Between the medium light with a circle dropshot hook vs a medium heavy with a neko hook… Ive used both and caught fish with both but I can’t seem to feel comfortable with one over the other…

I run this same road.

Finally went with bait size.

Small baits—perhaps nose-hooked deals.

I go with ML and traditional drop shot hooks sized to match the bait.

And for a slightly larger bait, perhaps a fat wacky-rigged stick bait.

I go M with the appropriate Neko hook.

btw I really like the Mustad TitanX Wacky / Neko Hook.

A-Jay

Drop-shot is a valuable tool here in the clear water reservoirs.

I've never strayed from a med light rod with a circle hook and 1/8 weight.

It catches fish and hook-up ratio is good.

Maybe your exposing the drop-shot, it's not necessarily a finesse technique. 😁

Some days the neko hook and 1/4oz is the ticket but man when it gets tough tough the lighter 3/16oz on the medium light gets bites when nothing else does due to the lighter splash and noise.. maybe that’s my answer right there

Probably 90% of the time I use M/L with 1/8 oz and a circle type hook. I’ll go up as high as 1/4 oz if depth dictates, and down to 1/16 oz in really shallow/clear water.

IMO,

There are two correct hooks for drop shotting:

Owner Cover Shot (HD if you're flipping 'em)

Decoy Shot Rig Worm 10

Amen.

I have some Decoy Cover Finesse HD to try for Dice and 2-ways, but right meow it is Roboworm season.

I use exactly the same hooks as Ajay for dropshotting except for those 3/0s. (I think he just put those in there to see if we were paying attention!)

I'm not 100% sure what you mean by the question. If you're doing something finesse with like a Flatworm, then I'm using a 7+'mL rod with a Gammy GT Finesse #1. For something bulkier I will use a #1 Owner/Mustad Mosquito. I don't fish a dropshot texas rigged in weeds with a spinning combo so I can't help you there.

7 minutes ago, Junk Fisherman said:

I use exactly the same hooks as Ajay for dropshotting except for those 3/0s. (I think he just put those in there to see if we were paying attention.

I think I tried those in Mexico but they were way too small.

So you were mostly right.

😎

A-Jay

I use the Nishine DS Hook (attaches witha Snell knot) and the Hayabusa Spin Muscle. 2 less common hooks IMO. Was quite sad when I learned the Spin Muscle was being discontinued. A truly excellent, multi-use hook!

Pick the hook to match the bait. Pick the rod to match the weight. I like A Jay’s response. The drop shot is a must on most bodies of water I frequent. It’s a confidence technique for me.

12 hours ago, Junk Fisherman said:

I use exactly the same hooks as Ajay for dropshotting except for those 3/0s. (I think he just put those in there to see if we were paying attention!)

I'm not 100% sure what you mean by the question. If you're doing something finesse with like a Flatworm, then I'm using a 7+'mL rod with a Gammy GT Finesse #1. For something bulkier I will use a #1 Owner/Mustad Mosquito. I don't fish a dropshot texas rigged in weeds with a spinning combo so I can't help you...

I get what you are saying. In our deep highland clear reservoirs sometimes an ultra light open hook works well. But some guys will throw it weedless style near the bank around laydowns and other snaggy places, not necessarily in places you would flip...

I always chuckle when I read these dropshot posts. I’ve been dropshotting for 40 years which doesn’t mean I’ve been doing it right but I can say I’ve fished it side by side with my “innovative” fishing friends who are always down to fish the latest and greatest rigging techniques. Recently I watched a tournament recap where they said the angler that won was throwing a dropshot in an unconventional rigging….and it was the way I’ve been rigging for ever. I’ve posted it here many times. Now as far as baits and hook size there are exceptions but as a rule for largemouth and smallmouth in the rivers and lakes I fish including the St Lawrence and St Clair for smallmouth and Okeechobee, Kissimmee, and Headwaters in Florida for largemouth I use the same exact rig. I may adjust the tag line for the style of dropshotting (dragging or casting) and bottom composition (rocky or soft) and grass height if present but the rig is same.

Line: 8lb straight mono.

Rod/Reel: 7ft Medium fast 2500 spinning reel.

Hook: #1, not 1.0, Gamakatsu ewg.

Weight: 1/4 oz QuickDrop harp. The only time I have ever upsized the weight was in the very deep and fast water of the St Lawrence.

Rigging: I NEVER nose hook. I Texas rig every dropshot bait I use. I have found absolutely no advantage to nose hooking and my catch rate is the same or better than my friends who nose hook and I lose 1 bait to every 4 or 5 of nose hooked and I hang up much less in weeds or wood.

I’m not trying to tell anyone how to fish but this is what has worked best for me. YMMV.

Early spring i nose hook shad shape worms, after that i t rig with a size 1 or 1/0 depending on length of worm (usually chompers). Sometimes a hellgramite, craw, tube, paddletail, or leech gets added to the mix. 7" ml, 15# braid, swivel, and 8# mono to 1/8oz. pencil weight. It would work for anyone. Including Gim...☺️

20 minutes ago, detroit1 said:

It would work for anyone. Including Gim...☺️

He's so stuck on his anti-dropshot crusade, even something guaranteed to catch decent fish will be ignored.

I mostly use a ML 7'6" rod I built with 5lb line. I fish in gin clear water.

Hook is a Owner Down Shot

I use a lot of Robo Worms and Missile Magic Worms.

1/4oz tungsten skinny weight.

Thats pretty much what I always use.