Before this year I was a shallow-water jig and finesse guy. But I needed to learn quick how to fish deep clear water. A buddy of mine really showed me the ins and outs of drop-shotting this year and it is pretty much my favorite way to fish now. You can cover deep water quickly with it and I have really come to the conclusion that if a fish is in the area of the bait they are going to eat it. Of course the fish that are deeper are less pressured and giving them the chance to have a quick meal like a 3 or 4 inch bait is one they won't pass by, especially smallies. I looked back on my year on the Weekend Series and realized something. Every fish I weighed in was a smallmouth and everyone came on the drop-shot. Also, the shallowest I caught a fish in was about 12' but I had a tourney where I was catching smallies between 35-45'. While pre-fishing for one I acctually caught a smallie out of 81'. So if you want to learn to cover deep water fairly quickly and don't have confidence in a Carolina-rig or a deep diving crank, give the drop-shot a try.

Big fish eat the drop shot too. The bass in my avatar fell to the drop shot during a blistering summer. It was one of many DD size bass that month  

81'???? I don't think I have 81' of line on my reels!  ;D ;D ;D 8-) 8-) 8-)

Tin, is your buddy just seeing fish on the graph and dropping the drop shot straight down on top of 'em? Thats the only way I can catch 'em with a dropshot.

Tin, is your buddy just seeing fish on the graph and dropping the drop shot straight down on top of 'em? Thats the only way I can catch 'em with a dropshot.

No when you get a good concentration of fish on a breakline, point, or hump you can ish it horizontal and get them.

I just can't do the horizontal dropshot thing. I dont have the patience or confidence. If they're on a breakline, point or hump, I'm most likely crankin', riggin' or jiggin'.

u just have to get it out of your mind that dropshotting horizontally is different than c-riggin. its not.

i run a "dropshot" rig with all the same components that i do a c-rig basically. works great. 1/2oz weight...2/0 hook...i think its somethin the fish havent seen too much of.

150 other guys drug a lizard on that hump next to the ledge this weekend. throw a fluke down  there with a totally different action........ and hold on.

Check out Basspro48's drop shot post.

The main problem is that you will want to fish the drop shot rig and forgo the other presentations which will mean you will not perfect the other baits and techniques.

Give it a try with an *** worm or a bait that wiggles a lot.  

Setting the hook on a dropshot fish is one of the best feelings in the world. This year I've come to rely on the technique a lot. It's awesome  

drop shot rig- don't leave home with out it-