Drop Shot Fishing

Here it is…my first article on the site and I'm giving away one of my secrets. It's not a secret really because the technique has been around for years. But walleye guys, at least where I fish, don't use it.

Bass anglers perfected it…the drop shot rig. It's a deadly presentation and I've been using it a few years now with great success. In my opinion stalking walleye takes a lot more finesse fishing than bass. This rig will let you feel the bite, not the weight.

Rigging is really easy. You can buy one ready made and attach it to a swivel but, if you want to be truly weedless and remove a potential weak spot in your line, tie it directly. A simple palomar knot anywhere from a few inches to a couple feet up is used to tie the hook to the line. Start with the point toward the line so the finished product will have the hook straight up, off the line (see illustration below). Then attach a bell sinker and you're in business. Wasn't that easy?

Working it is almost an understatement since the object of this system is to keep the bait at a certain depth for a longer period of time. After your cast allow the line to go limp when the weight hits the bottom. With your rod tip, wiggle the bait, in this case a worm, plastic or live, not the sinker. Do this several times then bring the rig in a bit closer and repeat the process. I recommend a longer rod (7-foot +) with a quick tip. The tug you feel IS the fish, not any part of the rig getting hung up someplace. Unless you really do something dumb, this is a pretty foolproof setup. Try it. It works great for walleye, bass and panfish.

See you out on the water....