Dropshot is very new to me.  I've yet to try it but I have a question.  Why can't you drop shot live bait?  I have read where you can dropshot senkos, finesse worms, gobys, and panic minnows but why not the real deal?  Sure, it won't be able to swim but it's live bait waiving around and it can't go no where.  It's like a worm on a hook.  They either eat it or they don't.  Live bait would seem more apealing to me than a plastic senko.

Any thoughts or experience with this?? :-/

you could use a two way swivel to allow the minnow to move around, also depending on the heighth of the minnow off the bottom it can move just enough. obviously, the higher off the bottom, the more movement. from a bass' point of view, a stranded looking minnow is an easy meal ticket anyways

You can do it. I've tried with live Threadfin Shad but always switch back to fly lining 'em. I feel more confident when the bait is able to swim freely. Dead shad has worked great on a drop shot though.

Thanks guys!  I wondered why I should spend money on lifelike baits when I could use the real deal and get better results.  Alive or dead, an easy target with authentic smell, look, and action of the real thing to me is a no-brainer for clear water.  I can't see why this wouldn't work.  All I need to know now is what type of shad to use based on local colors and available forage.

I know that some guides like certain types of shad vs. others because some will live longer than others.  Plus the fish prefer certain colors over another for some reason.

I can't wait to go try this new technique now!  Thanks again!

There is a local "guide" : here that frequently has fishing reports talking about dropshotting live minnows for crappie...

I do it occasionally for perch when we vertical fish...