Ultra-Finesse Drop Shot - BAG

Ultra Finesse Drop-Shot
by: George Roth of George's Custom Rods


Clouds hung in the mountain valleys; the cool morning air was heavy with moisture.  The rod tip danced lightly above the calm surface, then became still.  As the rod was slowly raised, it began to bow under the additional weight of a bass that had just inhaled the bait.  Before the fish could detect the presence of the angler, the reel began to take up line, causing the small, sharp hook to penetrate the fish’s upper lip.  After a spirited fight, the fish was carefully placed into the live well.

One of the hottest bass fishing techniques to strike the U.S. in recent years has been the drop shot rig.  In its simplest form, it consists of tying a hook to your line with a Palomar knot, then leaving the tag end to attach the weight.  This results in the bait being suspended above the sinker where it is easier for the fish to distinguish.

The drop shot technique is reputed to have originated in Japan.  If you talk to steelhead and catfish anglers, they’ve used this technique for years to suspend their baits off the bottom of lakes and rivers across the country.  Since the late 90’s, anglers in the Western U.S. have refined this technique for the clear, deep-water impoundments they fish.  Since then, this presentation has migrated East where fishermen adapted it to their own fishing conditions.  As a result, drop shotting is no longer just a finesse method, but can be used with heavy line to present an 8” lizard along weed edges or worked over a stump laden point.  Because of this, rod selection is dependent upon the type of cover or structure being targeted.  The remainder of this article will go into detail about the rod that is best suited for finesse situations, as they are often the most challenging.

In order for the angler to present a plastic bait in an enticing manner, feel the bite and then bring the fish to the boat, the rod has to have certain fundamental characteristics.  This includes a flexible tip and adequate power in the butt section, along with being the correct length for the conditions being fished.  Other factors that affect rod performance are guide selection and the handle design.  All of these variables must be considered when constructing a comfortable, well balanced rod.

The tip section of a drop shot rod is one of the most important aspects of the rod.  An ideal drop shot blank has a tip that flexes with the slightest amount of pressure.  This is because the angler is fishing the rig on a slack line and almost always, the bite is never felt.  Only a slight tightening of the line is detected.  With a rod that has a very limber tip, the angler detects the bite by “feeling” the line tighten up while the tip of the rod stops moving or “goes dead”.  Heavier action rods don’t allow the angler to “feel” these slight differences in the weightlessness of the presentation and can also signal a touchy fish to spit the bait before the angler even knows there is a bass on the other end.  The soft tip action is also essential to maintain pressure on the hook while fighting the fish.  As the fish surges, the rod will move easily with the fish, exerting constant pressure on the hook.  This light rod will also require that you take your time and not pressure the fish.  A rod with a stiffer tip action would be less forgiving and likely tear the hook from the delicate tissue that lines the fish’s mouth.  Remember, this is a light line technique and you won’t be able to simply muscle a decent sized fish into the boat.     

The length of a typical drop shot rod can vary from 6’3” to 7’0” but may range from as short as 6’0” to as long as 7’6”.  When using the finesse method, the rods are typically shorter.   The shorter length makes it easier to fish vertically below the boat.  Longer rods provide an advantage when casting, as they produce longer distances with the light weights associated with this technique.

Handle design is a matter of personal choice. There are numerous styles to choose from.  Whichever you choose, some of the most important traits would be overall length, comfort and sensitivity.  Reel seat placement should allow the blank to balance well in the angler’s hand.  By holding the reel seat loosely in the palm of the hand, the rod tip should be moved with a slight increase of pressure placed on the handle.  I personally use my thumb and index finger to provide motion to the tip.  A popular method in California is to tuck the handle under the arm, then shake the rod tip.

When building an ultra finesse drop shot rod, or any rod for that matter, additional weight to the blank should be minimized as it will effect the rod’s action.  For this reason, I have been using the lightest guides I have been able to find, which are the RECoil single-foot, Nickel / Titanium guides, produced by REC.  If you prefer a ceramic guide, then the Fuji New Concept, J-frame, guides are a great choice.  They are available in either a stainless steel frame with alconite ceramic inserts or the titanium frame and silicone carbide (SiC) inserts. 

With these desirable traits in mind, my search of numerous blanks available from a variety of manufacturers has resulted in the discovery of what I consider the ideal blank.  The Shikari SHII P 7000 has been designed with a flexible tip section, which makes it well suited for the ultra light drop shot technique. This blank is rated for line in the 3-6# class and weights ranging from 1/32 to 5/16 of an ounce. It has a hinged action, where the flexible tip becomes stiffer, providing the power needed to fight quality fish.  When fighting a large fish with such a light rod, the type of material the blank is constructed from is important.  I elected to use the lower modulus (less stiff) blank, as it is more flexible than a higher modulus blank.  This reduces the likelihood of breaking the rod when battling an overzealous bass.

When the tournament clock is ticking and you need to put more fish in the boat, reach for the ultra light drop shot rod.  This rod will allow you to use the lightest line possible, thus increasing your chance of fooling even the wariest bass.