. Plus the drag on spinning reels tends to be smoother. Personally I just like the feel of a spinning setup for finesse lures.
hatrix reply :
There is people that do. Using regular castig gear it's just a heavy dropshot bigger baits and weights usually. To fish the same setup you would use on a spinning reel you kinda need finesse reels and stuff to make it easy on your self. I don't know that everyone has those. I know I don't, but everyone does have a spinnig reel.
BigSkyBasser reply :
On 9/9/2015 at 12:14 PM, hatrix said:There is people that do. Using regular castig gear it's just a heavy dropshot bigger baits and weights usually. To fish the same setup you would use on a spinning reel you kinda need finesse reels and stuff to make it easy on your self. I don't know that everyone has those. I know I don't, but everyone does have a spinnig reel.
I was fishing a Curado w/ 12 lb flouro on an Okuma Reflexions 6'9 MH. Seemed to do me well. Had the same sensitivity and general feel as my spinning gear. However if I were fishing for smallies I might not attempt such without different BC gear. I see what you mean about having a very streamline drag especially for a rig like drop shot.
ChrisD46 reply :
Search google for : "Powershot" set up technique - basically the same as drop shot except everything is biggie sized (i.e. line , hook , weight and soft plastic) .
Catt reply :
I use my Calcutta 100A to throw finesse rigs with zero problems.
Right now the hottest rigs on the Sabine River is a 1/8 oz bullet weight, a 2/0 hook, & a Zoom Finesse worms; some days I'll drop down to a 1/16 oz.
Montanaro reply :
Throwing a 3/8oz dropshot weight does not require a bfs reel.
lmbfisherman reply :
1/4 oz plus my favorite worm of the day a lot of the time, setup 12 lb floro and size 2 mustad circle on a citica 200 g7 and fenwick et smallmouth medium fast. In fact i can cast a weightwless zoom worm on it with little difficulty. I wont win awards on distance though with just the zoom worms but i get enough to target areas i need to. Last time i used that setup 27 smallmouth bass in 3 hours.
Fisher-O-men reply :
When dropping straight down I like a baitcaster. The line spools off nicer and I am in constant contact with the bait in case they hit it on the way down.
poisonokie reply :
I finally got to use my volkey bfs rod this morning, and i can tell it would slay for dropshotting and really anything finesse oriented. They go for $150 and are a heck of a rod for that price. The reel is a different story. There is no cheap bfs reel. To me it's worth it to put down the spinning outfit, but if you don't fish a lot of finesse baits, I'd stick with spinning.
hatrix reply :
It's not always about if you can cast a 1/8 oz drop shot weight and a roboworm on your casting gear. Can you put say 10# braid on it? Or like 4 or 6# flouro. It is usually a lighter line application that normal castig gear isn't not suitable for.
skeetabug reply :
ok guys,should it matter what brand reel or rod as far as a baitcater goes drop shotting???......dont get me wrong i love to dropshot but it shouldnt matter the outfit you use be it a bps or abu garcia or a lews for that matter.......not trying to be a smarty pants or anything,just trying to understand.
hatrix reply :
Why would it matter? Everyone has there own preference on what they like. As long as it gets the job done for you it doesn't matter what anyone says to use or should be using. If it works for you then keep doing it.
poisonokie reply :
It just comes down to action and sensitivity. You can go pretty low on line weight with the right reel, but they're expensive, and you can always tie on a lighter leader. And if you're fishing strictly vertically, casting distance obviously doesn't mean anything, but you won't get very far if you can't keep contact with your rig.
To me, though, you're going to want to do more with your finesse rod than dropshot roboworms, so having an all around more versatile setup is more important and that's easier and cheaper with spinning gear. The only downside is having to use spinning gear. Are baitcasters more or less effective for finesse techniques? Probably not. Is going the bfs route an indulgence? Probably. Ultimately it's up to preference.
Catt reply :
hatrix
It's not always about if you can cast a 1/8 oz drop shot weight and a roboworm on your casting gear. Can you put say 10# braid on it? Or like 4 or 6# flouro. It is usually a lighter line application that normal castig gear isn't not suitable for.
On 9/10/2015 at 8:31 AM, hatrix said:Why would it matter? Everyone has there own preference on what they like. As long as it gets the job done for you it doesn't matter what anyone says to use or should be using. If it works for you then keep doing it.
NJSalt reply :
I played around with dropshotting on casting gear up at Erie and liked it a lot actually, but that's with heavier weights. with 1/16oz weights and such, I'm not sure there is an advantage to it but that may be just me. I just wanted an excuse to use the new Aldebaran
S Hovanec reply :
While I'm sure baitcasters work fine for dropshotting, it's not the best tool for deep applications. I had a stubborn friend on my boat a couple years ago that would not pick up his spinning rod, despite not catching. We were in 50' of water and we both would drop our lures at the same time. Mine would drop straight to the bottom, while he had to keep peeling line off by hand. I was hooked up on several occasions before his bait was even close to bottom.
poisonokie reply :
On 9/11/2015 at 5:39 AM, S Hovanec said:While I'm sure baitcasters work fine for dropshotting, it's not the best tool for deep applications. I had a stubborn friend on my boat a couple years ago that would not pick up his spinning rod, despite not catching. We were in 50' of water and we both would drop our lures at the same time. Mine would drop straight to the bottom, while he had to keep peeling line off by hand. I was hooked up on several occasions before his bait was even close to bottom.
That's definitely something to think about. I never fish 50' of water, so I wouldn't know. He probably could've backed of his spool tension and let it free fall that way, but if you don't have a quick enough thumb when you get a good bite, that could be bad news if it pulls drag and you can't reel it in on top of that horrendous backlash you just got.
BigSkyBasser reply :
My experience with drop shot on casting gear was with 1/4 oz weights which cast really nicely on 10# flouro. Felt like I had more intimate control of the bait and and didn't miss any hookups or lose any fish. And I second that my Curado has no problems throwing a weightless 4 inch laminate senko wacky rigged, Just can't cast it more than about 15-20 yards.
WRB reply :
Drop shot with a bait casting reel comes down to the rod, most modern bait casting reels can hold 6lb to 8lb FC or mono without any problems. Bait casting rods for the majority of bass anglers are too stiff being MH or 3 to 4 power for effective drop shot you need a rod similar to a medium or ML, 2 power, spinning rod and that becomes a technique specific item and difficult to find in a bait casting rod.
Before the development of good spinning drop shot rods and spinning reels with excellent drag systems, I use a 2500C baitcasting reel and special doodling rod with 6 lb mono back in the late 80's to early 90's for split shot, 1/8 oz dart jigs and drop shot.
Today I use spinning outfits.
Tom
Catt reply :
I don't know about the left coast but from Brownsville Tx all the way to Key West Fl the #2 most targeted fish is Speckle Trout and the bait casting rod you described is #1. Every rod company makes them, every Academy, Dick's, Gander Mountian, Bass Pro Shop, Cabela's, WalMart, & Tackle Shop sells them!
Any technique can be fished effectively & efficiently with either a Bait Casting or Spinning reel!
It is 100% personal preference 
Trey Harpel reply :
i have no problems throwing a DS on casting gear... I use 4lb line on my Pixy and DX701 or 702 without issues... Ive caught many Smallies and LM up to 6lbs on that setup... I just cant stand spinning gear..
Couple Vids we shot up north Droppin the shot on some smallies...
WRB reply :
Trey, the ideal bait casting drop shot outfit.
Tom
hatrix reply :
On 9/13/2015 at 2:05 AM, Trey Harpel said:i have no problems throwing a DS on casting gear... I use 4lb line on my Pixy and DX701 or 702 without issues... Ive caught many Smallies and LM up to 6lbs on that setup... I just cant stand spinning gear..
Couple Vids we shot up north Droppin the shot on some smallies...
Well you have a Pixy. Most guys who are going to drop money like that for a reel are not going to be buying a Pixy. It's just easier and cheaper to go spinning. I can go grab a president for $50 and pick any number of different rods and w ready to go.
poisonokie reply :
On 9/14/2015 at 9:44 AM, hatrix said:Well you have a Pixy. Most guys who are going to drop money like that for a reel are not going to be buying a Pixy. It's just easier and cheaper to go spinning. I can go grab a president for $50 and pick any number of different rods and w ready to go.
That's why it's an indulgence. To me, it's worth it for the ergonomic and mechanical advantages afforded by casting gear. However, it is getting less expensive to go the BFS route. You can get a serious set up for about $350 if you shop around. I've seen Alphas sv105's go for $200 and major craft volkey bfs rods go for $150, both shipped. That's still a lot more than a spinning setup, yeah, but it is becoming more attainable.
Catt reply :
On 9/14/2015 at 9:44 AM, hatrix said:Well you have a Pixy. Most guys who are going to drop money like that for a reel are not going to be buying a Pixy. It's just easier and cheaper to go spinning. I can go grab a president for $50 and pick any number of different rods and w ready to go.
I do with a Calcutta
mheichelbech reply :
Is the main reason for the light line that you are drop shotting in clear water? Does 12 or 15# line affect the action of great bait on a dropshot?
kroberts9 reply :
On 9/14/2015 at 9:44 AM, hatrix said:Well you have a Pixy. Most guys who are going to drop money like that for a reel are not going to be buying a Pixy. It's just easier and cheaper to go spinning. I can go grab a president for $50 and pick any number of different rods and w ready to go.
even baitcaster setups can be cheap it's all about preference. my drop shot is a stradic2500 a 7'2 M1 light 10lb braid to 8lb fluro. that's what I like. my first set up was a 7'l abu vendetta and a Lews gold real cheap set up. so there is no right answer here except do what feels right
Fishes in trees reply :
I'm not sure about anyone else, but I almost always carry a couple of drop shot rods in the boat with me. I have a regular or "finesse" rig which is spinning gear. Currently that is a 100 size mid range Shimano reel on a 7' St. Croix Mojo rod (Med- Fast action I believe)
All the time I also carry a bubba drop shot rig for when I want to drop shot a bait into heavier cover, like the edges of a beaver dam or right next to thorn trees in7 to 15 feet of water. The current rig for this is a 7'5" Kistler Flipping/pitching rods (I like this rod because it is telescopic and stores in the boat easy and the rod is paired with a Chronarch 50 and 20 lb Abrazx. Most of the time I throw half ounce weights, reason being that drop shotting is a bottom technique IMO and why not get the bait to the bottom asap.
Basically I let the situation decide which rig to use. Little to light cover gets the spinning approach while more gnarly areas get the bubba approach. Like I said I always carry both these rigs in the boat. I've never had a day where drop shooting only produced a great day, however I've had days where drop shot fishing has turned a mediocre day into a good day.
BigSkyBasser reply :
On 3/5/2017 at 1:01 AM, Fishes in trees said:I'm not sure about anyone else, but I almost always carry a couple of drop shot rods in the boat with me. I have a regular or "finesse" rig which is spinning gear. Currently that is a 100 size mid range Shimano reel on a 7' St. Croix Mojo rod (Med- Fast action I believe)
All the time I also carry a bubba drop shot rig for when I want to drop shot a bait into heavier cover, like the edges of a beaver dam or right next to thorn trees in7 to 15 feet of water. The current rig for this is a 7'5" Kistler Flipping/pitching rods (I like this rod because it is telescopic and stores in the boat easy and the rod is paired with a Chronarch 50 and 20 lb Abrazx. Most of the time I throw half ounce weights, reason being that drop shotting is a bottom technique IMO and why not get the bait to the bottom asap.
Basically I let the situation decide which rig to use. Little to light cover gets the spinning approach while more gnarly areas get the bubba approach. Like I said I always carry both these rigs in the boat. I've never had a day where drop shooting only produced a great day, however I've had days where drop shot fishing has turned a mediocre day into a good day.
I also carry three different drop shot set ups for different situations. My new baitcasting set up is a Shimano Curado on an MHX 7'2" Medium when I'm throwing anything above 3/8 oz and power shotting.
mheichelbech reply :
What dictates using lighter versus heavier tackle? Is it mainly the cover, water clarity? Both of those?
Do finicky fish hit a heavier set up than a light line set up assuming the water isn't crystal clear?
BigSkyBasser reply :
On 3/5/2017 at 3:32 AM, mheichelbech said:What dictates using lighter versus heavier tackle? Is it mainly the cover, water clarity? Both of those?
Do finicky fish hit a heavier set up than a light line set up assuming the water isn't crystal clear?
Type of cover and depth usually will make you want to adjust your rig. With clear water water depending on the depth you'll want a longer leader 8-14 inches of 6-8 lb test with weights varying.
Shallow water, heavy cover, and or both usually require a shorter leader (6-8 inches) and heavier line ranging from 8-12 lb test and a bait that is hooked weedless and weights no less than 3/8 oz but typically not exceeding 1/2 oz. This is optimal for flipping cover and structure or punching weeds with a drop shot which is becoming a more popular option for pressured shallow fish.
Bass_Fishing_Socal reply :
2 and 3 dropshot rig? Hummm I only have 1 either baitcaster or spinning. they both can do 3/16 up to 1/2 oz weight. If I need to go deep just switch the weight (that why dropshot weight with easy grip is for) leave tag end a bit long and clip the weight to the length prefer.
I dont even have any specific reel just whatever on my Medium/Fast rod.
Delaware Valley Tackle reply :
On 9/9/2015 at 11:11 PM, Fisher-O-men said:When dropping straight down I like a baitcaster. The line spools off nicer and I am in constant contact with the bait in case they hit it on the way down.
I look it from the opposite side. I think a spinning reel is easier and quicker to the bottom without needing to thumb the spool.
offsidewing reply :
On 3/5/2017 at 9:23 AM, Delaware Valley Tackle said:I look it from the opposite side. I think a spinning reel is easier and quicker to the bottom without needing to thumb the spool.
When I use a bait caster for drop shotting, if I'm just dropping it over the side of the boat, I loosen the drag a bit and pull the line off the spool by hand as the bait sinks. You can do that with a $30 baitcaster.
offsidewing reply :
I use both casting and spinning gear. But the most efficent and cost effective way is with spinning gear in my experience.
I've started using casting gear on Ned Rigs above 3/16 oz too. But the varying presentations on a ned rig feel better on spinning gear.
kroberts9 reply :
I've tried to dropshot with my baitcaster and I couldn't do it. maybe it was the rod but it didn't feel right I'm spoiled with my phenix and stradic setup. as I stated before there is no right answer if your comfortable with a baitcaster and it works for you use it.
detroit1 reply :
There are guys using d/s wts. up to 2 ozs. up here in Mich. , huron river above lake st. clair. Fishing in strong current 20' deep calls for heavy weights....
kroberts9 reply :
I have heard of that in deep sea fishing too over here in new England. that would make sense for a baitcaster setups or a surf rod lol
Mike L reply :
On 9/9/2015 at 11:11 PM, Fisher-O-men said:When dropping straight down I like a baitcaster. The line spools off nicer and I am in constant contact with the bait in case they hit it on the way down.
Ditto
I use a Loomis MBR 843C GLX with 12# Yo Zuri and have no complaints.
Now, I dont do it often and it's usually in no more than 20 fow in very select spots.
Mike
BassThumb reply :
I have a Dobyns DX742c with a Chronarch 50e and 8-10lb fluoro that I use as a multi-purpose finesse rod.
Last season it had a standard-sized (3/16-3/8oz.) dropshot on it about 50% of the time. It worked tremendously well fishing the deep, vertical dropshot that works so well on Mille Lacs. I spooked very few fish because the baitcaster allowed me to drop the lure more slowly than just letting it plummet with a spinning reel.
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