I've been reading up on the jackall cross tail shad and have decided I want to give it a try. It's a bait used for drop shotting but I've never done it or know anything about it. From the pictures I've seen it looks like you tie a drop shot hook about 12-18 inches above your drop shot weight. I'm assuming this technique is mainly for ledge fishing? Can you use it in shallow water? Do you just drop your line straight down and jig it in spots you feel productive or spots you find bait fish or can you cast it out and work it back to the boat as well? Sorry for so many questions but I'm sure someone can help me out. On a side note has anyone tried the cross tail shad out? I'm wanting to target smallmouth on ledges mainly but I'm satisfied catching bass period. Thanks

It's a pretty versatile rig. You can use it deep or fairly shallow, I've fished it in as little as 3 feet of water. You can cast it, flip it, drop it down. You can fish it on deep ledges our you can beef it up a bit and fish it around cover like grass lines, stumps, docks, etc..

Most people think of it as a deep water finesse rig but it is really so much more than that.

Throw the drop shot anywhere.

Just remember that you may have an exposed hook that can get hung up easily.

Check out articles on this site about the drop shot; see drop shot on YouTube; and talk to guys at your local tackle shop who use the technique.

the drop shot is one of my favorite rigs, just the other day fishing a zoom french fry worm of the same size i was catching fish on a ledge 8-10 feet deep, and my friend was catching fish on the shallow flats holding baitfish. just a wonderful rig that has great potential, fish it from shore or on the boat. and you can make it work with any soft plastic. Lizards for spawning fish in beds, super flukes for active fish, and you can entice just about any fish with a 6 inch worm.

You NEED to learn to dropshot, this is a very, very productive technique and you will become addicted!!

You NEED to learn to dropshot, this is a very, very productive technique and you will become addicted!!

I agree. You will find out it can be your go to as you learn it.

I'm a bank fisherman and I like to use it when I'm throwing my smaller finesse plastics. It allows me to cast out farther where the bass are at times, keep it in a certain target area longer, and I can fish it in windy/breezy conditions. Great for sight fishing too.

Keep in my the dropshot can be a vertical or horizontal presentation and you can fish it many ways as the others have stated. My lake is 3 to 8 feet deep and the drop shot is deadly everywhere.

I've found that flouro (6 to 8 lb) is key, using a special drop shot weight & hook, and having an actual drop shot rod. I actually prefer using a 7.0 ft ML drop shot rod because I like having a very sensitive rod and I feel the length helps too.

brian

If you want to learn how to drop shot fish, start by taking the rod you got, rig it up drop shot style and start fishing. After a few trips, you might want a lighter, more sensitive rod - then go buy one and fish with it for a while. You might get around alot of brush, stumps and so forth. Go get a flippin stick and 20 lb fluorocarbon and fish with it for a while.

There are many nuances to drop shot fishing, feel and preference issues that are unique to each person. Trial and error is probably the only way to find out what works for you.

If you want to learn how to drop shot fish, start by taking the rod you got, rig it up drop shot style and start fishing. After a few trips, you might want a lighter, more sensitive rod - then go buy one and fish with it for a while. You might get around alot of brush, stumps and so forth. Go get a flippin stick and 20 lb fluorocarbon and fish with it for a while.

There are many nuances to drop shot fishing, feel and preference issues that are unique to each person. Trial and error is probably the only way to find out what works for you.

I've got a Loomis IMX 843 paired with a stradic CI4. This should work great for drop shotting shouldn't it?

Thanks everyone I'll check out all the videos on youtube

Here ya go!

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/DropShot_Rig.html

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/dropshot_bass_fishing.html

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/drop_shot_bassfish_2.html

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/Dropshot_downshot.html

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/dropshot_fish.html

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/dropshot_beds.html

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/drop_shot_bassfishing.html

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/drop_shot_bassfish.html

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/finesse_drop_shot.html

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/drop-shot.html

 

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