Drop-Shotting For Smallmouth In Current!? 2024
zewski@live.com reply :
I live near the St-Lawrence River, its a good fishery, but water as an about 1 foot visibility and the current is always strong.
I saw some guys on facebook pulling out 40 fish drop shotting in there but I can't understand how they do. I mean, as soon as I put the drop-shot in the water, even with a 1/2 ounce weight, it just wouldnt stay under the boat, in fact even the boat is following the current and moving fast. So what if the weight gets to the bottom and start moving with the current? is it still effective? What should I do?
Thank you guys!
Felix77 reply :
I fished a tournament with strong current. I ended up upsizing my weight to 1/2 oz and tried to cast ahead of the current. It was very hard to feel bottom and I only had marginal success using the drop shot.
Others had better success with reaction baits like a crankbait in these situations. Would love to hear how others would use a drop shot in these conditions.
zewski@live.com reply :
I really dont know, maybe they just let it drag on the bottom, after all the weights make noise by hitting the rocks and it attracks the fish...
I really dont know lol
Dwight Hottle reply :
If your are trying to vertically fish deep water in current you really have to understand boat control. Matching your boat drift with the current speed makes it a lot easier. You might have to consider heavier weights as well. Try 3/4 and or 1 oz. Welcome to the site.
zewski@live.com reply :
I really tought that the biggest weight I could use for drop shot was 1/2 ounce so I never tried heavier, my next step will be to try 2/4 weights and slow down the drift with the trolling motor, i think it might spook the fish, but my way isnt working anyways so... worth a try. Any other suggestions?
Dwight Hottle reply :
3/4 or 1oz jigging spoon. Keep trying the trolling motor to match your drift speed with the current speed. Thst will make a big difference.
Snakehead Whisperer reply :
On 10/8/2013 at 7:33 AM, zewski@live.com said:I really dont know, maybe they just let it drag on the bottom, after all the weights make noise by hitting the rocks and it attracks the fish...
I really dont know lol
x2 on what Dwight said (and he knows what he's talking about.)
Typically there's only a few ways that I will fish a drop shot in a free flowing river.
-drifting (with or without a trolling motor to slow my drift.) Usually accomplished by using the lightest weight possible to maintain bottom contact and letting the lure drift with the current. This presentation is deadly when it works. Don't underestimate what a smallie can see when ambushing prey, no matter how murky or fast moving the water is.
-eddies Usually I will anchor in the main channel/current in an area that gives me the best casting range beside a large eddie. Usually I will play it close to the eddie so I can keep my line out of the heavy current. Work it thoroughly, as there will be fish in various stages of activity occupying different parts of the eddie simultaneously.
-backwaters Drop shot is always worth a try here, or anywhere where the current is light.
-tailwaters Usually I will only fish a ds in the deeper pools here, and usually opt for a more aggressive presentation if fishing in current.
My advice for a weight would be to pick up some Bakudan Skinny (or other lead pencil style) weights in 1oz., then if they are too heavy you can cut them down to whatever size you need.
wnybassman reply :
On the Niagara I like to drop straight down until it hits bottom, I use a 1/2 ounce weight nearly all the time. Tighten the line and let the weight "chatter" across the bottom while drifting along, lightly lifting and dropping to maintain bait and bottom contact. It is essentially a vertical drag. Wind complicates things. In an open tournament there last week the wind was kinda stiff blowing us faster than the current. All that means is more drops, once the rig gets too far behind the boat it is more susceptible to snagging. Wind blowing against the current is even tougher. Many times you will be fishing on the other side of the boat, dragging it in front of you. Weird concept, but it works.
Watching the graph while drifting along is kinda cool. You will see boulders go by, and a big arch or two on the back side of it. When you see this, you really can anticipate a bite.
Felix77 reply :
The only other suggestion I can add is to consider adding a drift sock to slow your drift.
zewski@live.com reply :
Good help Thank you guys, ill post back when after i tried everything you guys suggested!
Oregon Native reply :
Fishing below dams out west on the Columbia we used heavy weights. (1/2 & 5/8) Fished a lot right below the boat for better line control. Did not seem to bother fish at all. I think they get used to all the floating dock like objects above them. Still kept line pretty light as would follow fish and made for better presentation (10# fluro). Back bouncing baits worked good also. Most of us used 36 volt to hold in current for this.
Tight Lines
J Francho reply :
On 10/8/2013 at 8:35 PM, Felix77 said:The only other suggestion I can add is to consider adding a drift sock to slow your drift.
Definitely NOT in current.
mod479 reply :
Sometimes you'll have to use a 3/4oz drop shot weight. I like the skinny weights, they dont get sucked around in the current and they get hung up the least in my experience. Round ones if you cant get the skinnies.
To slow your drift, trim your motor up out of the water. It helps a bit.
Felix77 reply :
On 10/8/2013 at 9:52 PM, J Francho said:Definitely NOT in current.
I thought that is what a drift sock was for. To slow down your drift in moving waters.
J Francho reply :
No, the drift sock will simply let the current drag you. It's for slowing your drift in wind.
Felix77 reply :
On 10/9/2013 at 2:02 AM, J Francho said:No, the drift sock will simply let the current drag you. It's for slowing your drift in wind.
Learned something new today ... Ignore my post. 
JayKumar reply :
Also try lift-drop, lift-drop instead of just dragging
J Francho reply :
On 10/9/2013 at 9:27 PM, JayKumar said:Also try lift-drop, lift-drop instead of just dragging
I call this "poofing," lol. That little poof of bottom detritus can get a fish's attention.
RandySBreth reply :
The other thing is hit where the fish are - usually out of heavy current. I drop shot rivers here but hit the current seams and eddies - not the big heavy main current.
basscatcher8 reply :
You might wanna check out some walleye places and learn about vertical jigging. The main point alot of guys say is to keep your boat pointed into the wind which ever direction that is and then you will move with the current and your bait will stay under the boat. Then you just have to kick your trolling motor on for short bursts to get back on top of your bait when the wind pushes you off.
Pete-K reply :
You can also do a controlled drift. Say the current is running 2.8 mph, use the trolling motor to slow the boat down to around .07 mph and this will allow your bait to get on bottom. But behind the boat not under it, my bait will be 30 yds or more behind the boat. I lift up on the drop shot rig and let it back to bottom. Your walking your bait or baits down stream in front of your boat. Been fishing this way for 40 years and its killer. Takes a while to get everything working together,but when you to its going to open up a new world of fishing for you.
Pete
J Francho reply :
On 10/15/2013 at 1:06 PM, Pete-K said:You can also do a controlled drift. Say the current is running 2.8 mph, use the trolling motor to slow the boat down to around .07 mph and this will allow your bait to get on bottom. But behind the boat not under it, my bait will be 30 yds or more behind the boat. I lift up on the drop shot rig and let it back to bottom. Your walking your bait or baits down stream in front of your boat. Been fishing this way for 40 years and its killer. Takes a while to get everything working together,but when you to its going to open up a new world of fishing for you.
Pete
The Lindners used to describe this as "slip drifting." Based on video and article content, looks like it kills, and covers a lot of water. Good info.
webertime reply :
On 10/15/2013 at 1:06 PM, Pete-K said:You can also do a controlled drift. Say the current is running 2.8 mph, use the trolling motor to slow the boat down to around .07 mph and this will allow your bait to get on bottom. But behind the boat not under it, my bait will be 30 yds or more behind the boat. I lift up on the drop shot rig and let it back to bottom. Your walking your bait or baits down stream in front of your boat. Been fishing this way for 40 years and its killer. Takes a while to get everything working together,but when you to its going to open up a new world of fishing for you.
Pete
^^^^ THIS ^^^^
basscatcher8 reply :
On 10/15/2013 at 1:06 PM, Pete-K said:You can also do a controlled drift. Say the current is running 2.8 mph, use the trolling motor to slow the boat down to around .07 mph and this will allow your bait to get on bottom. But behind the boat not under it, my bait will be 30 yds or more behind the boat. I lift up on the drop shot rig and let it back to bottom. Your walking your bait or baits down stream in front of your boat. Been fishing this way for 40 years and its killer. Takes a while to get everything working together,but when you to its going to open up a new world of fishing for you.
Pete
So are you putting a heavy enough weight on so it sticks on the bottom and you have the control or are you putting a lighter weight on so the current kinda pulls them along for you as you drift down?
Pete-K reply :
On 10/17/2013 at 11:14 PM, basscatcher8 said:So are you putting a heavy enough weight on so it sticks on the bottom and you have the control or are you putting a lighter weight on so the current kinda pulls them along for you as you drift down?
Using enough weight to allow me to keep in touch with the bottom when Control drifting. Does not take as much as you think even in heavy current. unless your using big baits.
basscatcher8 reply :
On 10/18/2013 at 10:05 AM, Pete-K said:Using enough weight to allow me to keep in touch with the bottom when Control drifting. Does not take as much as you think even in heavy current. unless your using big baits.
Ok cool thank you
Crestliner2008 reply :
On 10/15/2013 at 9:49 PM, J Francho said:The Lindners used to describe this as "slip drifting." Based on video and article content, looks like it kills, and covers a lot of water. Good info.
Actually Dan Gapen was the first to coin the phrase "slipping" current. Works very well in a river current and will probably work equally as well in lake current. The idea is let your boat slip less than the current flow. This allows your bait to get down and stay down in the strike zone for longer periods of time. I've used it quite a bit here on the Ct. River system. If you google Dan Gapen, you will find his extraordinary book on this subject entitled, "Big River Fishing".
Dwight Hottle reply :
On 10/31/2013 at 7:50 AM, Crestliner2008 said:Actually Dan Gapen was the first to coin the phrase "slipping" current. Works very well in a river current and will probably work equally as well in lake current. The idea is let your boat slip less than the current flow. This allows your bait to get down and stay down in the strike zone for longer periods of time. I've used it quite a bit here on the Ct. River system. If you google Dan Gapen, you will find his extraordinary book on this subject entitled, "Big River Fishing".
Dan Gapen wrote another book called Treeline and Beyound which really covers northen Canada for the guys who like to chase lakers & pike. A really great read if you get the chance.
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