The drop-shot rig stays in the strike zone better on those steeper breaks.
Summer Ledges – I like to pull drop-shot rigs where I used to fish Carolina rigs, such as over the ends of deep points and down creek ledges. I can fish it faster than a Texas rig and cover water quicker and more thoroughly. I used to fish a Texas-rigged worm along those banks, but I now use a drop-shot rig. Post-Spawn – Once the spawn is over, bass will follow shorelines to main-lake points on their way to off-shore areas. This allows you to see-saw the bait back and forth over the bed without moving the sinker. Also, try tying a stretchy piece of rubber band between the end of the line and a heavy tungsten sinker. Here are some of the situations where I’ve consistently caught fish with it.Įarly Spring – When bass are bedding, pitch a heavy sinker to the opposite side of a bed and flick the lure just above the nest. That’s why it is so deadly in clear water. It is a subtle method of fishing, so the bass need to see it to bite it. It’s definitely a finesse technique, but one that works in a variety of situations and in both deep and shallow water.Ībout the only time a drop-shot rig isn’t very effective is in dirty water. The more I play with it, the more I’m impressed with its versatility. With the bait above the sinker, you can present lures to fish that are on or just off the bottom and tease them into striking. The drop-shot rig is fashioned by tying a small hook onto the line and leaving a long tag end beneath the lure onto which a sinker is attached. I’ve always been a heavy-line/big-bait angler, but this nifty system has helped me catch a lot of fish the past couple of years. This fabulous rig for soft plastics has become an integral part of my arsenal. If you think the drop-shot technique works only when the fish aren’t biting, you’re overlooking a valuable tool.