How to Tie a Drop Shot Rig

Whether you fish on saltwater or fresh, drop shot rigs are excellent for suspending bait close to the bottom, placing them where they’re most effective while keeping muck and weeds out. Originally a technique for saltwater fishing, anglers learned how to tie a drop shot rig and adopted it for bass fishing.

Since then, the drop shot rig has become more popular. When rigged with worms, it’s incredibly effective even in high-pressure lakes.

More good news: it’s so simple to rig! If you have wondered about the proper way of tying a drop shot hook, we got you covered!

What Exactly is Drop-Shotting?

Drop-shotting is a simple idea but it has profound consequences. It suspends the hook above the weight.

Unlike standard worm fishing, it’s the weight that’s taking the abuse from the bottom rather than the fishing line. You’ll find that the drop shot rig yields more fish. But, the advantages of using a drop shot rig and knowing how to rig a drop shot don’t end there.

Since you’ll be able to run whatever distance you like between the sinker and the hook, you can adjust your hook’s height for weeds or vegetation. This means you can target the depth accurately.

Because the weight would be attached to the line rather than the bait or hook, the worm is free in doing its thing. Yes, it ultimately results in an enticing action for fish, whether you Texas rig, nose hook or wacky rig the soft bait.

How to Tie a Drop Shot Rig

If you want to learn how to make a drop shot rig the right way, just follow these quick and simple steps:

Step 1: Start by tying the hook using a Palomar knot so you can produce an extra-long tag end. When you finish the Palomar knot, you’ll end up with the tag end running back along the mainline.

Step 2: Run the long tag end through the hook eye in order to redirect it. Pull it through the eye, so you have a tag end that’s running past your hook and just waiting for the cylinder weight.

Step 3: Attach or tie the weight to the tag end’s end, adjusting the length in a way that suits your needs and preferences.

Tips for Drop Shotting

In order to get the most from this technique, remember that it’s all about finesse.

Get a Good Mix of Sensitivity and Subtlety

This applies to your drop shot fishing line. You might be running a big jerk bait using a heavy-weight braided line, but it’s important that the line combines sensitivity and subtlety.

The mainline must be strong and sensitive so we recommend the Suffix 832 with a 10-to-20-pound test.

We like running a 6-to-10-pound mono or fluorocarbon leader in combination to provide some shock absorption and lessen the visibility near the terminal tackle.

Start Off Small

Among the most common problems that anglers experience whenever they start drop-shotting is fishing in a venue where the hotspots are still unknown.

In this situation, an entire day’s fishing will be spent looking out for the potential areas while experiencing little success, most especially if the lures used are larger.

Unless you know for sure larger species inhabit the area that you are rip rap fishing in, start with a scaled-down approach. Start with smaller lures. Should you come across smaller species, switch over to your larger lures to see if the parents are home!

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that small lures are only going to attract smaller species. This can’t be further from the truth. Prepare for oversized species to grab hold of your lures by balancing the tackle accordingly. Use small hooks, a soft drop shot rod, and a light braid.

Fail Fast

Even when you know how to tie a drop shot rig properly, drop shotting can still be a frustrating technique to master and feel confident and comfortable in.

You may find it unnerving as you’ll be using new equipment you’re not familiar with. Expect to be out of your comfort zone. But, it’s less complicated than it seems to be.

To be honest, true mastery never really occurs. A seasoned angler knows that you must constantly be changing, adapting, and learning. High-level proficiency is what you want and that comes with failure and hours and hours of practice.

There is a great phrase we want you to remember and that’s to ‘fail faster.’ Derive a lesson from every failure and apply the lesson. Don’t make the same exact mistake twice.

Choose the Appropriate Leader Length

The shallower fish are, the shorter the length of the leader should be. When you go deeper, also have a longer leader. If you notice fish are suspended from the bottom, it’ll help you determine the appropriate length for the leader.

Another tip related to the leader length is to use a short length if you’re pitching into vegetation. This will increase the accuracy of your pitching.

Most of the time, fish will be on the bottom where there are large structures, so you won’t be needing a long leader. During winter, bass typically hug the bottom so keep the leader length shorter as well.

This can be from 4 to 6 inches. During the spring season, keep the leader at 2 to 4 inches. Really short so your bait appears to be sealing the eggs of bass.

Conclusion

Knowing how to tie a drop shot rig is essential when you require a finesse presentation to attract skittish bass.

A drop shot rig will also prove to be ideal if you need to have the bait near but not from the bottom. Fortunately, it’s easy to use and tie, and it will already enhance your repertoire, becoming your go-to technique quickly in your fishing arsenal.

If this guide helped you on learning how to tie a drop shot rig, let us know by leaving us a comment below!