Rigs & Terminal

Drop Shot Rig

All lures

Suspends a bait right in the fish's face.

Technique

Deadstick and shake

Depth

5-30 ft

Water Clarity

Clear

Best Conditions

Pressured, deep, clear water

Spring Summer Fall

About This Lure

A finesse rig with the weight below the hook, letting a small soft plastic hover in the strike zone.

How To Fish It

Cast to the target zone and allow the sinker to reach the bottom while maintaining a semi-slack line to feel bites. Once bottomed out, keep the sinker stationary on the substrate while gently twitching the rod tip to impart action to the plastic without moving the weight. This technique keeps the bait suspended in the strike zone, triggering neutral or inactive fish.

Retrieve Cadence

Let the rig sit for 5-10 seconds, then pulse the rod tip twice with a 2-inch twitch before letting it deadstick again.

Best Colors

Morning Dawn— Low light or deep water conditions

Green Pumpkin— Clear to stained water with natural forage

Goby or Shad patterns— When targeting fish feeding on specific baitfish

Sizes & When To Use

1/8 oz weightShallow water (5-15 ft) or calm days

3/8 oz weightDeep water (20-30 ft) or heavy wind conditions

Commonly Rigged On

Dropshot hookCylinder or tear-drop weightNose-hooked soft plastic

Recommended Gear

7'0" medium-light spinning rod with fast action, size 2500 spinning reel, 8-10lb braided mainline to a 6-8lb fluorocarbon leader.

Pro Tips

Always nose-hook the plastic to ensure maximum tail action.
Keep your rod tip high to maintain a direct feel while keeping the sinker pinned.
Use a swivel between your leader and mainline to eliminate line twist.
When a fish bites, reel down to take up the slack rather than setting the hook with a violent swing.

Species This Lure Catches