Drop Shot Rigging and Technique
A drop shot holds a soft plastic above the bottom with the weight at the end of the line. How Virginia DWR and New York DEC tie it, hook and weight sizes, tag length, bait choice, line, and the sit-and-shake retrieve for bass in deep, clear water.
The drop shot rig suspends a bait above the bottom, with the weight at the end of the line instead of at the hook. Virginia’s Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) says bass anglers have used it for years for smallmouth, largemouth and spotted bass, because it gives the bait a natural presentation. New York DEC lists it among its effective bass rigs for deep, clear water. This guide covers how to tie it, what to put on it and how to fish it. More rigs are in our techniques section.
Tying the rig (Virginia DWR)
- Tie a size 1 or 2 drop shot hook to the end of your line with a Palomar knot, leaving about a foot of tag end. The tag length sets how high the bait sits, so change it for the depth you want.
- Tie the weight to the end of the tag with a Palomar or improved clinch knot.
- Hook your soft plastic through the nose.
Weights and hooks
- Virginia DWR: a 1/4-ounce weight for shallower water, up to 3/4 ounce for deep water or current.
- New York DEC: a 1/8- to 1/2-ounce drop shot weight with a size 2 to 1/0 octopus hook.
Baits
Virginia DWR says colour, size and profile matter, and the right bait depends on the forage in your water:
- Soft-plastic minnows or shad in larger lakes with good baitfish populations; DWR says small shad or minnow baits work especially well in clearer lakes.
- Creature baits and craw imitations in rivers.
- Worms stand out in more stained or heavily fished water. DWR’s starting point is a five-inch straight worm in green; DEC suggests a 4- to 6-inch straight-tail worm in natural colours such as green pumpkin or watermelon.
Line
Virginia DWR says anglers often target bass with 6- to 10-pound fluorocarbon, especially around submerged rock piles and brush in summer and fall.
How to fish it (DEC)
When the bait reaches the bottom, let it sit a few seconds, then shake the rod tip. Move it a few feet and repeat. DEC lists it for deep, clear water.
Where it works
Virginia DWR’s examples are deep lakes and the deeper holes of rivers, around submerged rock piles and brush. DEC’s bass guide says smallmouth usually hold around rocks in 5-35 feet of water; see our largemouth bass profile and smallmouth bass tactics for where bass are through the year.
Sources
- Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, Drop shotting in Virginia. Read 28 October 2026.
- New York State DEC, Fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass. Read 28 October 2026.
Recommended Gear on Amazon
- Drop shot weights - browse current options and reviews on Amazon.
- Drop shot hooks - browse current options and reviews on Amazon.
- Finesse drop shot worms - browse current options and reviews on Amazon.
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