A drop shot is awesome for holding a presentation in river current at the right depth and location and can be held there for much longer than a jig (unless you like your jigs permanently affixed to the river bottom, i.e. Snag). They are extremely thorough when fishing a current seam. The “small fish” label gets applied to this technique because you catch nearly every bass in the area with them, the latter ones being the smaller fish. Wrap a rubber band around your rod handle to hold the weight.
That’s probably the one real exception for me when it comes to a ds. Even then though there’s other ways I would rather catch em. I’m the same way about bottom techniques like the ned too though. Cold water and smallmouth are the exception there too but if I can catch them any other way I won’t do it. It’s the little bitty baits… odd coming from a guy who has caught 30lb sacks of smallies on 3 inch grubs and loves little hair jigs. Lol but most of the lakes I fish you have to wade through so many 10 inch spotted bass that it kills your confidence in catching anything bigger.
I have caught tens of thousands of fish on a drop shot here at table rock over the years. It is unbelievable and catches fish a jig and a Texas rig won't catch. I love powerfishing too but sometimes you have to adjust and switch gears.
Hey Randy, I use the drop shot as a search bait. IF I am in an area that I think have fish, I will throw a drop shot to see if there are fish there; bass as well as bait fish. It is not just a deep water bait, it is a great tool for shallow water as well. Also, I use a 1/0 EWG hook on my drop shot and I texas rig my baits all the time. I use the EWG because it gives me options on how I can fish a bait and flexibility on what bait I want to use.
I've used a 3 parts yoyo once I find fish. I use the 3 bs. Birds baits and boils. Then I'll tap butt of rod once it settled. After tapping butt of rod and let it rest in between I use 3 parts yoyo technique I raise rod tip Suttle then pause 1 second continue raising rod tip then finally raise rod tip to 10 o'clock and nice bass crush it. Drop shot is 1 of my go to along with jigs and topwater lures. I know I need to try the squarebill crankbaits more.
@@joegrande4848 If the lakes you fish are more pressured, a Flatside crankbait will do a lot better for you. They run the same depth as a square bill but have a tighter wobble. If you want suggestions, the Berkley Fritside 5 is my go to. Fantastic crankbait for the price.
@@Kaijuus the man has been a professional bass fisherman for most of his adult life. Do you really believe he can't differentiate between a lure and a rig? I'm Just poking fun at the solecism, whether it was intentional or not. Makes a person wonder, "Who is really trolling who?" There's nothing strange about my comment. Just you making your own comment sound so literal, it displays a deranged thought process. My question is why? What's really motivating you?
Randy, You can Texas rig a drop shot, and you can use it with “active” electronics. I fish a heavier drop shot, also called a power shot, from my kayak on the same structure that I fish a jig on (8 - 20 ft), without “active” electronics. As a jig guy, this should be an easy transition. 🤔
I agree one hundred percent. If you enjoy fishing a jig, the drop shot should be just as if not easier to fish for you. They are both bottom contact options. The only difference is that you use one on a spinning rod and one on a baitcaster (unless you are like me and you have one rigged on a spinning rod and one rigged on a finesse baitcaster).
Sounds like you don't understand the rig in general. You've pigeon-holed it as a vertical, electronics only technique. Its not at all. Its a great technique that works just about all the time.
Back in the 50's my dad used to cut strips of lead solder and drill holes through one end and make drop shot rigs . There were no drop shot worms back then but a Creme 6 inch worm worked great . I still have some of the old solder weights but they are a bit corroded now . There was no electronics back then . We just cast the lure out , let sink and start hopping it back to the boat . The solder weights were remarkably snagless .
A drop shot has caught me a ton of good fish. Always have one tied on. Catches big and small ones and works a lot of times when other baits haul water.
Same here. Can't even explain how many lures I bought and no bites. I went to using a drop shot and consistently catch bass. Caught crappie and pike as well.
Not my favorite technique either. That said, it is without a doubt a proven bait time and time again. Most recently, Brandon Palaniuk essentially won Lay Lake, but finished second due to a dead fish penalty. Brandon did most of his damage with the drop shot on bream beds. He was relying on his 360 to show him bream beds and isolated hard targets in the back of a highly pressured creek. I would argue that it takes more skill to fish a drop shot effectively, while using electronics to assist than it does to burn down a bank throwing a topwater, spinnerbait, or pitching a jig. I feel like everyone has caught up with the power fishing/bank beating game and tournament results speak for themselves with most being dominated by the use of electronics and fishing offshore.
I think that the dropshot is probably one of if not the most effective techniques at targeting fish in deep water on finesse gear. You can suspend your bait right above whatever piece of structure you are working, and if your weight gets snagged, it won't cost you too much unless you use tungsten (which I do). Plus, this rig is also remarkable for fishing up against docks. I don't think disliking a rig qualifies it as worthless.
I agree completely. It’s a pain in the ass. I fished it some and didn’t catch shit. Hated my life the whole time I was doing it. Weenee worm is a perfect term. I like big baits and I can not lie.
I do use a drop shot but not like most people do, I rig a full sized Zoom trick worm on a 2/0 hook and 1/4 oz weight at the bottom and fish it shallow around trees and grass on 20 lb braid. Not my favorite technique but it works, caught a 6.5 lb largemouth on it.
We get it, Randy. You don't like Livescope. I can respect your opinion on it being "boring". I agree. Fishing featureless water (to the naked eye), isn't a whole lot of fun, but if you're fishing tournaments for a living, and the big bite is deep....there's really no better rig to use than the drop shot. Even without electronics, you can look at a topo map, and find the high spots and flats. You don't need livescope to be a successful drop shot fisherman. Additionally, if I'm paying thousands of dollars to fish in multiple tourneys a year, you're not going to find me flipping buck brush in July at 11am just because I enjoy it more. There's a time and a place. Save your experimentation and grinding the slow bite in the shallows for practice days or leisure outings. When you're fishing for money you gotta go where the greens are.
I agree. I would rather fish a Carolina rig than a drop shot. There are too many techniques today in bass fishing. It becomes overwhelming in what to tie on.
Agree with so many options for bass fishing lures. Hard to keep up with all the options and permutations. But that also makes off water time more interesting in keeping up with all the different uses of each type bait.
I won't say its worthless as you put it in the title because a lot of people use it and catch a bunch of fish on it but I don't fish it for the reasons you mentioned. And admittedly I have never fished it that much. My hats off to those that do.
We went out on the snake River a couple days ago. We caught 15 on the dark sleeper. Ran 10 miles and caught about 8 more and a thunder storm hit us. We high tailed it back to the ramp and it turned slick calm. Went back to where we started and I caught about a dozen good smallmouth on the drop shot and my partner couldn’t keep the dark. sleeper fish buttoned up. Ended the day with 42 fish. BTW, been here since the beginning. I watched every video you’ve ever made. I don’t have live scope. I am an old school clear lake flip and pitch angler. I am 58 years old and never caught so many fish in my life. I have an old tracker with a 50, 2d sonar. I am building confidence in the glide bait right now. I found smallmouth on the snake River and I don’t think they have ever seen a lure before. Cheers!
I enjoy fishing the drop shot and have had good success in the Upper Midwest catching Largemouth Bass on it. I'm a Senior citizen and Novice Angler, and I've caught fish on the drop shot when nothing else was working. You stated that you had caught "lots of fish" on the drop shot too. So, how does that make it the "Most Worthless Lure that Everyone Fishes?" People are fishing it because they are continuing to catch fish! I guess you just don't enjoy fishing it, wrapping the drop shot line around your rods, rigging it etc., but that doesn't make it "worthless!"
Not fishing strictly for bass so i love it. Threw my shoulder out fishing micro jigs for two seasons straight and stopped throwing my only confidence bait. Got on the best bass bite of my life the next spring with 2.8 keitechs but it died off. Discovered i could throw a downsized drop shot with the same micro finess lures i used to throw and started getting the constant bite i enjoy. Proceeded to up my pb bass multiple times mid summer on 3 inch trout worms. Then i found info from the guy who pioneered the ned rig and started fishing the light og ned heads and destroyed my pbs repeatedly for another season. Finess works for some people not for others. Commonly known as a skill issue.
The Texas Rig Can Cause You To Loose Fish Depending On How They Hit It, With The Exposed Hook On A Drop Shot Tied Correctly Basically Sets The Hook Automatically. I've Never Lost A Fish On A Drop Shot, But Lost Dozens On A Texas Rigged Fluke Or Worm. I Can Drop Shot A Fluke And Fish It Like A Glide Bait, And With The Fluke Being Elevated I Don't Worry About Getting Hung Up On Anything (Maybe The Weight But I Tie It On With An Overhand Knot So It Just Falls Off) Also The Weight Hitting The Bottom Can Attract Fish. In Heavy Cover Not An Ideal Rig But Everything Is Situational And Based On Adjustments.
As a bank angler I occasionally drop shot when all I want to do is totally relax. I set up my fishing chair and kick back. I've caught several nice bass. Roboworms rock.
Randy I lay the leed line down the side of the pole and use a twist tie to hold leed line in place. Afterwards I'd put the hook in the guide legs. I've caught nice fish. I don't use sonar at all. I'd look for the birds baits and rings or boils. Then I fish it along the edge of brush and grass.
Funny that yesterday I had the same conversation with my son. Happy the big smallmouth preference was on swimbaits jerks and wobble heads. I have no idea how a little smallmouth 15 inch and under can just tangle the heck out of a dropshot.
I absolutely LOVE fishing the dropshot. It is the most fish catching technique in fishing. I used it for years with 2D sonar but LIVESCOPE is next level. I totally DISAGREE with you.
You fooled me here with a clickbait title and I completely disagree. Here’s why I think you don’t like the drop shot and why I do. It has nothing to do with electronics. I grew up without a boat and fished from docks all my life. You fished from boats all your life. It’s comfortable for me to fish relatively straight down for channel cats and panfish. You grew up casting and have a more active fishing style for bass. Now that I have a boat I have more interest in bass fishing. I can happily fish both styles and you can’t. Please stop complaining and show respect for all fishing styles. I firmly believe if you were not a seasoned elder angler you’d not have such a severe bias against those fishing with LS or vertical techniques. In fact name one angler under 25 years old who feels how you do? You’re simply the Jack Lemon, Walter Matthau grumpy old man fisherman stuck in your ways and intolerant of change.
Drop shot is way more versatile than being a small worm technique. It can be fished just like a T or C rig too except it keeps your bait off the bottom all the time. That might not be important on highland resivoirs etc that have solid bottom, but most natural lakes up north the bottom is pure mud/silt /loose sand and a T-rig/C-rig or bottom bouncing a jig is completely worthless because it either just sits/snags on matted cover in the bottom or will stir up a bunch of mud/silt and engulf your bait if theres not veg. I fish the exact same baits I would a T-rig with a dropshot/"powershot", and always use a longer straight shank hook rigged weedless, it suspends the bait were the fish can actually see it.
Respectfully disagree. My friends and I have had 50 fish days shallow areas, shallow cover no fish finder required. In So Cal sometimes it’s the ticket. But you’re still the man!
Being someone whole lives in the north east with a big river full of beautiful smallies running the length of the state 3 mins from my house I can happily say I do NOT use a drip shot ever. Flukes and spinner baits always get the job done with the occasional popper from time to time. I have tried the drop shot but feel the same way about it as I do the ned rig ; times have to be really really hard to dust off either one of those
I'm like you with spinnerbaits, I despise them and never fish them. On Mead drop shot is essential to making a limit sometimes. It's one of the hardest lakes to fish in the country because it's massive, deep and clear. Many pros and you tube marketers like tactical bassin avoid it because it scares them. Love your videos
I first knew the drop-shot as the Lucky-Lucky rig. I do not recall the professional angler who developed it. I believe it was first introduced in Japan. I only recall reading about it in a Bass Master magazine sometime in 1983 o 1985. While I have caught fish with this rig , my best fish come from jigs, deep diving crank baits, and Texas rigged plastic baits. I do enjoy your postings,keep up the good work!
It was developed in Japan but Aaron Martens ,who had been fishing it on the downlow for years , had to let the cat out of the bag when he won the 1999 Bass master event on Lake Oroville in Ca...to the best of my knowledge...
Drop shot is just another tool in the arsenal when they are deep on bottom feeding on minnows size 1 ewg with Yamamoto shad shape worm texas rig it.Bend hook up slightly 1/4 weight short leader 10 inches below bait and 1/0 ewg 7inch robo worm Texas rig 1/4 ounce weight leader 3 or 4 inches below the tail. Caught many giant bass on both It dosen't snag drag on bottom throw in wood or grass on beds deep or shallow it's killer.
You don't know how to fish a drop shot if you think it's limited to vertical fishing. I very rarely fish it vertically. The hook isn't exposed on a drop shot, see Aaron Martens video on nose hooking lures. And yes you can T-rig it. A drop shot blurs the line between a moving bait and a non moving bait, its both. Power shotting is clearly a technique you've never tried.
I have zero bow electronics on my boat and mainly fish the river/oxbow slews. Still catch the hell out of fish on a DS rig. I sat in one spot on the Alabama river and caught 80 bass. Wouldn't say i was fishing it "traditionally". I rigged it up with a 16" leader, and a 4" grub and basically fished it like a swinghead jig. Slow retrieve with the weight dragging the bottom. The bass absolutely destroyed it every cast it came by the piece of cover they were stacked on. Wouldn't bite a crank, wouldn't bite a jig, big worm, topwater, spinnerbait, swimbait, nothing. Even after the school got fired up. But they smoked the DS for over an hour.
I would say worthless and not liking something is 2 completely different things man... I feel pretty much the same way you do about the technique because I do everything I can to keep from having to use it but at the same time I've caught fish on it when I couldn't buy a bite on anything else.
There's a reason he named the video with the word "worthless." (Click, Click, Click). He got me 😂 But DS is absolutely lethal and catches fish which is...FUN!
Agreed, i do not fish the drop shot. If they won’t bite anything other than the drop shot. I will just load up and head to the gun range and target practice. I don’t even love the Ned Rig, but i will do it for a hour or two and then wrap up the day.
It’s different for everyone depending on what you are fishing and how you fish. For me it’s a square bill crank bait. I bought a rod specifically for them, I have a box full of them, yet I can count on 1 hand how many fish I’ve caught on it. Drop shot is lights out for me love it. I put it on a light action rod which is way to light but so fun.
I don't use the weight, I find a hole in the lily pads and drop my worm, not a traditional "drop shot" but it gets tons of action in the right place. Pond hopping is the best drop shot.
I have several tackle boxes I would prefer to throw BUT over the last few yrs, I honed my DS technique and catch LMBs and trout at my local reservoir. It is a technique that would just lead to snags and break-offs but over time learned how to reach farther out from the bank to find the fish. Different anglers and situations call for different techniques and equipment; all part of the fishing experience. 😀
I would ABSOLUTELY change your mind and perspective if you seen how i apply it, why, where, and reason it came about, ect. And i firmly believe it would work anywhere in the country catching tanks others cant catch!
hey Randy, I do agree with you on the vertical DS presentation. However, lately I, fish, my DS casting. I’ll do that in place of the shaky head. And I rig it weedless by using a small 1/0EWG hook. That allows me to, fish, Robo and other finesse worms.
Great Lakes drop shot is unstoppable. Old Randolph is right about it being a pain in the ass to use, but it's highly effective on Lake Ontario when combined with Livescope. Easy to use, hard to master for most people.
😄 I hear you Randy!! I couldn't agree anymore! 😄 This had me laughing out loud. I don't and won't weenie worm. Ever! Your my favorite fisherman to watch off all time. God bless
Ive seen people come in our local lake throwing spinnerbaits, cranks, chatters, buzzbaits, texas rig worms and not get one bite. Then i come in with my drop shot worm rigged weedless from the bank and get bites like crazy. But i understand the rig is a pain and my weight is always wrapping around my rod constantly, theres def pros and cons!
I've come across a rig/setup that works so well for me and when I go fishing with my one buddy, he's always like - why aren't you fishing your lure, man?!?! Because it's boring and it's not fun. I want to use lures that are fun to fish and what has helped make that possible is a finesse version of any lure, say a spinnerbait. If I can't get bit on a normal size, I drop down to a finesse version so I'm not forced to fish the boring presentation always. I would say BFS here, but it's not always imperative to go that extreme.
I use a drop shot as a second rod. I stick in on my rod holder, drop it down 10 feet while I fish my other rod. I continue to catch 5 to 7 pounder every day out. The fish hook themselves with an open hook. Randy you are missing out.
I agree, Randy. Hate the dropshot. Cumbersome, weird, takes forever to setup, snags on everything, not fun to fish with, and I just don't understand why people use it.
Sometimes your dislike of electronics leaves you closed minded.I use a drop shot interchangably with a Texas rig as a search bait.If I find that vegetation is so thick my texas rigs are useless I will switch to a drop shot to get my bait out of the muck and fish it just like texas rig.
@@cross_fire_ good point I haven’t used the Tokyo rig in a while. Only downside with that is not being able to change the leader length for longer grass
@@FullTimeFishing very true, I usually only use it on Rocky bluff walls for smallmouth. Another negative is it’s so heavy and connected that the fish can jump and come off pretty easily. I’ve lost a 5-6lb smallie and almost broke my rod.
LOL. Randy, for probably 2 years I have not fished a drop shot once in a tourney or practice. Until about a month ago. I too hate a dropshot, for storing in rods, the sinker comes off unless you tie it on instead of clipping it on.... and then when you fight a bigger fish or a fish jumps and thrashes they fling that weight and it can pull the hook out. I don't like it....Until about a month ago. KY lake tourney. Day 1 I caught a decent limit on keitechs and jigs. It was rainy and nasty, bite was good. Day 2 bluebird skies, post frontal the bite died. I caught 2 fish very early and then could not get bit for anything. I went up north on land between lakes side and found some bluffy walls. I used a finesse jig and other things, no bites. Then I put on a dropshot and started catching smallmouth and I ended up in the money at end of day. so a dropshot saved my tourney....like you said it can and does catch fish, but goodness it is a boring dumb technique.
Just won my 2nd event here in the CA foothills! 17+ with a 10.19 B/F! Every fish weighed in on d-s!! Just saying, not my favorite technique but an absolute must!! Bet your competitors are thanking you.
Randy, I feel you 200%, it’s not my cup of tea either. I’d rather be using a crank bait and feel like I’m doing something instead of using the drop shot technique and feel like I could be using my fishing time more wisely and productively. I don’t get enthusiastic about it. People who use the technique and do get a lot of fish have a valid point on insisting on it, hey if it makes them happy…just not my thing.
Hi Randy. I agree with you. Early on, I was only catching fish with drop shots, but started catching more bass later by casting curly tail grubs and underspins. The latter is much more fun, but the former may catch more fish. It's a catch 22. Love your (non-rant) content!
Your missing out Randy. Try a big hair jig 3/8 black pair it with a 1/ 8 hair jig .drag it in cold clear water.no hop no shake. DRAG AND PAUSE. Smallies love it.
i get what you're saying but i respectfully disagree. as a bank fisherman in pressured california waters there are very few baits that will consistently get bites on certain days. no electronics, just fishing it off rip rap banks, bed fishing, dropoffs, anything. caught a lot of littles and some bigs. it's not my preferred method but i guarantee you one of my rods is going to have one tied on 100% of the time. i'll always try moving baits and topwaters and all kinds of things but some days after all that doesn't work, it's still nice to get some bites. also, you can absolutely texas rig it. a size 1 straight shank hook with a palomar knot works just fine. roboworms are the best.
This time I have to disagree with you....I caught a lot of big bass on a drop shot when other things were not working. I'm from upstate NY and if you don't use a drop shot, your behind the group most of the time. And no I don't have a live scope.....
I’ve been the same way , I like the idea that you can kinda work your bait right in the target some really well, but I don’t wanna be tying it on and worried about snags, there are some things I like about it, but if I was using it I’d be just casting in spots I think look good, no live scoping here, takes the mystery and excitement out of getting on some big fish
I totally agree Randy. While it catches fish, a drop shot is not a fun way to fish. Yesterday I just thinking and hoping I don’t have to start drop shooting to catch them.
Idk why people don’t build their own rods. Or just add a hook keeper where you want it. Hook keeper, thread and epoxy. Total of 10 bucks and you have a ton of epoxy left over. You can take off any hook keeper and put it where you want to/replace it
Lol that's so funny I wanted to watch this video cuz I was thinking he better not say drop shot LOL. So funny my cousin enters tournaments all the time and whenever me and him go out fishing for the day I always use a drop shot and I always out fish him LOL he tries to talk me into all-day by using a different rig and I never switch and not once has he ever out fished me. Drop-shot always prevails LOL. Specifically roboworm with chartreuse tail or Berkley flatworms.
I don’t agree but I respect your opinion on it. Everyone has their preferences. I don’t like frog fishing. I know how and I’ve caught them but it’s a pain in my butt and I’d prefer catching them using a different method. Love your content! Tight lines!
We slay on Sydney Lanier, 4-5 pound spots still eat it. Of course I am using an eight inch worm with a 1/2 ounce tungsten weight, more like power shot.
Absolutely agreed! I tried it exactly once & its the dumbest thing ever. Where I fish is shallow & vegetation filled and using light line is not recommended. A very annoying rig to deal with. There are so many techniques that catch bass and the reason many fisherman waste too much time fishing every technique known to man instead of focusing on a couple of techniques. Mikey Balzz calls it ‘noodle dicking’ which is the best name ever for it
RANDY, I’m with you!!! I can’t stand to fish this way. I don’ have the equipment for it and am not going to start buying what is needed to do so!!! I catch enough good to huge fish the way I fish now so I do not wish to switch methods now!! I also agree with you on The FF Sonar, and do not think that at 76 years old I need to spend all that money on something that isn’t necessary!!! Great video and one that I AGREE with!!!!!!!!?
I have to agree... I carry dropshot supplies every time I fish, just in case I'm getting skunked and desperate... But even then, I find myself thinking "Yeah, I'm getting skunked, and yeah, I could rig up a dropshot and probably catch some fish... But do I really want to rig and fish a dropshot? Not really".
A drop shot is awesome for holding a presentation in river current at the right depth and location and can be held there for much longer than a jig (unless you like your jigs permanently affixed to the river bottom, i.e. Snag). They are extremely thorough when fishing a current seam. The “small fish” label gets applied to this technique because you catch nearly every bass in the area with them, the latter ones being the smaller fish. Wrap a rubber band around your rod handle to hold the weight.
i do the same rubber band trick
I steal my daughters soft hair bands for the weight.
That’s probably the one real exception for me when it comes to a ds. Even then though there’s other ways I would rather catch em. I’m the same way about bottom techniques like the ned too though. Cold water and smallmouth are the exception there too but if I can catch them any other way I won’t do it. It’s the little bitty baits… odd coming from a guy who has caught 30lb sacks of smallies on 3 inch grubs and loves little hair jigs. Lol but most of the lakes I fish you have to wade through so many 10 inch spotted bass that it kills your confidence in catching anything bigger.
You can’t Texas rig a drop shot? What?
Call it sissy fishing!!! No enjoyment in this way of fishing
The late and great Aaron Martens didn't have any trouble winning tournaments with a dropshot.
I have caught tens of thousands of fish on a drop shot here at table rock over the years. It is unbelievable and catches fish a jig and a Texas rig won't catch. I love powerfishing too but sometimes you have to adjust and switch gears.
Hey Randy, I use the drop shot as a search bait. IF I am in an area that I think have fish, I will throw a drop shot to see if there are fish there; bass as well as bait fish. It is not just a deep water bait, it is a great tool for shallow water as well. Also, I use a 1/0 EWG hook on my drop shot and I texas rig my baits all the time. I use the EWG because it gives me options on how I can fish a bait and flexibility on what bait I want to use.
I've used a 3 parts yoyo once I find fish. I use the 3 bs. Birds baits and boils. Then I'll tap butt of rod once it settled. After tapping butt of rod and let it rest in between I use 3 parts yoyo technique I raise rod tip Suttle then pause 1 second continue raising rod tip then finally raise rod tip to 10 o'clock and nice bass crush it. Drop shot is 1 of my go to along with jigs and topwater lures. I know I need to try the squarebill crankbaits more.
@@joegrande4848 If the lakes you fish are more pressured, a Flatside crankbait will do a lot better for you. They run the same depth as a square bill but have a tighter wobble. If you want suggestions, the Berkley Fritside 5 is my go to. Fantastic crankbait for the price.
You're stuck in 1989 man.
BTW, Randy, the drop shot is not a lure.
This was my immediate thought; it isn’t a “lure” or a “bait” at least in my mind. It’s a rigging method.
I was thinking the same thing, no wonder this man never made it to the Elites after 50 years. He can't even differentiate between a lure and a rig.
@@Kaijuus of course he can.
@@secretbassrigs Then why did you originally call him out on it. Strange.
@@Kaijuus the man has been a professional bass fisherman for most of his adult life. Do you really believe he can't differentiate between a lure and a rig? I'm Just poking fun at the solecism, whether it was intentional or not. Makes a person wonder, "Who is really trolling who?"
There's nothing strange about my comment. Just you making your own comment sound so literal, it displays a deranged thought process.
My question is why? What's really motivating you?
Randy,
You can Texas rig a drop shot, and you can use it with “active” electronics. I fish a heavier drop shot, also called a power shot, from my kayak on the same structure that I fish a jig on (8 - 20 ft), without “active” electronics. As a jig guy, this should be an easy transition. 🤔
I agree one hundred percent. If you enjoy fishing a jig, the drop shot should be just as if not easier to fish for you. They are both bottom contact options. The only difference is that you use one on a spinning rod and one on a baitcaster (unless you are like me and you have one rigged on a spinning rod and one rigged on a finesse baitcaster).
Sounds like you don't understand the rig in general. You've pigeon-holed it as a vertical, electronics only technique. Its not at all. Its a great technique that works just about all the time.
Back in the 50's my dad used to cut strips of lead solder and drill holes through one end and make drop shot rigs . There were no drop shot worms back then but a Creme 6 inch worm worked great . I still have some of the old solder weights but they are a bit corroded now . There was no electronics back then . We just cast the lure out , let sink and start hopping it back to the boat . The solder weights were remarkably snagless .
My dad did something similar years ago to get the bait above the bottom debris ..
I love the drop shot. Worms, tubes, plastic minnows, senkos, etc. shallow, deep, etc. Fish-catching machine technique. No livescope for me.
A drop shot has caught me a ton of good fish. Always have one tied on. Catches big and small ones and works a lot of times when other baits haul water.
Same here. Can't even explain how many lures I bought and no bites. I went to using a drop shot and consistently catch bass. Caught crappie and pike as well.
Not my favorite technique either. That said, it is without a doubt a proven bait time and time again. Most recently, Brandon Palaniuk essentially won Lay Lake, but finished second due to a dead fish penalty. Brandon did most of his damage with the drop shot on bream beds. He was relying on his 360 to show him bream beds and isolated hard targets in the back of a highly pressured creek. I would argue that it takes more skill to fish a drop shot effectively, while using electronics to assist than it does to burn down a bank throwing a topwater, spinnerbait, or pitching a jig. I feel like everyone has caught up with the power fishing/bank beating game and tournament results speak for themselves with most being dominated by the use of electronics and fishing offshore.
I think that the dropshot is probably one of if not the most effective techniques at targeting fish in deep water on finesse gear. You can suspend your bait right above whatever piece of structure you are working, and if your weight gets snagged, it won't cost you too much unless you use tungsten (which I do). Plus, this rig is also remarkable for fishing up against docks. I don't think disliking a rig qualifies it as worthless.
I agree completely. It’s a pain in the ass. I fished it some and didn’t catch shit. Hated my life the whole time I was doing it. Weenee worm is a perfect term. I like big baits and I can not lie.
I do use a drop shot but not like most people do, I rig a full sized Zoom trick worm on a 2/0 hook and 1/4 oz weight at the bottom and fish it shallow around trees and grass on 20 lb braid. Not my favorite technique but it works, caught a 6.5 lb largemouth on it.
We get it, Randy. You don't like Livescope. I can respect your opinion on it being "boring". I agree. Fishing featureless water (to the naked eye), isn't a whole lot of fun, but if you're fishing tournaments for a living, and the big bite is deep....there's really no better rig to use than the drop shot. Even without electronics, you can look at a topo map, and find the high spots and flats. You don't need livescope to be a successful drop shot fisherman.
Additionally, if I'm paying thousands of dollars to fish in multiple tourneys a year, you're not going to find me flipping buck brush in July at 11am just because I enjoy it more. There's a time and a place. Save your experimentation and grinding the slow bite in the shallows for practice days or leisure outings. When you're fishing for money you gotta go where the greens are.
200 waypoints also helps hehe.
I am guessing Aaron Martins didn't have live scope 20 years ago.
I agree. I would rather fish a Carolina rig than a drop shot. There are too many techniques today in bass fishing. It becomes overwhelming in what to tie on.
C rig just as boring
Its just to keep you buying equipment and baits.
Agree with so many options for bass fishing lures. Hard to keep up with all the options and permutations. But that also makes off water time more interesting in keeping up with all the different uses of each type bait.
The Carolina rig is way worse in terms of how boring it is. And half the time, it doesn't even catch as many fish.
I won't say its worthless as you put it in the title because a lot of people use it and catch a bunch of fish on it but I don't fish it for the reasons you mentioned. And admittedly I have never fished it that much. My hats off to those that do.
We went out on the snake River a couple days ago. We caught 15 on the dark sleeper. Ran 10 miles and caught about 8 more and a thunder storm hit us. We high tailed it back to the ramp and it turned slick calm. Went back to where we started and I caught about a dozen good smallmouth on the drop shot and my partner couldn’t keep the dark. sleeper fish buttoned up. Ended the day with 42 fish. BTW, been here since the beginning. I watched every video you’ve ever made. I don’t have live scope. I am an old school clear lake flip and pitch angler. I am 58 years old and never caught so many fish in my life. I have an old tracker with a 50, 2d sonar. I am building confidence in the glide bait right now. I found smallmouth on the snake River and I don’t think they have ever seen a lure before. Cheers!
Because you don't like it doesn't make it worthless. Time to retire.
Time for you to watch another channel
Drop shot is the the best presentation on spawning fish
There are a lot of Bates I would rather throw than a drop shot, but if the fishing is slow I always have one ready to go
I enjoy fishing the drop shot and have had good success in the Upper Midwest catching Largemouth Bass on it. I'm a Senior citizen and Novice Angler, and I've caught fish on the drop shot when nothing else was working. You stated that you had caught "lots of fish" on the drop shot too. So, how does that make it the "Most Worthless Lure that Everyone Fishes?" People are fishing it because they are continuing to catch fish! I guess you just don't enjoy fishing it, wrapping the drop shot line around your rods, rigging it etc., but that doesn't make it "worthless!"
Not fishing strictly for bass so i love it. Threw my shoulder out fishing micro jigs for two seasons straight and stopped throwing my only confidence bait. Got on the best bass bite of my life the next spring with 2.8 keitechs but it died off. Discovered i could throw a downsized drop shot with the same micro finess lures i used to throw and started getting the constant bite i enjoy. Proceeded to up my pb bass multiple times mid summer on 3 inch trout worms. Then i found info from the guy who pioneered the ned rig and started fishing the light og ned heads and destroyed my pbs repeatedly for another season. Finess works for some people not for others. Commonly known as a skill issue.
The Texas Rig Can Cause You To Loose Fish Depending On How They Hit It, With The Exposed Hook On A Drop Shot Tied Correctly Basically Sets The Hook Automatically. I've Never Lost A Fish On A Drop Shot, But Lost Dozens On A Texas Rigged Fluke Or Worm. I Can Drop Shot A Fluke And Fish It Like A Glide Bait, And With The Fluke Being Elevated I Don't Worry About Getting Hung Up On Anything (Maybe The Weight But I Tie It On With An Overhand Knot So It Just Falls Off) Also The Weight Hitting The Bottom Can Attract Fish. In Heavy Cover Not An Ideal Rig But Everything Is Situational And Based On Adjustments.
I finally broke down and fished one and caught two back to back!
As a bank angler I occasionally drop shot when all I want to do is totally relax. I set up my fishing chair and kick back. I've caught several nice bass. Roboworms rock.
Randy I lay the leed line down the side of the pole and use a twist tie to hold leed line in place. Afterwards I'd put the hook in the guide legs. I've caught nice fish. I don't use sonar at all. I'd look for the birds baits and rings or boils. Then I fish it along the edge of brush and grass.
I use a dropshot on every outing. The technique catches fish; tournament quality fish.
Funny that yesterday I had the same conversation with my son. Happy the big smallmouth preference was on swimbaits jerks and wobble heads. I have no idea how a little smallmouth 15 inch and under can just tangle the heck out of a dropshot.
I absolutely LOVE fishing the dropshot. It is the most fish catching technique in fishing. I used it for years with 2D sonar but LIVESCOPE is next level. I totally DISAGREE with you.
I've cashed many of checks with the dropshot,ots absolute magic in clear water
I agree 💯. I hate fishing like that. It does catch fish but I just don’t like it. To each their own I guess
I agree totally with you
You fooled me here with a clickbait title and I completely disagree. Here’s why I think you don’t like the drop shot and why I do. It has nothing to do with electronics. I grew up without a boat and fished from docks all my life. You fished from boats all your life. It’s comfortable for me to fish relatively straight down for channel cats and panfish. You grew up casting and have a more active fishing style for bass. Now that I have a boat I have more interest in bass fishing. I can happily fish both styles and you can’t. Please stop complaining and show respect for all fishing styles. I firmly believe if you were not a seasoned elder angler you’d not have such a severe bias against those fishing with LS or vertical techniques. In fact name one angler under 25 years old who feels how you do? You’re simply the Jack Lemon, Walter Matthau grumpy old man fisherman stuck in your ways and intolerant of change.
Deep brushpiles, live scope and drop shot slays.
I’ve caught some really good small mouth of a drop shot. And didn’t use a livescope! Let me know how that works for ya on Pickwick! 🤷🏻♂️
Drop shot is way more versatile than being a small worm technique. It can be fished just like a T or C rig too except it keeps your bait off the bottom all the time. That might not be important on highland resivoirs etc that have solid bottom, but most natural lakes up north the bottom is pure mud/silt /loose sand and a T-rig/C-rig or bottom bouncing a jig is completely worthless because it either just sits/snags on matted cover in the bottom or will stir up a bunch of mud/silt and engulf your bait if theres not veg. I fish the exact same baits I would a T-rig with a dropshot/"powershot", and always use a longer straight shank hook rigged weedless, it suspends the bait were the fish can actually see it.
Respectfully disagree. My friends and I have had 50 fish days shallow areas, shallow cover no fish finder required. In So Cal sometimes it’s the ticket. But you’re still the man!
Being someone whole lives in the north east with a big river full of beautiful smallies running the length of the state 3 mins from my house I can happily say I do NOT use a drip shot ever. Flukes and spinner baits always get the job done with the occasional popper from time to time. I have tried the drop shot but feel the same way about it as I do the ned rig ; times have to be really really hard to dust off either one of those
I hate dragging jigs and drop-shotting, but I still fish ‘em when nothing else works.
I'm like you with spinnerbaits, I despise them and never fish them. On Mead drop shot is essential to making a limit sometimes. It's one of the hardest lakes to fish in the country because it's massive, deep and clear. Many pros and you tube marketers like tactical bassin avoid it because it scares them. Love your videos
Revised Title of this Video, “The Most Worthless Video Ever Made on UA-cam”
I first knew the drop-shot as the Lucky-Lucky rig. I do not recall the professional angler who developed it. I believe it was first introduced in Japan. I only recall reading about it in a Bass Master magazine sometime in 1983 o 1985. While I have caught fish with this rig
, my best fish come from jigs, deep diving crank baits, and Texas rigged plastic baits. I do enjoy your postings,keep up the good work!
It was developed in Japan but Aaron Martens ,who had been fishing it on the downlow for years , had to let the cat out of the bag when he won the 1999 Bass master event on Lake Oroville in Ca...to the best of my knowledge...
@@rdancranston Thanks for the information, I did fish with it and did quite well with it.
Yeah its one of those techniques that I hate to love and love to hate fishing it but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do!...tight lines!
@@rdancranston Back at you, will be on Lake George NY this weekend and through the week.
Good point Randy... Shaky head zoom trick worm is my go to fineness then a drop shot.
You can't beat a drop shot with a baby brushhog... green pumpkin
Is that for largemouth or smallmouth
Drop shot is just another tool in the arsenal when they are deep on bottom feeding on minnows size 1 ewg with Yamamoto shad shape worm texas rig it.Bend hook up slightly 1/4 weight short leader 10 inches below bait and 1/0 ewg 7inch robo worm Texas rig 1/4 ounce weight leader 3 or 4 inches below the tail. Caught many giant bass on both It dosen't snag drag on bottom throw in wood or grass on beds deep or shallow it's killer.
You don't know how to fish a drop shot if you think it's limited to vertical fishing. I very rarely fish it vertically. The hook isn't exposed on a drop shot, see Aaron Martens video on nose hooking lures. And yes you can T-rig it. A drop shot blurs the line between a moving bait and a non moving bait, its both. Power shotting is clearly a technique you've never tried.
I have zero bow electronics on my boat and mainly fish the river/oxbow slews. Still catch the hell out of fish on a DS rig. I sat in one spot on the Alabama river and caught 80 bass. Wouldn't say i was fishing it "traditionally". I rigged it up with a 16" leader, and a 4" grub and basically fished it like a swinghead jig. Slow retrieve with the weight dragging the bottom. The bass absolutely destroyed it every cast it came by the piece of cover they were stacked on. Wouldn't bite a crank, wouldn't bite a jig, big worm, topwater, spinnerbait, swimbait, nothing. Even after the school got fired up. But they smoked the DS for over an hour.
Were those largemouths you were catching?
Totally agree! Weight wraps around leader. Then the bass begins flopping, hassle not worth it imo.
I would say worthless and not liking something is 2 completely different things man... I feel pretty much the same way you do about the technique because I do everything I can to keep from having to use it but at the same time I've caught fish on it when I couldn't buy a bite on anything else.
But you clicked on the video, didn't you?
There's a reason he named the video with the word "worthless." (Click, Click, Click). He got me 😂 But DS is absolutely lethal and catches fish which is...FUN!
Agreed, i do not fish the drop shot. If they won’t bite anything other than the drop shot. I will just load up and head to the gun range and target practice. I don’t even love the Ned Rig, but i will do it for a hour or two and then wrap up the day.
It’s different for everyone depending on what you are fishing and how you fish. For me it’s a square bill crank bait. I bought a rod specifically for them, I have a box full of them, yet I can count on 1 hand how many fish I’ve caught on it. Drop shot is lights out for me love it. I put it on a light action rod which is way to light but so fun.
I like catching them on whatever they want to bite. Drop Shot, C-Rig, Jig, swimbait, doesn't matter to me.
I don't use the weight, I find a hole in the lily pads and drop my worm, not a traditional "drop shot" but it gets tons of action in the right place. Pond hopping is the best drop shot.
Drop shot is like teaching your kid to fish perch with a cork
I have several tackle boxes I would prefer to throw BUT over the last few yrs, I honed my DS technique and catch LMBs and trout at my local reservoir. It is a technique that would just lead to snags and break-offs but over time learned how to reach farther out from the bank to find the fish. Different anglers and situations call for different techniques and equipment; all part of the fishing experience. 😀
We've had our disagreements and debates on other issues, but not this one. I'm with you 100%.
I would ABSOLUTELY change your mind and perspective if you seen how i apply it, why, where, and reason it came about, ect. And i firmly believe it would work anywhere in the country catching tanks others cant catch!
Are you fishing for largemouth? If so could you fill me in on some of your tips and baits?
hey Randy, I do agree with you on the vertical DS presentation. However, lately I, fish, my DS casting. I’ll do that in place of the shaky head. And I rig it weedless by using a small 1/0EWG hook. That allows me to, fish, Robo and other finesse worms.
Hi Randy, Thank You so much ! I agree with everything you say ! Part of competing is to have fun in a tournament !
I would think catching fish in a tournament would be more fun than not catching.
I love drop shot !! We all know how much you hate livescope , but you can catch a ton of fish on it and you don't need real fancy electronics
I love how you say you’re one of the first. You need to specify, My grandad was catching catfish on a drop shot 75 years ago.
Great Lakes drop shot is unstoppable. Old Randolph is right about it being a pain in the ass to use, but it's highly effective on Lake Ontario when combined with Livescope. Easy to use, hard to master for most people.
I'm the weirdo that likes to dropshot. Great when the water is very clear or very cold.
😄 I hear you Randy!! I couldn't agree anymore! 😄 This had me laughing out loud. I don't and won't weenie worm. Ever! Your my favorite fisherman to watch off all time. God bless
Ive seen people come in our local lake throwing spinnerbaits, cranks, chatters, buzzbaits, texas rig worms and not get one bite. Then i come in with my drop shot worm rigged weedless from the bank and get bites like crazy. But i understand the rig is a pain and my weight is always wrapping around my rod constantly, theres def pros and cons!
I've come across a rig/setup that works so well for me and when I go fishing with my one buddy, he's always like - why aren't you fishing your lure, man?!?! Because it's boring and it's not fun. I want to use lures that are fun to fish and what has helped make that possible is a finesse version of any lure, say a spinnerbait. If I can't get bit on a normal size, I drop down to a finesse version so I'm not forced to fish the boring presentation always. I would say BFS here, but it's not always imperative to go that extreme.
I use a drop shot as a second rod. I stick in on my rod holder, drop it down 10 feet while I fish my other rod. I continue to catch 5 to 7 pounder every day out. The fish hook themselves with an open hook. Randy you are missing out.
If your tournament fishing for money it doesn't matter if you want to fish a drop shot. If thats what wins you 1st place then thats the deal
I don’t care what it takes to catch them, I would much rather catch them than not.
I agree, Randy. Hate the dropshot. Cumbersome, weird, takes forever to setup, snags on everything, not fun to fish with, and I just don't understand why people use it.
Sometimes your dislike of electronics leaves you closed minded.I use a drop shot interchangably with a Texas rig as a search bait.If I find that vegetation is so thick my texas rigs are useless I will switch to a drop shot to get my bait out of the muck and fish it just like texas rig.
Power shot is an incredible lure up shallow and a drop shot works great on deep points! It’s a tool that’s not used every day but far from useless.
I like the Tokyo rig which is similar but you can use a bait caster easier.
@@cross_fire_ good point I haven’t used the Tokyo rig in a while. Only downside with that is not being able to change the leader length for longer grass
@@FullTimeFishing very true, I usually only use it on Rocky bluff walls for smallmouth. Another negative is it’s so heavy and connected that the fish can jump and come off pretty easily. I’ve lost a 5-6lb smallie and almost broke my rod.
@@cross_fire_ I know it does pretty well in sparse grass as well
LOL. Randy, for probably 2 years I have not fished a drop shot once in a tourney or practice. Until about a month ago. I too hate a dropshot, for storing in rods, the sinker comes off unless you tie it on instead of clipping it on.... and then when you fight a bigger fish or a fish jumps and thrashes they fling that weight and it can pull the hook out. I don't like it....Until about a month ago. KY lake tourney. Day 1 I caught a decent limit on keitechs and jigs. It was rainy and nasty, bite was good. Day 2 bluebird skies, post frontal the bite died. I caught 2 fish very early and then could not get bit for anything. I went up north on land between lakes side and found some bluffy walls. I used a finesse jig and other things, no bites. Then I put on a dropshot and started catching smallmouth and I ended up in the money at end of day. so a dropshot saved my tourney....like you said it can and does catch fish, but goodness it is a boring dumb technique.
Just won my 2nd event here in the CA foothills! 17+ with a 10.19 B/F! Every fish weighed in on d-s!! Just saying, not my favorite technique but an absolute must!!
Bet your competitors are thanking you.
Ive never fished a drop shot rig but ive sure seen guys catch fish on them. rubber band around rod handle to catch your weight was the tip i got.
Randy, I feel you 200%, it’s not my cup of tea either. I’d rather be using a crank bait and feel like I’m doing something instead of using the drop shot technique and feel like I could be using my fishing time more wisely and productively. I don’t get enthusiastic about it. People who use the technique and do get a lot of fish have a valid point on insisting on it, hey if it makes them happy…just not my thing.
Hi Randy. I agree with you. Early on, I was only catching fish with drop shots, but started catching more bass later by casting curly tail grubs and underspins. The latter is much more fun, but the former may catch more fish. It's a catch 22. Love your (non-rant) content!
Your missing out Randy. Try a big hair jig 3/8 black pair it with a 1/ 8 hair jig .drag it in cold clear water.no hop no shake. DRAG AND PAUSE. Smallies love it.
i get what you're saying but i respectfully disagree. as a bank fisherman in pressured california waters there are very few baits that will consistently get bites on certain days. no electronics, just fishing it off rip rap banks, bed fishing, dropoffs, anything. caught a lot of littles and some bigs. it's not my preferred method but i guarantee you one of my rods is going to have one tied on 100% of the time. i'll always try moving baits and topwaters and all kinds of things but some days after all that doesn't work, it's still nice to get some bites.
also, you can absolutely texas rig it. a size 1 straight shank hook with a palomar knot works just fine. roboworms are the best.
This time I have to disagree with you....I caught a lot of big bass on a drop shot when other things were not working. I'm from upstate NY and if you don't use a drop shot, your behind the group most of the time. And no I don't have a live scope.....
I agree, couldn't tell you the last time I used a drop shot
Don’t know why but I love it. Love the Carolina rig and the weightless worm too. Guess it’s because I’m a bank fisherman at heart.
Hates the drop shot, has two career tournament wins. Makes perfect sense
I’ve been the same way , I like the idea that you can kinda work your bait right in the target some really well, but I don’t wanna be tying it on and worried about snags, there are some things I like about it, but if I was using it I’d be just casting in spots I think look good, no live scoping here, takes the mystery and excitement out of getting on some big fish
I can't even explain how many bass I've caught this spring with the drop shot (bank fishing) Yes, you can texas rig it, I do it all the time.
You can Texas rig a drop shot btw
I use it just like a Texas rig or split shot rig. I don’t use it in conjunction with lives scope. I think it’s a little fish bait here (spotted bass)
I live in ohio and dont use electronics, the dropshot and nedrig are some of the best techniques i have
I totally agree Randy. While it catches fish, a drop shot is not a fun way to fish. Yesterday I just thinking and hoping I don’t have to start drop shooting to catch them.
Idk why people don’t build their own rods. Or just add a hook keeper where you want it. Hook keeper, thread and epoxy. Total of 10 bucks and you have a ton of epoxy left over. You can take off any hook keeper and put it where you want to/replace it
I couldn’t agree more, I always have one tied up but pretty much just refuse to throw it! Thanks as always Randy 🎣
I don’t like it, but I like it better than not catching ‘em.
Yeah, I tune out the Northern swing tournaments from a spectator stand point
Caught a limit today on said dropshot
Lol that's so funny I wanted to watch this video cuz I was thinking he better not say drop shot LOL. So funny my cousin enters tournaments all the time and whenever me and him go out fishing for the day I always use a drop shot and I always out fish him LOL he tries to talk me into all-day by using a different rig and I never switch and not once has he ever out fished me. Drop-shot always prevails LOL. Specifically roboworm with chartreuse tail or Berkley flatworms.
I don’t agree but I respect your opinion on it. Everyone has their preferences. I don’t like frog fishing. I know how and I’ve caught them but it’s a pain in my butt and I’d prefer catching them using a different method. Love your content! Tight lines!
there are some ways most angler just are not willing to fish that’s not the drop shot for me but i get it randy!
Drop shot is a staple in CA it’s key in deep clear reservoirs
We slay on Sydney Lanier, 4-5 pound spots still eat it. Of course I am using an eight inch worm with a 1/2 ounce tungsten weight, more like power shot.
Absolutely agreed! I tried it exactly once & its the dumbest thing ever. Where I fish is shallow & vegetation filled and using light line is not recommended. A very annoying rig to deal with. There are so many techniques that catch bass and the reason many fisherman waste too much time fishing every technique known to man instead of focusing on a couple of techniques. Mikey Balzz calls it ‘noodle dicking’ which is the best name ever for it
What lure do you use dropshot for largemouth?
RANDY, I’m with you!!! I can’t stand to fish this way. I don’ have the equipment for it and am not going to start buying what is needed to do so!!! I catch enough good to huge fish the way I fish now so I do not wish to switch methods now!! I also agree with you on The FF Sonar, and do not think that at 76 years old I need to spend all that money on something that isn’t necessary!!! Great video and one that I AGREE with!!!!!!!!?
Fish what you like and have fun with it! I don't use live scope, and I don't drop shot either.
I agree completely with this , down here it’s a catfish rig , lol lol
I have to agree... I carry dropshot supplies every time I fish, just in case I'm getting skunked and desperate... But even then, I find myself thinking "Yeah, I'm getting skunked, and yeah, I could rig up a dropshot and probably catch some fish... But do I really want to rig and fish a dropshot? Not really".
I agree 100%, I hate fishing a drop shot too! I won't do it, don't even carry drop shot equipment in my boat.