Technical drop-shot skills placed him in the winner's seat at the 2016 Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship on Mille Lacs in Minnesota last September. It provides adequate hook gap and is subtle enough to not hinder bait movement. Sand bottoms, for example, create a uniform sensation, while rocky bottoms create taps. Not sure which would be the best. However, I will turn to an EWG style hook when using certain soft plastic creature baits. This model is designed to be as versatile as possible. "I could put action on it without pulling it away from a boulder. I can put more tension on them without moving the sinker when pitching the rig shallow. When hes targeting smallmouth in open water with smaller drop-shot lures, he ties on, Some smallmouth prefer big lures, even on a drop shot. Here is what a drop shot rig includes: The mainline attaches to the finesse hook, while a leader is attached from the finesse hook to the weight. Craws? Give a Gift You can post now and register later. I will throw this into brush without any concerns. Gamakatsu EWG Offset Worm Hook 2. Display as a link instead, Smallmouth bass can often be hard to target purely because they are less predictable than largemouth. A top hook choice for nose-hooking is a drop shot hook like a number 2 Gamakatsu drop shot/split shot hook. Make a long cast and shake the rig while it's way above bottom. I'm glad you asked this question. Gustafson keeps the movements of his rod tip short, too. See the example magazine labels below. Gustafson is intimately familiar with smallmouth, a two-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier, and recent Elite Series winner. Upload or insert images from URL. It's not ordinary table saltit was selected for ballast. These hooks are typically used with soft plastic worms and rigged at the front of the bait where the hook is typically exposed. I know it works, but most of my rivers around here are very fast current and I feel more confident with the other techniques i talked about. Membership for the information you have provided. Gustafson said it should effortlessly release at the proper instant, keeping your line from breaking while battling a giant smallmouth. I always use 1/2-ounce weights to keep the lure right where I want it. A drop shot is one of my favorite finesse fishing techniques and is one that I think every angler should be using. It's a bulky 3-inch softbait. #1 July 20, 2012, 03:02:27 PM You'd be surprized what you can catch on a small hook. link to How Often Should You Change Fishing Line? While nearly any spinning reel will work with a drop shot, Gustafson has uncovered a few characteristics that are well suited to the technique. They just give the best bottom feel and look the best, in my opinion, he said. Your BASS member number is the 9-digit number that appears on your Bassmaster Magazine label. If spotted (the importance of clear water), smallies will often make the mission to come and eat. Do you have any recommendations on finesse football jig heads for rage menaces and other craws? I have used them and they can work just fine. While most of the drop shots dominance can be credited to the rig itself, it has had some help along the way. However, I prefer the hooks mention in this article. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Not a 1/0? But there are times when its very effective. Favorite colors: Aaron' Magic, Morning Dawn, Baby Bluegill and Pumpkin Purple Favorite rig: Nose-hooked and waky rigged with a No.1 Gamakatsu G-Finesse Drop Shot Hook 2. If they can eat the bait, they will also get the hook. Dont overthink it, River smallies are generally very aggressive and will take a shot at most baits if presented correctly. Improved electronics, for example, allow anglers to find, follow and catch open-water smallmouth with GPS, mapping, and scanning. We may earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you. I saw Gamakatsu makes one as well. ", He adds that working extremely slowly with light line eliminates negative cues. Something went wrong while submitting the form. "When given slack, some worms spiral down," Swendseid says. "Drop-shotting is more versatile than most anglers think. The longer shank on the VMC Neko sticks in the roof of its mouth, so landing percentage is second to none. ", Martens uses a range of weights, generally with 6-pound Sunline Sniper Fluorocarbon. The drop-shot has evolved, too. Eagle Claw Aberdeen 3. I've used the VMC Spin Shot style hooks and now changed to the 1/0 Octopus/Drop Shot hooks. Drop shots will catch fish year-round and can be rigged with various soft plastics baits. Catching smallmouth on a drop shot is an incredibly satisfying feeling and if you get good at it, you're guaranteed to get hooked. Have the latest bass fishing insights and tackle reviews delivered straight to your inbox. When fishing a drop shot for smallmouth bass you can't go wrong with having a roboworm tied on. Hook sizes vary wildly between manufacturers and even withina single manufacturer's lines. I also use floating worms so that helps alot to. You can also do something called "Power Shot" which is using a drop shot on a BC set up. Denser than lead, tungsten sinkers of equal weight are smaller in size. Every detail influences the outcome. Learn particular techniques and you'll find the same hook that you'd use for LM, will be the same hook used for SM. When anglers shake a worm they move the weight. Just keep in mind that the smaller you go, the harder time you will have landing fish once they are hooked.. It handles better. I hired a VERY reputable guide on Lake Fork on more than one occasion and we have used the drop shot almost exclusively in some cases. Can you use octopus hooks for drop shot? his favorite choice is Strike King Dream Shot rigged on a #1 size Owner circle hook. When I say terminal tackle, I mean the hook and the weight. All reviews of casting and spinning rods for bass fishing, All reviews of casting and spinning reels for bass fishing, Reviews of braid and fluorocarbon fishing line for bass fishing, Buyer's guides developed to help you buy fishing tackle that suits your needs, A variety of charts and guides designed to help you get more fish in the boat. These hooks are also designed to be paired with Roboworms, Zoom Baits, Strike King KVD Dream Shots, and other popular soft plastics for drop shot fishing. I overthink things, take too much stuff (4 to 5 rods and tons of tackle). The smaller hooks let the bait act more natural and you still get a good hook up. It has a goby profile, but its small enough to be a finesse bait as well simply, he said. Ill use this to rig any craw/creature/worm I want to have bottom contact. #1, 1/0, and 2/0 are the only real sizes youll need for smallmouth, unless you are really finesse fishing with a drop shot or ned rig. While weve tested many brands, nothing compares to Gamakatsu. Toggle navigation. It's one of his favorite techniques all season long, but the spring can bring awesome strikes and battles. Choosing the right drop shot hook and size can make a big difference and will help you catch and land more fish. But when he fishes a drop shot, he wants a short one. For swimbaits and grubs I will usually use a darterhead or just a regular ball head jig. As for wacky rigging I rarely do it in rivers. Trapper Tackle Finesse Hook: https://goo.gl/93mX57I love reviewing new and innovative products that come to the bass fishing world. Hopefully this helps you choose the best possible size for a drop shot hook! A big mistake that I see people making [while drop-shotting] is they want to shake their rod violently all the time, he said. There are just way too many advantages.. The hook is critical, too. Great Lakes walleye legend Ross Robertson talks about hook selection for different applications when building and pulling crawler or minnow harness rigs. In my experience these two sizes are the most versatile and are ones that I find myself using the majority of the time while fishing a drop shot. He likes 3/8- to 3/4-ounce round "cherry bomb" sinkers to target rocks in 25 feet or more. Small, finesse-style hooks are used for drop shot fishing. "The only time I use round sinkers is for bed fishing. If you continue to have trouble please contact customer service at 877-BASS-USA. Please renew your membership here.We cannot find an active B.A.S.S. To find out why, keep reading. From the opening post the OP is new to bass fishing and a general question regarding soft plastic hook sizes. In short the best drop shot hook to use is either a mosquito light hook when nose hooking or wacky rigging your drop shot baits or the owner cover shot when Texas rigging your baits for when you are fishing around cover and structure. If I took the smallmouth fishing more seriously I would probably bring a dobyns 733c with me for somewhat larger baits, but Im pretty successful with only bringing one bass rod. However, in most cases I recommend using a straight shank hook for bigger baits and a nose style hook when fishing with soft plastic worms. I dropped it right past any bass I spotted on my 1199 Humminbird, then kept it there on a tight line, shaking a little to make sure the fish hadn't already bit. That provides enough material for a retie or two and enough distance between his braid and lure to fool wary smallmouth swimming in crystal clear water. Using an exposed nose hook on your drop shot fishing setup increases your chances at hooking and landing a biting fish and gives your bait some great action. The most commonly used sizes for a drop shot rig are a size #2 and size #1. I've used # 4. Impaled lightly on a #8 short-shank hook above a 1/4-ounce sinker, baits like these can be ideal for crappies, bluegills, and big perch. Most of the time I like a #2. Gustafsons choice for drop-shotting is 8-pound test Power Pro. Ive been using Flat Out Tungsten weights over the past couple of years, and they are nice because you can tie them on. They feature an open loop attached to a swivel, which cuts down on line twist. Subscribe to the free Weekly BassResource newsletter. I know you said to not overthink it, haha but I always do and that's part of my problem. This guide will discuss the best drop shot hooks and the qualities to look for. Lee's fat limits were a blend of both smallmouth and largemouth, but his choice of lures centered on one primary technique - drop shotting. "The rod tip must bend easily," Feider says. . Please. If I'm going to target bass between 2-5 pounds what size drop shot hook would you use. All Rights Reserved. I also get in trouble trying to use a bone breaking hook-set on them the way u might a largemouth in cover. Its extra length and deeper body require a larger straight-shank hook such as Gamakatsus G-Finesse worm hook. Braid just resists twisting, he said. ", Martens uses 6-inch Roboworm Straight Tails and 4-inch Alive Shads. Dart -n- Minnow (Cash Custom Lures) I always size my hooks to the bait I am using. And it's subtle. He paced the field with a three-day total exceeding 76 poundsover a 5-pound average. News:Forum updated, problems HERE if you see any! Some smallmouth prefer big lures, even on a drop shot. I've used # 4. That's what makes a drop-shot what it ismaintaining lure placement precisely on a key spot.". Due to the light weight and diminutive size of a Ned Rig, spinning tackle is a must. New drop shot hooks feature swivels and can make rigging a little easier and more streamlined. Most of the time I will use a 1/8th or 1/4 oz head depending on depth and current. Gustafson said, catching more smallmouth on a drop shot still starts with finding them. I like to use a 1/0 when I'm fishing thicker baits. He used a a finesse worm on a 3/0 or 4/0 straight shank round bend worm hook and we SLAUGHTERED the bass. Martens and Kota Kiriyama are advocates of this technique, but there are other approaches. Nose hooks are slightly curved, which keeps your bait secure and improves hook-up ratios. I often use offset-shank hooks, which allow me to tuck the point in the body. His choice is G. Loomis lightweight and ultra-sensitive, Gustafson said finding all of these characteristics in one reel may require stepping up a model or two. Bigger is often better when jig fishing. The added backbone will help with taking up more line, faster. The tip has to be fast but very light and flexible, giving to the least amount of pressure. set the hook. He adds a fluorocarbon leader of equal or lesser pound test, depending on conditions, with an FG knot. Weight size depends on the depth of water you are fishing and the wind conditions. Rig higher when pitching or casting, go short when fishing vertically. Another unique hook is the Blakemore StandOut, which has an R-bend where the knot's tied, leading to an eye on an extended shank. Your submission has been received! But that doesnt mean you should tie on a 1-ounce one and be done with it. Also, what ball jig head for Keitechs? When fishing with a weedless drop shot rig, a stronger hookset is required to pull the hook through the bait. "I agree with Sethuse a heavy sinker for the purpose of not moving the lure," Swendseid says. Strike King's Cut-R Worm is a favorite among bass anglers and bass alike--it looks great underwater and is easy to rig and retrieve. Want to disguise your fishing line? As you head north, the chances are youre going to start coming across more systems that hold Smallmouth Bass. When Gustafson reaches into his Lunds locker, he usually grabs a rod a bit longer than average 7 feet or more. You want to impart action without moving the sinker. I know there are other finesse footballs on the market, cant remember the brands but Ive used a few off of TW that have been great. Here, we will talk about one of the most effective ways to target this species - the drop shot. Mustad Ultrapoint KVD Series 4. Jacob Powroznik shares some of his drop shot secrets. The Owner 5133 Down Shot Hook has a weedless design thats not traditionally used for drop shot fishing. Just keep in mind that the smaller you go, the harder time you will have landing fish once they are hooked. If you use [those], you just lose [your weight] every time you hook a big smallmouth, and it jumps, Gustafson said. Many of the big fish I caught were completely full. Apparently the time taken to assists other pros with their drop shot rigs is no hindrance to Powroznik he won that tournament in which he helped Crochet, and hes sitting near the top of the leaderboard this morning on St. Clair. That's the key to proper action on a drop-shot. Often, when nothing else is working, the drop shot will get the job done., These two are almost a match made in heaven. If they are biting like crazy, bump your hook size up a little and give yourself the best possible chance of landing fish, you may as well if they are going to be biting anyway! The chances are you may be using a heavier weight as well, especially if youre fishing deep, A fast action is very important with any drop shot rig. Lee says brown/purple is hard to beat for a worm color. It is over whelming with the nearly endless hook styles and types bass anglers use for soft plastics everyone has thier opinion, so here is mine; the hook gap is the distance between the hook shank and hook point across the bend opening. Its density and strategically injected salt produce a keel effect. Its a hook designed for nose-hooking baits, he said. This does not alter the price you pay in any way. A Palomar is the most popular knot for attaching a hook to a drop-shot rig. Thats a critical frustration reducer considering the lightweight lines employed with todays drop-shot rigs. We'll be back shortly. I've caught some 4-6 pounders in the brush using this combo. It will likely last me the rest of my career.. I fished in 8 to 15 feet of water and saw . Lets get started.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'tiltfishing_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_4',108,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-tiltfishing_com-medrectangle-4-0'); When you walk down the aisle at your local tackle shop youll notice that there are what seems like an endless amount of different hook options. Feider wacky-rigged cigar-style worms to win the Bassmaster event on Mille Lacs. Leave the 10/0 hooks for the musky. Pro bass angler Bryant Smith shares a simple and effective trick to keep your line under the radar. Other anglers have employed trout or panfish rods, which . ", Casting brings in the importance of angles.
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