A Drop Shot Journey: Learning One of Lure Fishing’s Most Effective Techniques

The drop shot is arguably one of the most disliked lure fishing techniques, yet it remains one of the most effective methods available today. Many anglers avoid it because it demands patience and a specific mindset, but once mastered, it can take your lure fishing game to another level entirely.

Table of Contents

The Mindset: Less Is More

It took me a while to take to the drop shot. Your natural instinct is to keep the lure moving to get a bite, so when you first try the method and find yourself holding the rod with little or no retrieve, it feels wrong. Within a few minutes you are tempted to revert to a more familiar technique.

To overcome this, you need to make a decision before you even reach the bank that you are going to commit to learning the drop shot properly. Once you find your swim and cast out, the challenge begins. Keep the lure as still as possible, aim to hold it in the same position in the water, and remind yourself that less really is more.

It only takes one bite to realise that tiny micro movements can be enough to tempt a fish. These takes are often solid and unmistakable, giving you the perfect moment to set the hook. Once you experience that first bite, something clicks and the technique begins to make sense. From that point on, the slow and steady approach becomes second nature.

Dialling In Your Drop Shot Technique

With patience on your side, you can begin refining your approach. Work the margins and fish tight to structure, but stay mindful of snags. Adjust the height of your lure and explore different parts of the water column to find the fish.

A light setup is key for sensitivity and bite detection. I typically use an 8lb fluorocarbon leader around five feet long. That is simply what I carry, and you can definitely go lighter, but I would not recommend going heavier. Also remember that Pike will hit a drop shot lure, and there is always a high chance of being bitten off.

Nose-hooking your lures is one way to present a lure but it’s worth experimenting too.

Making sure the hook is in the correct position when you tighten the knots is essential.

As a rule, I tie my hook four to six inches above the weight. This spacing works well for me, but you can adjust depending on depth and fish location. One of the great strengths of the drop shot is the ability to position your lure exactly where the fish are holding and keep it there. Letting off a little tension can help you raise or lower the lure to explore the water column.

Here is a selection of lures I use on the drop shot.

Lure Selection

Many lure types work brilliantly on a drop shot. Twin tail and V tail shads create attractive vertical movements with minimal effort. Paddle tails offer micro body roll movements that often entice finicky fish. Creature baits such as bugs, craws and worms are also excellent thanks to their subtle appendages, which create tiny vibrations without needing to overwork the lure.

For size, I tend to avoid anything smaller than 6 to 8 centimetres. Perch are greedy, and this size helps filter out the very small fish while still maintaining a healthy number of bites.

Choosing the Right Weight

Selecting the correct weight depends on depth and flow. You want the weight to stay pinned to the bottom without constantly lifting during the retrieve.

5g works well on slow flow canals and river slacks
7g is ideal for medium flow rivers and deeper sections around 5 to 6 feet

One advantage of the drop shot is the ability to present a lure effectively in small pockets of water that are difficult to fish with a standard jig. It also shines when fish are sitting mid water and your usual Ned or Cheb rigs are not producing bites.

My Drop Shot Experience

My own journey with the drop shot was slow and sometimes tedious, but it has now become one of my go to methods when I want to dissect a venue with precision.

I have put together an amateur tutorial video to help others get started. You can watch it here:

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If you want to see how effective the technique can be in areas where other methods simply were not an option, here is a video of me banking two cracking Perch:

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Final Thoughts

I hope you find this article helpful. Tight lines and best of luck out there. Remember that patience is everything with the drop shot. You may blank once, but stick with it and that long awaited bite will come sooner than you think.