Suggested length of FC to create the drop-shot rig components?

[SpokaneDude]

I am attempting to make my own drop-shot-rigs;  That said, I'm using braided line (Sufix 832 20#) and Seraguar 10lb FC to create the Drop-shot-rigging itself.  I fish from shore 90% of the time.
My question is:  what should be the suggested "total" length of the FC  part of the rig?
I assume that if the water is deeper than the shore the necessary needed length will be taken up by the braided line, but what would be a good general purpose length for this method of setting up the rig?
 

Edited April 29 by SpokaneDude
clarification

[Bird]

I never let the connecting knot get into the spool.

It limits knot contact with the guides allowing better casting. Imo

More specifically, 

My leaders are 6 ft in length.

[SpokaneDude]

Thank you for your time; EXACTLY what I was looking for!  I kept vacillating between 4', 6' and back to 3'....  I'll try 6' and see how it goes... at least now I have a decent range to work with...

[Munkin]

My leader is shorter because I suck at braid to floro knots. Size 4.5 guides don't have a lot of room for knots.

 

Allen 

[WRB]

You can make the “leader” length as long or short as you want. Spinning tackle the knot to leader goes through guides an onto the reel spool with no issues.

Casting reels the leader knot going onto the spool or micro guides can cause a problem so the knot located between the reel. Leader length between first guide and reel is a common set up.

From shore the drop shot rig isn’t as effective (imo) as a slip shot (finesse C-rig) using mono line as it stays off the bottom better then FC. Use soft plastics that float and light wire hooks like Owner #5133.

Drop shot weight to hook length should be increase when shore fishing about 12” to 18” to compensate for bottom slope.

Tom

 

[WRB]

No reason to pre make drop shot leaders. Just make up a new leader when the leader gets to shot from re tying using a spool of line.

If you have an issue tying knots use a loop to loop connection.

Tom

[Bankc]

I like to tie on longer leaders, so I don't have to replace them as often.  For a drop shot, it would kind of depend on the hook.  If you're using a standard hook with a palomar knot, then I'd probably go with something more than double the depth you plan on suspending your bait.  That way, if something happens and you need to cut off the hook or whatever, there's a chance you can still reuse your leader without having to tie another one on.  If you're using one of those dropshot hooks with the double swivels, then I'd just tie the braid to the top of the hook and the leader to the bottom at whatever depth you need.  No need to do two leaders with that setup.  

 

When it comes to leader length for most presentations, you only really need a foot or two.  But adding more usually doesn't hurt.  However, sometimes the leader knot can get caught up in your reel or line guides, so depending on the rod, reel, and what kind of knot you use, you may find an advantage to using a shorter leader, to keep the connecting knot out of your reel or line guides.    

 

So I say just try something, and if you run into problems, try something else.  I wouldn't waste any time worrying about it until a problem actually arises.  

[Huckfinn38]

I typically have about 6 ft of fluro leader on my spinning/braid rig.  However in an effort to keep it that length at all times since i also use this rod for shaky heads and wacky rigs, I pre-tie my drop shot rigs using a tiny spro swivel and +-24 inches of 10 lb fluro.  I need to play around of doing this without a swivel to see if I get more bites but it didint seem to affect me that much this summer.

[TOXIC]

I’m the outlier on this.  I use straight mono on my dropshots.  Never seen the advantage to braid….longer casts….nope….dropshot isn’t a long cast technique.  Sure you can cast and retrieve and I do, but if you are heaving a dropshot to full cast, you’ve essentially made it a reverse c-rig.  Abrasion resistance? Nope if I’m fishing local lakes and rivers to me, nothing to cut the line and when I’m fishing waters with zebra mussels and the like, braid slices just as easy as mono and if your using fluro as a leader, it’s going to slice just as well.  I will admit for most braid eliminates a lot of line twist issues but I have a routine that eliminates line twist for the most part.  Has to do with the baits I use, how I rig them, and periodically untwisting my line.  I have a natural aversion to adding another failure point to a presentation as well.   

[Junk Fisherman]

On 4/29/2024 at 8:45 AM, SpokaneDude said:

I am attempting to make my own drop-shot-rigs;  That said, I'm using braided line (Sufix 832 20#) and Seraguar 10lb FC to create the Drop-shot-rigging itself.  I fish from shore 90% of the time.
My question is:  what should be the suggested "total" length of the FC  part of the rig?
I assume that if the water is deeper than the shore the necessary needed length will be taken up by the braided line, but what would be a good general purpose length for this method of setting up the rig?
 

 

For dropshots I typically make a little longer leader since if you have to retie one, the whole presentation takes up more line.  Like Bird, I keep my leader knot right above the reel except for dropshots.  I fish a lot of abraisive-filled water in Lake Michigan and I have to retie often.  I pretie some leaders in late summer when the fish are deep and I'll be dropshotting a lot.  Having the leaders accessible cuts a few minutes off how long it takes when replacing a drop shot presentation.