LURE 101
Rig catalog / Drop Shot Rig
R.04Drop-Shot Rig

Drop Shot Rig

A hook above a weight holds a softbait in a small area above bottom.
Hook, weight and line
Drop Shot Rig
Watercolors and line drawings are illustrations; line lengths and proportions are not specifications.
SETUP & PRESENTATION
Setup
Line/leader → hook with a long tag end → weight below; adjust spacing for presentation height.
Softbait options
Worms / Stickbaits / Paddletails / Grubs
01Use & Limits

Use and limits

When & Where

Less active fish, dock edges and slope bases requiring a localized presentation.

Limits and common errors

Do not continuously yank the weight; on angled casts, hook height is less than hook-to-weight spacing.

02Setup & Retrieve

Setup and retrieve

  1. Tie the hook point-up and attach the weight to the tag end.
  2. Nose-hook or use suitable protected rigging and check the posture.
  3. Let the weight settle, shake lightly and pause, retrieving only excess slack.
AMotion & Structure

Motion and structure

Structure illustration
Tag 10–50 cm
Action Demo
SIDE VIEW
  • Weight below, hook above: the plastic floats off the bottom, so fish can see it clearly even when they're hugging the bottom.
  • When you shake the rod the weight stays put and only the plastic quivers in a small area, so you can keep it in front of a fish for a long time.
  • The distance from hook to weight (the tag length) sets how high the plastic sits off the bottom.
BTackle & Technique

Tackle and technique

Rod
ML–M, fast, 6'6"–7'0"
Reel
Spinning 2000–2500
Line
PE #0.6–0.8 + fluoro 5–8 lb, or straight fluoro
ShakingDragging
  1. Gently shake the rod tip between slack and tight line, keeping the weight on the bottom.
  2. After a while, drag the weight a short distance to a new spot and shake again.
  • Tie the hook with a Palomar knot and pass the tag end back through the eye from the point side, and the hook point will face up.
  • Lengthen the tag when fish are holding high off the bottom; shorten it when they're on the bottom.
More application notes
  • Inactive or pressured fish, cold water
  • Deep water, steep slopes, and vertical structure such as bridge pilings and dock posts
  • Fishing vertically when you see fish on the fish finder
  • When you need to search a large area fast
03Softbaits

Lure options

19Softbaits
Worms / Stickbaits

Worms / Stickbaits

Slender worms and stickbaits presented with slow falls, shakes and drags; the rig defines depth and action.

Mid / Near bottomAdded weight 0–10 g
20Softbaits
Paddletails / Grubs

Paddletails / Grubs

Paddle or curly tails move during retrieve and can be used on jigheads, offset hooks or as trailers.

Upper / Mid / Near bottomHead 1–20 g
REFReferences

References and scope