Thread: Drop shot for Crappie ?

I dropped shot for 25 ft. deep crappies last year. There was no reason, I just did it to try it out and it works but I still ended up hoovering / spot locking directly over them and jigged straight down. Crappies are known suspenders at different depths during the day/year and vertical jigging was just much easier because I can raise or lower the bait quickly. I can't do that with a drop shot rig, only have so much line between the hook and the sinker or I would have to re-tie.

I was thinking of the logic behind the drop shot. Have not done much research but to me, it is designed to keep the plastic wiggling in the same position (mostly on the ground) on a small targeted area from a distant to hopefully piss off the fish and trigger an attack bite. I can see this method being more effective if male crappies were guarding nests in shallow ground. Assuming that I did not have cane poles to reach them or bobbers on hand, I would improvise using the drop shot not to scare them off the nests.

Originally Posted by lol11

I dropped shot for 25 ft. deep crappies last year. There was no reason, I just did it to try it out and it works but I still ended up hoovering / spot locking directly over them and jigged straight down. Crappies are known suspenders at different depths during the day/year and vertical jigging was just much easier because I can raise or lower the bait quickly. I can't do that with a drop shot rig, only have so much line between the hook and the sinker or I would have to re-tie.

I was thinking of the logic behind the drop shot. Have not done much research but to me, it is designed to keep the plastic wiggling in the same position (mostly on the ground) on a small targeted area from a distant to hopefully piss off the fish and trigger an attack bite. I can see this method being more effective if male crappies were guarding nests in shallow ground. Assuming that I did not have cane poles to reach them or bobbers on hand, I would improvise using the drop shot not to scare them off the nests.

Almost- Crappie feed up, rarely do they feed down. The drop shot is to get the bait down to their depth quickly. Fixing the distance above the weight ensure the bait is above the crappie on the bottom. IF you know your gear, you can drop it down any depth. Some prefer a slip bobber knot to adjust depth. I prefer to drop to bottom, and slowly retrieve it back up. It is easier to detect a strike on the way up, tight line, verse on the way down, slack line. Another technique with the drop shot is a slow troll. The weight holds the bait vertical as you move through the water.

Honestly, I would never use a drop shot for shallow water. A properly rigged slip bobber is far more effective for anything 12' and under.

Thanks for everyone help , will be trying info asap RR

Using the spin shot hooks is expensive per rig. They work though and work well. Below is an economy rig that works just as well for a lot less money.



I make these rigs using jig hooks and tying a small heavy mono line loop in front of hook leg. Swivel at each end keeps tangles to a minimum. Jig hooks are much less expensive than any drop shot hook.



These are what I make for weights. They vary in length and weight. From 1/32 oz to 3/4 oz. and as short as couple inches on length to as much as a foot. Sometimes I use a hand tied jig as weight and results in bonus species now and then.

I keep about two dozen pre-tied rigs on boat to allow quick replacement of lost or broken rigs. Mostly use in water deeper than 15 foot. But have also used in conjunction with a slip bobber. I use just enough weight to sink bobber. Then adjust stop so that the bobber appears to be floating as normal. This assures that the rig keeps in contact with bottom. For days when the fish seem to hug bottom. Example when bottom hook is six inches to swivel and weight has six inch arm. My lure or bait is exactly one foot off the bottom.

While I had crappies mostly in mind when making these rigs. They have worked on everything. In fact on smallmouth bass a little too well. At one local lake here in Ohio they are almost a nuisance on these rigs. Since I don't keep them the rig allows a quick release as very seldom does the hook get swallowed. A side bonus of the rig. Also yellow perch up here love to hug bottom and rig can be quickly adjusted when I run into these.

Hays 47..that is some good stuff right there..gonna steal some of this 5