The Perfect Drop Shot Rod

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by P.J. Koshi on March 14, 2010 at 11:53pm

I have officially made my go to drop shot rod a 7ft Gloomis WRR8400S Med-Light EX-Fast Action 6-12lb line capacity and 1/4-1/2oz lure. It is in the previous generation of Walleye series rods that Gloomis made and it had all of the characteristics I wanted for how much I wanted to spend. I am pleased with it but I have very little confidence in my drop shot abilities. I do feel more confident since I began using this rod for the technique as it is super sensitive and responsive. I looked at a lot of rods just for this and decided I wanted a 7ft med-light with a full cork handle no split grip and a fast action, and this one fit the bill. I usually fish 6lb line on it but can go up to 10lb for situations involving more cover.

Permalink Reply by D.J. LaRoche on March 15, 2010 at 6:05am

I would say 6'9"-7' ML power, fast to extra fast tip. Split grip is a must with no cork on fore grip. Higher modulus graphite the better.

Permalink Reply by Marc Marcantonio on March 15, 2010 at 8:34am

6' 6" or 6' 8"

medium action (not fast action)

built around 6-lb test using a 1/4 ounce QuickDrop (gives the proper range above and below)

medium power (3-power)

split grip, no foregrip, no cork anywhere

Just like the Certified Pro model that Lamiglas is unveiling this Spring!

ciao,
Marc

Permalink Reply by BigBass Dez on March 15, 2010 at 2:25pm

+1 ..I perfer the 6'8"

Marc Marcantonio said:

6' 6" or 6' 8"

medium action (not fast action)

built around 6-lb test using a 1/4 ounce QuickDrop (gives the proper range above and below)

medium power (3-power)

split grip, no foregrip, no cork anywhere

Just like the Certified Pro model that Lamiglas is unveiling this Spring!

ciao,
Marc

Permalink Reply by Steve Hastings on March 15, 2010 at 4:21pm

I'm not alergic to cork and handles like Marc...kidding of course, But Weight and balance with the reel are my first priority. Its an area I focus my setups, because holding that rod 9 hours a day for a 2 or 3 day tournament and who knows how many days of practice, can be rough on the back, arms, shoulders, wrists and hands. So when you're choosing one, mate it with the reel your interested in and check the balance in a standard dropshot posture.Ask yourself wheres the weight? Out on the tip or closer to the hands? Stand there a while, let it get heavy and then try others. Hands should be as close to the body as possible in as comfortable position as possible, rod tip tends to be at about a 30 to 45 degrees off vertical but were all different. The closer to vertical the closer the weight is to the body and shifts the weight to the legs and not the back. . A higher rod angle lets you feel the bites or change in weight/pressure better than with the rod tip down. Of course at 90 degrees to the line provides the greatest sensitivity but its very hard to hold a rod like that for very long, and you're usually fishing with a little belly in your line which will put you at near 90 degrees anyway and you are usually ( except in rough water) fishing the line anyway. ( sorry probably too much detail for some)

Smallmouth:
Open Water - I like the Lamiglas Certified Pro dropshot special, 2 power, mod/fast, Quantum Energy 20PTI reel with 6lb flourcarbon, have been using mostly P-Line Halo and Seaguar Ivizix as of late, number 2 & 4 Gamakatsu dropshot hooks, and I like Marc's Quick Drop weights in most situations.
Tight to Cover- In certain situations like brush covered chunk rock, I will Up the line to 8lb test, but docks will stay with 6lb.

Largemouth:
Most Largemouth are usually in heavier cover in our neck of the woods, whether in open water or not, they'll be in or near some tangled nastiness, and run you there as soon as they are hooked, but I primarily will use a 7 foot Lamiglass Certified Pro XC series 3-5 power mod/fast tip, its enough rod to turn most fish toward the surface, deep water or away from burying you in cover. Just got a new KVD tour edition that's proving to be an excellent reel, (50 fish a day for a week at El Salto proof) but have been using my Pflueger President bait casting reels, 8-17lb test depending on the density and thickness of cover, and water color with hooks ranging between 1/0 dropshot to a 3/0 EWG.

Thats my opinions,

Steve

Permalink Reply by islandbass on March 15, 2010 at 4:44pm

Lamiglas Drop Shot Special is what I use for typical drop shotting.

Length: I prefer 7' for line control, but I am not picky.

Action- Moderate to Fast

Graphite- Shoot, even an ugly stick is sensitive in my hands.

Handles- No preference

Application- Light line 4# 3/16 quick drops - yup

Permalink Reply by Emmanuel Villarreal G on March 15, 2010 at 8:49pm

hey for me the perfect drop shot rod its a gloomis glx dsr820 s its a 6ft 10 inch light and rated for 1/8-3/8 oz weigth for a 4-8 lb line the tip its extra fast. this rod its extreme sensitive and also really light weight and with the warranty g loomis have i think its the best rod. the line i use its a 100 % flourocarbon 4 or 6 pund test.

Permalink Reply by David Watkins on March 15, 2010 at 8:58pm

The one you built for me last season Rick! :)

Permalink Reply by Ronald Hobbs, Jr. on March 15, 2010 at 9:53pm

As everyone is aware I am very particular on the drop shot rods I use for each scenerio. So typically I don't think there is one that is perfect for everything. I use a specific rod for each specific scenerio. I don't use the same rod for drop shotting in the grass as I do for drop shotting open water, or drop shotting lighter line or different baits. Quick run down-

App: 4lb test high pressured fish use 3/16 oz. quick drop for a base weight
Action: straight up moderate power med light
Graphite: whichever that allows for the proper mostly parabolic bend and is the lightest
Length: I like a short rod, for the most part I use this rod when the fish are shallow and getting pounded on especially Lake WA in spring 6' to 6'6" half way in between is best.
Handle what ever makes the rod light and is fully functional and feels good in the hand.

App: 10# braid to 6# leader, fishing grass ripping my drop shot through it clearing the hooks of grass during the rip
Action: Moderate fast to fast (dependent on type of graphite) medium power
Length Over 6'6" under 7'
Graphite: has to be good enough to feel the littlest weed on hook, if it is high mod graphite then I will go with a slower action or a less power.
Handle: needs to fill good in the hand and be fully functional, less weight the better.
I could go on, but I will leave it there.

Permalink Reply by David Parnicky on March 15, 2010 at 10:30pm

I have a new rod that I bought last June that is far from the perfect dropshot rod but has been great for me and has taught me a lot about dropshotting with very light line. I used to spend most of my time dropshotting open water smallmouth with 8 lb fluoro. and 6 at the very lightest with a 7' medium action rod. I had some frustrating days last May though and while I wasn't sure if lighter line was the answer to more success, I wanted to give it a try and see what happened. I didn't want to spend a fortune on a super light set up just yet, I just wanted a decent good quality graphite spinning rod. I got a 6'6" St. Croix Premier Medium Light spinning rod rated for 4-10 lb. test paired with a Shimano Sahara 1000 series reel. The rod was only 70 bucks and the reel was only 70 bucks as well. I have been very pleasantly surprised with this set up! I have been using it with 4 lb. fluorocarbon for open water smallmouth fishing. With the small reel, medium light rod and light line I was able to throw small 1/16th oz drophshots much further than you would think (granted a 7' medium light rod with slightly larger reel would probably throw a light dropshot even further). At the same time I was able to fish up to 1/2 oz. weights comfortably before I lost sensitivity. The rod was more than plenty sensitive and I had great success fishing beds with it, casting to targets, dragging dropshots with the wind in deeper water, dragging dropshots with the trolling motor in deeper water, dropping dropshots under the boat to fish on the graph, retrieving dropshots along the bottom, and fishing dropshots around rocks and wood for smallmouth. As far as open water smallmouth were concerned, I used this rod exclusively last year and grew to love it. I think the biggest key was that this rod had much more give than any rod I had dropshotted with since it was a medium/light rod. This allowed me to play big smallmouth on 4 lb. line without breaking the line. With the drag set loose and by using the backreeling technique, I could pull as hard as I wanted on those fish and the 4 lb. line would never break! I caught many, many nice smallmouth on this rod last year clear up to 5 and a half pounds. I only lost two fish on this rod all year last year. One broke my line and the other came unbottoned. The one fish that broke my line was a freak accident as the weight got wrapped around its tail somehow, the fish floated to the surface, did a backflip and sliced my line above the hook with the spines on its back. I haven't quite figured the dropswim thing out yet but I plan on working on that a lot this year and I am pretty sure this rod will be great for doing that technique with light line as well.

There are other situations (heavy cover, largemouth, etc.) where I will beef my line and rod up for dropshotting but I had minimal issues landing open water smallmouth on this light set up. For example, I think I will go back to using 6-8 lb. line when fishing the Columbia because of the current. When I am fishing super clear open water however, I figure...if it ain't broke, why fix it?

Sorry for rambling and I am not sure if I actually said anything useful in this post. I just really enjoyed fishing with this rod this year and it taught me a lot about things I will be looking for in a light line dropshot rod when I invest in a fancier one someday.

Permalink Reply by Ronald Hobbs, Jr. on March 15, 2010 at 10:51pm

I am getting one made as well, the problem I have is that I could not find the rod that I wanted the company that made the rod I use now is long gone. My old faithful, I call her Excalibur is on her last limb. I doubt she will make it through this season especially after I get the new and improved version. Her guides are ready to fall off :( I have won more money on this one rod on Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish than all of my other rods combined. With this rod I use only 4# line, people for years have seen Excalibur at work in or around Newport Shores.
I showed Rick Excalibur which was awesome but I thought she could be better. To make a long story short Rick found a blank that was an exact match! It is going to be the Ultimate super light line drop shot rod! I want to call it the "Switch"......... designed for spanking bass and peoples ass!! Switch is going to to be tricked out and I can't wait until she is done. I am super stoked! By the way I don't name any rods except these specialized specific rods, it takes the right rod to pull 4 and 5 pound fish out of boat lifts and from under docks, getting the hook in them, keeping that hook from coming dislodged and subdue them in a timely matter and not to mention not breaking them off. I joke around with alot of guys especially Wolsky, that I can subdue a big smally faster than he on my 4# line than he can with his 6#. I think I could write a book on drop shotting 4# line seriously! I think anyone who has seen Excalibur at work, they would say she is magic! Ask Lambert, Marcantonio, Wolsky, Sessler, and my coanglers during the many draw tourneys at Washington! They all have seen her do her magic....now its time for Switch to make her mark!! LOL

I want to thank Rick for helping me out, I thought I wasn't ever going to find another, I have been looking for 5 years, the cool thing is he pays more attention to details than I and that is scary!

David Watkins said:

The one you built for me last season Rick! :)

Permalink Reply by David Watkins on March 16, 2010 at 7:55am

Rick does an incredible job on the rods he custom makes for people Ron, I've got two of them, and you are not going to be disappointed!

Ronald Hobbs, Jr. said:

I am getting one made as well, the problem I have is that I could not find the rod that I wanted the company that made the rod I use now is long gone. My old faithful, I call her Excalibur is on her last limb. I doubt she will make it through this season especially after I get the new and improved version. Her guides are ready to fall off :( I have won more money on this one rod on Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish than all of my other rods combined. With this rod I use only 4# line, people for years have seen Excalibur at work in or around Newport Shores.
I showed Rick Excalibur which was awesome but I thought she could be better. To make a long story short Rick found a blank that was an exact match! It is going to be the Ultimate super light line drop shot rod! I want to call it the "Switch"......... designed for spanking bass and peoples ass!! Switch is going to to be tricked out and I can't wait until she is done. I am super stoked! By the way I don't name any rods except these specialized specific rods, it takes the right rod to pull 4 and 5 pound fish out of boat lifts and from under docks, getting the hook in them, keeping that hook from coming dislodged and subdue them in a timely matter and not to mention not breaking them off. I joke around with alot of guys especially Wolsky, that I can subdue a big smally faster than he on my 4# line than he can with his 6#. I think I could write a book on drop shotting 4# line seriously! I think anyone who has seen Excalibur at work, they would say she is magic! Ask Lambert, Marcantonio, Wolsky, Sessler, and my coanglers during the many draw tourneys at Washington! They all have seen her do her magic....now its time for Switch to make her mark!! LOL

I want to thank Rick for helping me out, I thought I wasn't ever going to find another, I have been looking for 5 years, the cool thing is he pays more attention to details than I and that is scary!

David Watkins said:

The one you built for me last season Rick! :)

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