I'm going to give drop shotting a try for the first time tomorrow.I would like to tie it directly to the braid line as I am not very good at tying on leaders.I'm fishing from a tube (and fighting off the gators) and will only be taking one rod.How much do you think I'll lose if I tie it to the braid?

Rick Wells

Tallahassee

How much of what will you lose?   :-?

# of hits.

What size/lb. test of braid are you fishing and what color is it?  If nothing else, use a black sharpie to darken the last 8-10'.

I'm using green 40# braid.I don't understand will black make it harder for the fish to see?If so why don't they make the line black?

Rick Wells

Tallahassee

Well, you won 't loose many hits ...... now I 'm trying to figure out how much time you are going to spend anchored to the lake bottom when you hang up without a leader to break.

I'm using green 40# braid.I don't understand will black make it harder for the fish to see?If so why don't they make the line black?

Rick Wells

Tallahassee

If the line is a little older and faded, it helps to color the last 10' or so with a sharpie.  Color doesn't matter, but black is a little better than pink or blue.  

Raul, I'm thinking an hour and a half, one broken guide, and a cracked rod.  

Raul is right.

You need to be able to break your line when you hang up or else you will be cutting off lots of line.

Raul, I don't think that will be a problem.I have fished this small lake for many years.It has always been a lake with a lot of hydrilla,pads and cypress trees.For some reason this year all the hydrilla has died and the lillypad beds are shrinking.This is a natural occurance as I called and there has been no spraying,etc.Anyway there is no structure on the bottom to get hung up on.

Rick Wells

Tallahassee

Don't depend on the special sinkers to pull off.  I think I've pulled 5 of those sinkers off in the last year and a half.  

I guess I'm not fishing in the right places.The bass are not in the lillypads,not in the cypress trees and the hydrilla is gone.I'm fishing from a tube so there are no electronics and I'm just trying to figure out where the bass are.

Rick Wells

Tallahassee

use a floro line with 8-10 test. dont set the hook...simply real up and lift the rod