New Innovations in Dropshotting
The big innovation in dropshotting that put it onto the tournament fishing map was the adoption of finesse soft plastic baits in place of live minnows, and the use of clear fluorocarbon lines that made a real difference when gunning for spooky fish.
by Craig RitchieJust in time for the fall, further innovations that came out of this summer's ICAST show will soon be making their way to shore shelves, and out on the water to unsuspecting fish.
New Baits
Since its debut in 1989, Berkley's PowerBait lineup has become a favorite of anglers worldwide for its ability to entice even the most reluctant fish to strike, and make them hang on longer, giving anglers more time to set the hook. This is super-critical in dropshotting, where spooky fish often bite lightly and feeling those subtle hits can be the angler's biggest challenge.New Lines
Dropshotting is a super-stealthy presentation that dictates anglers use fine fluorocarbon that fish can't detect. But the need for extreme sensitivity gives no-stretch superlines a massive advantage in detecting hits. That's why the most successful dropshot anglers use both, fishing the bait on a leader of light eight-pound fluorocarbon, while using a high performance braid as the main line. Connecting the two with a small inline swivel about two or three feet above the hook preserves the stealth of the fluorocarbon while also alleviating line twist, which can be a problem when fishing some baits wacky style.New Rods
Rods for dropshotting should have a soft action to allow a proper presentation, and a sensitive tip to help register bites. Most anglers prefer light spinning outfits of around seven feet, which balance best with the 1/8-ounce and 1/4-ounce weights that are most often used with this technique.Dropshotting has always been one of the most effective finesse presentations going. If you've never given it a try, maybe you should. We're coming into the best time of year to put this method to the test, and the chance to catch some of the biggest fish of the year.