# perch rigs/drop shot



## Crazy Axe (Mar 11, 2007)

A couple of lakes around here I like to fish are very deep and clear. Lots of walleye stocked and I know there are big bluegills and bass and all sorts of good fish swimming around in there. Problem is, I have been fishing less than 6fow most of my life, so I am not familiar with techniques for deep water. One of those I am considering is a perch rig. I know it's pretty much a bell sinker, with two hooks tied on to lines that tie onto the main line. I've never really fished one before though... Do you just fish it off the side of the boat on/near the bottom? Can you fish it with a slip bobber? Can you drift fish it?

Also I am trying to learn how to drop shot. I know the rig is similar, only with one hook attached directly to the main line. Most of the time artificial bait is used. Do any of you guys use live bait on a drop shot? Minnows, worms? Leeches?
Has anyone ever fished a drop shot with a bobber? Kind of a lazy mans way, I know, but I feel like I could get it further away from the boat and let it drift a little bit. Maybe wiggle it to get some action out of the bait. Maybe just use a perch rig that way too, because, whats the point? Do any of you guys cast drop shot rigs instead of fishing it vertical? What about using a jig on the bottom instead of a plain weight? Is that even legal in Michigan? What do I need to know about working a drop shot rig? I know it's supposed to be worked SLOW. From what I understand, I should let it down, and once it's on bottom, I can either drag it slowly toward me, or stop it and jiggle it a little bit, then after 15 or 20 seconds, move it a little and then jiggle it more. One tip I picked up on was that I should not keep the line taught. It will restrict the movement of the bait. However, I'm not 100% certain how to detect the bite. I guess it's something I'm going to have to just practice and get the feel for. 

Short of writing a novel here, I have to ask one last question. Does anyone on the site drop shot for fish other than bass?


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## fishbucket (Jan 20, 2009)

I'll try to answer a few of your questions. As far as a perch rig goes, I keep the sinker on the bottom and my line tight. You can drift with them and cast with them too. I usually don't like to cast them that far unless I'm shore fishing and trying to find some fish. You can fish them vertically off the bottom too. I'm not sure how you would fish them with a bobber. 

I haven't spent that much time drop shotting but I have caught some fish this way. I usually just give it a short cast and hop-twitch it back to the boat instead of holding it steady like I would with a perch rig. Drifting works good too. I've used berkely gulp, live crawlers and live minnows on a drop shot rig with some success.


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## hammerfish (Dec 9, 2008)

the perch rigs i've made and used i have always tight lined them, sometimes dragging them on the bottom. but most of the time i basically jig with it sort of. the point is to thump the weight on the bottom, that draws in the perch usually. with a drop shot rig, you can use a jig as a weight, hell, you can use two jigs if you want from what i understand. they do make a jig thats set up for dropshotting, but its for the top hook. the best thing i can tell you is to try it all and see what works best for the situation. when i fish deep and drifting, i always have a floater jig with a slitshot above it 1 to 4 feet above. and i have grown fond of the gulp products, from leaches, night crawlers, and minnows. i probably have $100 worst of the stuff in the boat. just make sure you take them off the hook and put them back in the package, then get all the air out. they are a pain to get off the next day and they will mold if there is air in the package. hope this helps, Mike


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## Crazy Axe (Mar 11, 2007)

fishbucket said:


> I'm not sure how you would fish them with a bobber.



I was kind of thinking maybe you could use a slip bobber in order to be able to cast it. That way you could fish 15ft + with a bobber..
..sounds like it's not 'conventional' to do this, however, I don't do a whole lot of things that are 'conventional'


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## msunolimit (Aug 20, 2006)

The dropshot rig is a simple, yet complicated rig all in one...To tie up a dropshot, tie on a hook (I use owner downshot size 1/0 I believe) using a palomar knot. Leave about 12-18" on the tail/tag end of the line. After tying a palomar knot, run the tag end from the top of the hook (same side barb is on) through the bottom, and attach a 1/4oz pencil weight...

In terms of fishing, I'm sure live bait would work fine. I use soft plastics like small worms, but just work the bait slow....tap the rod blank to work the bait...and on the hooksets, sideset....unless you're fishing vertical...then you want to set straight up...hope this helps...


dropshotting is an awesome technique once you've gotten comfortable with it.


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## bassdisaster (Jun 21, 2007)

msunolimit said:


> The dropshot rig is a simple, yet complicated rig all in one...To tie up a dropshot, tie on a hook (I use owner downshot size 1/0 I believe) using a palomar knot. Leave about 12-18" on the tail/tag end of the line. After tying a palomar knot, run the tag end from the top of the hook (same side barb is on) through the bottom, and attach a 1/4oz pencil weight...
> 
> In terms of fishing, I'm sure live bait would work fine. I use soft plastics like small worms, but just work the bait slow....tap the rod blank to work the bait...and on the hooksets, sideset....unless you're fishing vertical...then you want to set straight up...hope this helps...
> 
> ...


When Drop shotting my hook sets most of the time are somewhat none existent, I use an extra fast 7' Medium lite rod and usually just tighten the line firmly or a slight snap of the wrist and the hook will require your trusty needle nose to remove it! 
I tie mine as Dave previously stated and with medium tension pull the tag into the eye of the #2-1/0 Gamakatsu dropshot/splitshot hook, this pulls the knot into the eye helping the hook to stand out! 
Im a cheap A Z Z too so I use anywhere from 4-8 #4 splitshot for weight anywhere from 12" to 30" below the hook! and it makes adding weight cheap and easy!
I use power Pro braided 10lb and 8-10lb 100% fluorocarbon leader usually at least 8' long! Allows for reties and although minimal some stretch as Braided lines have NONE!
Hope this help's

BD


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## jacktownhooker (Apr 7, 2007)

YOU SAID PERCH SO another way is a light rod a nice splitshot and hook under 4-6 inches 
drop to bottom and every 30 seconds lift up and reel in a nice perch .... i use 2lb line and worms or minnows can use together with drop shot for dbl action in deep water and vertical


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## fishbucket (Jan 20, 2009)

sirslurpee said:


> I was kind of thinking maybe you could use a slip bobber in order to be able to cast it. That way you could fish 15ft + with a bobber..
> ..sounds like it's not 'conventional' to do this, however, I don't do a whole lot of things that are 'conventional'


You should be able to cast it without a bobber just fine. I usually fish perch rigs with a half oz+ sinker and I could probably cast 100 yards or so if I wanted too. By short cast I mean 20-30 yards (maybe thats not so short :lol. I've actually tried a rig with a bobber before a long time ago and found it was too hard to tell if I was getting bites with all the wave action, but maybe it will work for you. With your sinker planted firmly on the bottom and your line tight, it is alot easier to detect the tap-tap-tap of a pesky perch.


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