islandbass

Denn, I'll have to give those pups a try. I also like the 18" placement as my starting length when working it via a long cast.

Rod: 7' Lamiglas Certified Pro Drop Shot Special Rod 1/8 - 3/8 oz 4-10 lb test Alconite Guides Reel Size 20 Rapala 6Sxi spinning reel Line 6# SeaGuar Invizx To be honest, it is not a fair fight for the bass when I wield this rig. ;D

Great idea! Here is my son fishing last Friday. Every time he snags up, he laughs and says it's a little fishy. Here's a shot of my daughter and nephew. Taking kids fishing for me is just as fun as fishing solo. The real reward for you who takes them is their smiles they give you whether or not they catch fish.

The senkos in the 3" size (thinner than the fatter 5 inchers) kick fanny for the drop shot. to the contrary. I know because I have caught a lot of bass with them when my typical finesse type worms as descirbed by Avid aren't t working for me. In addition, Avid's tip on how to work the bait has been the major source of my success this year. Drop shotting is not exclusive to a wiggle and jiggle it to death action. I think that this is where newbies perceive to be the main way to work it and hence a probable cause to limited success. While the latter can work, I can say that the vast majority of hook ups have come from the former mixed in with a little bit of bead sticking. Don't get me wrong because I love fishing with baits that float such as the roboworm and my awesome sniper snubs. However, with that said, one big plus of the smaller senkos vs. the baits that float is that they sink. Because they sink it is much easier to work my slack line and seems to be more enticing to more active bass. The floating worm while also excellent will suspend even on the slack line and it doesn't sink too much if at all. With a sinking bait I know it is falling and a slight move to the side or raise of the tip is all I need to do. I love to experiment with drop shotting. I have added a rattle to the weight to fish it in murkier, less clear water at times and I won't hestiate to try any plastic that has a chance. Baby brush hogs, tubes, and senkos have all worked for me in addition to the typical drop shot worm. A good sensitive rod does help and so does using the lightest line you can get away with based on the cover faced. A Lamiglas Certified Pro Rod, 6# Seaguar Invizx mated to a Size 20 Rapala 6Sxi spinning reel is a Bass Nailin', Drop Shot machine. Just don't give up. Take it from an angler who can attribute to over 40 bass caught on the drop shot in a number of outings that can be counted with two hands, and from the shore to boot. Largemotuh and Smallmouth have succumbed the most, but so have trout, squaw, (a local trout looking fish), trout, and even perch! This is not to brag on my part, but to illustrate the effectiveness of the Drop Shot technique, even from the bank and for a variety of fish. Now go get 'em!

There was an article in Bassmaster with Rick Clunn who said that part of the equation is attitude. You have got to flush out all negativity so your mind can be clear and focus on fishing for those bass. It seemed like a weird article but almost every time I've gone out, I've caught something and if I don't I say I'll get them next time. There might be something to this positive thinking and this is coming from someone who use to think I was going to home skunked every time because I am relegated to the bank. No go get them!

Absolutely. I have had major success rigging both ways. Let the fish tell you. Sometimes when the standard mose hook isn't working, I re-rig the same bait wacky and BAM! Done deal. Don't be afraid to experiment with the drop shot. You can even add a rattle if you want to aid fishing murkier water or with the right rod and line, drop shot in heavier cover with a baitcast reel. The possibilities are nearly endless as they are with other techniques. Good luck!

To know that answer would make fishing easier. I think color can make a difference at times but not always. I think the activity level of the bass is a key. The more active and willing they are to strike, I have noticed it really didn't matter what color I threw. Then in some cases, the same colored crankbait gets me one catch and not another for any other casts for the rest of the day. Go figure.

RW pretty much covered it. Also, they can sometimes nudge at a bait and not get caught up on the trebles. It happened to me three times and I saw it all three times. Don't ask me how but I witnessed a trout peck in the middle of my rapala DT inbetween the bottom and rear treble. I felt the bump. It smacked quickly and did a 180 and never touched a treble. A smallie did the exact same thing to me at another lake and and largie too. They didn't open there mouths. They just pecked it. It seem more of a defensive move or curiosity verses an agreesive "I'm going to suck it down" mode. Dumbfounded, but it happened. Also rapala baits in one type I don't worry about the stock hooks. They are excellent from the get go.

It is one of the toughest and best monos I have used to date. One of the best things I like about it is that IMHO, is seems to resist acquiring memory longer than any other mono I have tried. I have used 10, 12 and 20# tests. Excellent mono.

Please do tell more about the Dobyns. I would like to know what you think of that rod. Thanks!

I too prefer ML, but I have used M and MH depending on the conditions. If your surroundings allow it, bump up to at least 6'8" or better yet 7' for rod length. The extra length will give you more leverage and line control, two big pluses in my drop shot book. I use a Lamiglas drop shot special rod, but I've used my bro's 6'6" mh compre. Even though it was a two piece, it worked quite well.

That is NOT a deal. It's a steal!!! ;D You scored big. The symetre IMHO is one of the best bangs for the buck and you did it for $20 less. Congrats!

I went fishing with my wife's uncle and he outfished me (we weren't competing) 2.5 fish to 1. When I set up my drop shot rig and realized I missed a guide (arrrrgh!!), he had already nailed three decent bass with live earthworms (weightless) in the span it took me to set up the rig. It took me that long because I was watching him in awe and all the line slipped off the guides!! He nailed his first 15 bass this way and then when that bite died he switched to a yellow rooster tail and proceed to nail another 15 bass. I caught on after that and tied on a home made inline spinner and started nailing them myself. Yee hah!!!!! Practically every cast was a hit and it inspired me to make some inlines when I got home. I guess my point or what I realized is that sometime we get caught up in the latest and greatest baits and we discount or forget the effectiveness and simplicity of some baits we probably started fishing with. I will be sending these homemade inlines to a Iraq for our troops who go fishing there. I know it is not much but it is the least I think that I can do. Inline spinners - Big bass class for sure and they should work on other species too. This is one of my "Patriot" inline spinners. Red and blue bucktail on top of White feathers. May it find our troops some fish over there! If I told you the number of bass he caught, no one here would believe me. And he did it all with two ugly sticks, one of which was an ultralight, and two abu g spinning reels. It was the best fishing day ever in my life. Thanks! -ib

Thanks! I also use Seaguar Invizx at 6# myself. I use theose octopus hooks for my salmon fishing in rivers and they seem realy close in design to the split shot/drop shot hooks I use for drop shotting in size 1,2,or 4. Although they are getting harder to find, I like the tear drop shaped weights that are made locally in my area or cylindrical ones if I can't find the former.

You hit the nail on the head with that "U" shaped curve. 8-) I had gotten into a smallie/dropshot fix when I started this season, and I had completely forgotten about my ul rig. It's coming with me the next time out. Never caught a smallie on the ul rig. It should be awesome.

Thank GOD there's someone else in the same boat as me with Spinnerbaits. I can't stand them, yet I still have them for some reason. Thank you Matt, you made my day! Man, I was too embarrassed to mention it. Spinnerbaits are at the top of my "lures that don't do jack for me," list. The weird thing is that I catch them on inline spinners, homemade ones to boot. But if my life depended on a bass caught on a spinnerbait, I'd be pushing daisies in not time flat. :-[ Then again, I hardly throw them and haven't take the time to learn to use them effectively. I even caught fish on the flying lure!!! Come on, spinnerbaits, give me a break! ;D

If you're fighting them in open water and cover isn't an issue, 8# line should be just fine. Since the rod is rated for 8# test it should also be able to protect it. The reel's drag will have to be up to snuff though. To give you some perspective, there are folks in my area that land 30 plus lb King Salmon on 6# test. Have fun and go get 'em!

I too have discovered the joys of UL fishing. I use a 7' Okuma rod and a $30 abu Garcia 101a cardinal reel. I love watching the rod absorb the shock of bigger fish as it bends along its curve to protect the light line. It is so cool.

When I am done for the day, I attach the hook to the rod's hookkeeper and take off the weight. They have those velcro thingies to hold the weight, but I am too cheap to grab a piece of velcro. ;D

For that price, any of Shimano's at $59. I think it is the sahara and/or spirex. The Symetre, which is what I have is just $20 more. You can also find on EBay the Rapala sxi6 for about $30-40. I have the size 20 version of this reel and use it as my drop shot reel.

It is not likely but possible if the can rule out the other items, but how are you casting? Are you using a very quick snap/whip cast. That combined with a heavier lure might snap the line as result of some serious shock to the line. Like I said, not too likely but it is possible. Because braid doesn't stretch much, it would rather snap when under great shock because there isn't much give. Just a thought. I am leaning however toward a bad batch myself. Such as you have described I have not yet experienced with ppro.

I also use the Palomar with my FC line and have not experience any trouble with it. I also make the effort to be careful and not careless when tying it. I also use 6# SeaGuar invizx and have been fishing rip rap the times I have been out. The beauty of this line is that it makes freeing snags a heck of a lot easier than my rig with 30# braid. ;D As for tips, I will add: 1) Drop Shotting isn't all about wiggling and jiggling the bait to death. This tactic has accounted for the least of my strikes. I find it more effective to work the semi-slack in the line to give the lure motion and life and/or deadsticking.

For the rod, the Shimano Compre is $89.99. There are a number of rods in the Compre Line up that fit that bill. For the reel, a Shimano symetre can be had for just $9 more. This is the same rod/reel set up I told my newbie brother to get as his first rig based on his budget, except I recommended to him the MH as a 2-piece (one of his requirements). They have one piece rods too. Good luck!

I have used it a couple of times but nothing yet. I have used Nitro's Crawdad gel and CB's Hawg Suace and these two have been getting me into some fish. With that said, it just might boil down to a confidence thing. Whether or not the scents helped in actuality I am not certain, but it seems to be working and I don't want to fix something that isn't broken. ;D

Not in any particular order 1) Roboworm 4 1/2" Aarons' Magic or Baby bluegill, brown 2) RE Flirts - green and rainbow trout like 3) Sniper Snubs These have been the most effective this season. I won't hesitate to put on any plastic as a DS bait if I thought it would work.