Dropshot Novice

[Deleted]

Hi all

Very quiet out there???

Please give me some help on my next adventure.

I have just purchased a Wychwood Agitator 6'3" 2-12g dropshot rod. Alrerady have a Daiwa 1500a Exceler reel to team it up with.

Ordered some gear and gunna have a go.

Probably the only form of lure fishing that I haven't tried so time to have a go.

Any tips/advice would be much appreciated.

Ian

[Tanglefoot]

Can't really help much as I only started it this year myself.

All I know is that the Perch seem to like the small Berkeley pink minnows. They're only about 1"-1.5" long.

In a lot of places I had more luck casting and retrieving very slowly than statically vertical jiggling.

[philpot]

I was sea fishing at the weekend with a good friend of mine and during the chatter we talked about drop shotting. Now my friend has been fishing for barbel on the trent this summer, on several occasions with Des Taylor who gave some demos on how to use the drop shot method. Instead of using plastic, he uses dendrobena worms with devastating effect on the perch.
I will repeat parrot fashion what I was told because I know NOTHING. An under arm cast from the bank just tightening the line enough to keep in contact with the lead. Giving very slight taps/shakes to the rod. Then very very slowly wind the reel one revolution of the handle taking about 30 secs, leave it for a few moments and repeat the whole process.
I am sure I have not done a very good job of putting across what I was told but perhaps you get the picture. I am going to give it a try in the Ancolme as soon as someone puts up a photo as to how to set the hooks and general rigging. I think one of our members, Kell, sells most of the gear needed so it is going to be my first port of call to get me started.

Kell's site

lurefactors.co.uk/

Exsoxuk, Phil, is very well informed about this method Ian, and you have met both Phil and Kell when we all went to Ashby Ville Lake.

Phil

[Izzetafox]

Sounds a method well worth a try Phil.

Yesterday at Ravensthorpe I was using fluoro coloured curly tailed grubs 1" and 2". I got the best hits when brought back very slowly.

Dane uses the butt tapping method and finds it very successful.

Terry

[esoxuk]

Dropshotting is a simple method, don't get be tempted to be too technical. You can fish 6lb fluorocarbon straight through, or 8lb power pro with a fluorocarbon leader. P Line and X Line are both good lines. VMC drop shot hooks are a good start in sizes 6, 4 and 2 connected to the main line by a palomar knot, don't worry if your hook is upside down... The perch don't know which way they should be, leave around 18" of line below the hook and use the weights with wire clips which can be positioned anywhere along the 18" tail 1.5" to 2" drop shot lures are a good start just nicked through the 'head' on a size 6.
Find a structure such as bridge, lock or deep water close to the bank and lower the rig in until you feel it touch the bottom, the slightest vibration or tremble will cause the bait to move.... Be careful as the movement can be too violent. No matter what do not strike into a take, let the take happen and the fish will hook itself, a small perch can nibble away for a few seconds before confidently taking the bait.
The trout in my avatar was caught drop shotting on a tiny green opaque grub with black dots, along with quite a few more and dozens of perch while other colours did nothing, so get a few of the same bait in different colours instead of lots of different types then you can quickly eliminate non productive colours.
Finally rods, ultimately a dedicated drop shot rod is nice to have, but a small old style feeder rod such as the 'match pickers' or a 3gramme fast actioned lure rod.
Phil

[Deleted]

Cheers guys, keep the tips coming. Can't wait for my hooks, weights and some more lures to arrive and I'm off.

Let me know when you intend to try it on the Ancholme Phil and I will try to join you.

What is the weed situation on there at the moment?

Ian

[esoxuk]

The moored boats around the town centre section should be an ideal place either from the kayak or SIB.

[philpot]

I popped over to the Ancolme yesterday, weed is still present but should not cause too much of an issue. The boats were all removed from the river this last weekend for the winter as the crane came in and did a mass lift out so no boats for 5 months.

I have also ordered weights and hooks from kell along with some drop shot lures from AGM Products so I am also awaiting delivery then I am off to try them out I would think next week. I will let you know Ian when I am out.


Phil

P.S.
Just come through Brigg Ian and the water has too much colour to fish lures so I would leave it until next week.

[Deleted]

Cheers Phil. Went down Beverley Beck(that place you said you liked the look of in Beverley) today and that was also very coloured.

I am off next Tuesday and Wednesday and should have all my bits of tackle by then.

Ian

[philpot]

My starter set of drop shot hooks and weights arrived from our Kell this morning along with 3 packs of AGM's Lake Fork soft plastic lures and a spool of Trilene fluorocarbon line now spooled onto a little Daiwa Crossfire 2050 reel I picked up the other day so I am now ready to try this drop shotting game--------------------Perch LOOK OUT philpot is about.

Phil

[Izzetafox]

Phil,

The fluoro is only really necessary for the last couple of metres mate. Save you money and make it last.

Terry

[philpot]

Yes I know Terry but I needed to load the new reel with some line anyway so I was happy to use fluorocarbon straight through as the lower breaking strains are not expensive and it now leaves me with loads of spare line to change the the last couple of metres when needed.

Phil

[Izzetafox]

You rich retired folk.

Are you trying it over the weekend?

Terry

[Deleted]

I have all my dropshot gear now. Couldn't resist a full new set up. Didn't go mad though.

Got a Wychwood Agitator 6'3" 2-12g. Only £49.99. I have teamed it up with my Daiwa Exceler 1500A which I use for lilght work.

I have ordered a Fox Ultron Pro 1500 to swap to when it comes. Going to put some Fox Rage Jig Silk on it for better visibility.

I had a go for a couple of hours the other day on Beverley Beck and found it hard to see where my braid was in the water. It was very cloured and I had no luck although a couple dropped off when I had a go at the end of the beck on the river Hull. One was not much bigger than the lure but one was about 1lb. Strangely it appeared(Icouldn't be 100%)to have grabbed my 3 swan shots I was using, as my weights hadn't arrived, as I was lifting up. There is a wall on this stretch so you end up fishing well below your feet.

Is this something that happens or was it just a very stupid perch?

Ian

ps Really enjoyed the method though, and once I have perfected my technique, and found better locations,I am sure it will pay off.

[philpot]

Nov 14, 2014 14:23:12 GMT Izzetafox said:

You rich retired folk.

Are you trying it over the weekend?

Terry

Haha, thats what you think matey.

I would like to try it out this weekend but Altop, Alan has just bought a SIB, so it is likely we are going to sort out his launch wheels and anchor system perhaps even get it on the water. He is going to test out my smaller outboard to see how it fits with his boat.

I am awaiting a call from Toft Newton as well so some more feedback very soon.

Phil

[Deleted]

Caught my first dropshot fish yesterday. A couple of lost fish too.

It was only a tiddler of a perch, the smallest fish I have ever caught on a lure, but my missus has assured me that size doesn't matter.

Ian

[Izzetafox]

The thing is that with ultra light gear you can have fun from even small fish.

Well done Ian.

Terry

[Deleted]

Hi all

Can anyone recommend a good simple knot for tying braid to fluorocarbon. Or does using a small swivel affect the presentation?

I tried back to back grinners but found on occasions where I snagged(I was fishing a very snaggy area where a lot of trees have been removed) that it always failed at the knot, sometimes quite too easily.

I know this a weak point, but was wondering if there is an easier, stronger knot, as this is obviously quite fiddly on the bank.

Cheers
Ian

[gbthejoiner]

I asked Terry this question the other day and he uses the Albright knot
Graham

[philpot]

I don't think it matters what type of fishing you do, it is always tricky to fasten mono/fluorocarbon to braid. I use a very small swivel as the joining link whenever possible and feed the braid through the eye twice or in other words feed through the eye and back through the same direction as the first feed so you create a complete wrap around the eye before tying a six turn uni or grinner knot. I have never had a knot slip in fresh or salt water and if you want to put a spot of super glue on the braid knot, go ahead. I was advised a long time ago that super glue cannot be used on fluorocarbon line as it changes the structure of the product making it weak, the only occasion I did this, the line snapped as I got a carp in the net so have never done it since.
Hope this helps.

Phil

[Deleted]

I had seen the albright knot on a Fox video and it looked a bit fiddly.

Just had a look on youtube and found a clip showing it done easier. Had a go and it was simple and a very neat finished.

I applied loads of pressure on it and it held firm.

Ian

[Izzetafox]

As Graham says I use the Albright knot, it looks more awkward that it actually is. A couple of practice tries and you will grasp it. I always consider the fluoro as the thickest and wrap the braid around it. The animation only shows 6 or 7 wraps but to spread the land and reduce the risk of the braid cutting through the fluoro I will do as many as 15 turns.
It was Dane Wood who told me to use this and I am pleased he did.

www.animatedknots.com/albright/index.php?Categ=fishing

Terry

[Izzetafox]

You beat me to it, I am a slow typer.

[philpot]

A good video of the albright, might give it a try.

Phil

[Deleted]

Hi all

I have been using the Fox Illusion fluorocarbon in 8lb 3oz B/S as my leader for dropshotting.

Can anyone recommend anything better/cheaper and am I fishing too heavy?

Also has anyone used the recoil braid as shown on the savage gear clip on youtube?

Ian

[Izzetafox]

At the minute I am using Rovex Fluoro in 4lb the useful thing is it comes in 25m spools and so is cheaper.

Terry

[Deleted]

Short 3 hour session today from the bank on the dropshot.

First time I have been able to have a go on a water with decent visibility and had about 15 perch and 2 jacks. Perch were not big, mainly in the 3 to 6oz mark with a couple of fish around the 8 to 10oz mark.

Thoroughly enjoyed it though and needless to say I am hooked on the method.

One sour note was that I was bitten off by a larger pike so I am considering an up trace in future, especially on venues with a lot of small pike.

Can anyone recommend a trace to do this. I do use savage softflex wire clear for my lighter lure work but was wondering if anyone knows of something better?

Ian

[esoxuk]

If you are dropshotting with single hooks I wouldn't worry about the odd bite off. Lets be fair if you were worm fishing for perch, chub or tench you wouldn't use wire and the chances are the pike will spit it out anyway as it won't feel right in its mouth.
Even if you leave it in the mouth or scissors there's plenty of room for the pike to continue feeding and eventually it will rust though and fall off.
If you do want a trace have a look at knot2kinky single strand wire in say 12lb BS. Its very thin, supple and well regarded.
www.agmdiscountfishing.co.uk/aqualures-m-111.html

[philpot]

The trouble is that if you beef up the trace for the odd larger pike, then really you need to beef up your main line which I would have thought will lose the fine touch that is drop shotting.

Was this on the Hull Ian

Phil

[shadstu64]

_ i find that when you use lures over 4in pike seem too take interest ..you still get the odd jack on smaller lures...if you intend too go after bigger pike then use wire and crimp hooks too it   it looks odd but pike dont mind it ...i dont use flouro just mono 6-8lb and a single hook too suit lure size ..i use kamasan crab hooks they work perfectly for me and cost less than so called drop shot hooks ..also dont shun live bait small fish (dead too) and worms .red worms get perch excited lol..ive caught perch too 3lb 4 0z and pike too 9lb on drop shotting along side barges