I'm scared to venture off a topic so I started a new one. I have been fairly successful on dropshotting for smallies but what about largemouth? I have used the same techniques as you would for smallmouth and have have caught numerous lmb but my hook up/boated ratio for lmb's is considerably less. I have tried different sized 'dropshot' hooks and some of the Owner long shank dropshot hooks but still have no better success. I tried using a G-Lock hook but it seems to be too big of a hook.
Help me, any suggestions?
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I've been using the pre-tied dropshot rigs from Gamakatsu. Attach them to a tiny barrel swivel or just go loop-to-loop. Works for me. I see no difference in how drop-shotting would work for either species of fish. The technique should get deep, finicky LMB to bite just as well as any smallie would!
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I've caught hundred of LMB on a drop shot in AZ but I can only recall catching two last summer in Utah. I am not sure why the LMB in the lakes I fish dont like the drop shot but in AZ I fish it off steep rocky banks and we just don't have to many of them that arent covered with small mouth in Utah. I guess the southern lakes is probably a good place to do that here. I did catch a three pound Large mouth on Lake X with a mean greenie drop shot in June last year and thats the only LMB I've ever pulled out of there.
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[black][size 3]It may sound like a dumb question, but are you fishing a water that has a prevalent supply of LMB?[/size][/black]
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[size 3]I don't think that Utah has many waters that contain a large population of LMB or that would be considered a "bass lake".[/size]
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[size 3]Drop shotting is usually considered a deep water technique, and I think that most bass in Utah are found in shallow waters.[/size]
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I've experienced the same thing. You have to be very conscious about the hook set. I try to keep the rod and line in a straight line, if that makes any sense. So that when you set the hook you are getting a straight up pull, instead of a little off to one side. I also like the Owner hooks.
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There a plenty of waters in Utah that have tremendous populations of large mouth bass and many waters that have "deep" water populations of bass, greater than 10 feet.
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[black][size 3]It may sound like a dumb question, but are you fishing a water that has a prevalent supply of LMB?[/size][/black]
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[size 3]I don't think that Utah has many waters that contain a large population of LMB or that would be considered a "bass lake".[/size]
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[size 3]Drop shotting is usually considered a deep water technique, and I think that most bass in Utah are found in shallow waters.[/size]
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To answer your question: Yes, and yes it was a dumb question. Give me some credit. Utah has more of a bass population than you can probably imagine. But you just keep on thinking that way and I'll be out bass fishing. Dropshotting is not just a deep water technique and all bass are not found in shallow water. I've caught bass in 40+ feet of water and not on dropshot rigs. It sounds like you need to start bass fishing some more.
I may not have been specific in my question. I use the same hooks for smallies as I do for largemouth but I often lose the largemouth before I can boat em. Are there different hooks that I should use or a technique I'm not using?
2fishon gets a
y face sticker [
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Stop fishing for smallies and fish for largemouth...[
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I'm not getting smart with you, but LM bass for the most part hit a little different lures when I fish for LM bass I have other lures then what I use for SM bass...
And any one that says drop shotting is for deep water only needs to think it again, I use it in 12" of water at times (if you don't fish it you can't catch fish with it)...
Last year I got 61 LM bass out of Jordanelle from 9" up to 21" long and all are still swimming...But in most catches I was fishing for LM bass when the catch was made...Type of bait and location = LM or SM bass...
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Don't give up[cool][crazy]
Go to Pelican and try different colors like purples and greens in the thickest cover you can find with a little spot of open water and see what you can catch...
But turn loose the big ones...
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WOW! Cliff, I do plenty of fishing for largemouth in a few states. What I was trying to find was some help on successful hooking on dropshotting for largemouth. Not how to catch a largemouth, or what a dropshot is or what depth bass are in or will largemouth go after a dropshot. That is why I "gave up".
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I've caught lots of smallies and some LMs at Jordanelle using the hooks that you mentioned, but I've discovered that my hook-ups improved when I switched to a 1,0,1/0 Gammy Octopus-style hooks in a dropshot rig. The G-locks have also worked well for me, but more so when I wacky-hook the worm on the DS rig.
So, do I get a
y face, too?
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[black][size 3]When I answered your inquiry, I should have told you that I'm not a big bass fisherman, and have limited experience fishing for either LMB or SMB.[/size][/black]
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[size 3]The responses given so far on the subject, just give me more questions. Like, if you are not hooking the fish in question, how do you know that they are LMB?[/size]
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[size 3]The other question that I have is related to different ways of drop shotting. I thought that the technique involved small. light hooks, rigged with small plastics. [/size]
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[size 3]My original response was not ment to be a smart a$$ comment, just questions that I thought would have had obvious answers for a person knowledgeble enough to moderate a bass forum.[/size]
[size 3]I was also under the impression that the DS technique was developed in California to give fishermen access to deep water bass that could not be reached with usual methods except for bottom dragging worm rigs.[/size]
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Sorry I misunderstood, One of the biggest things that I have found that helps me in hooking a bass is how you tie the hook...
most of use all use the same knot but its how you start to tie the knot and end that makes it work better...
I don't know if I can put in words with out showing what I mean but I will try, First I like only one type of hook for open hook drop shoting (weedless I use others) but the hook is Gary Yamamoto made by Gamakatsu and its a split shot hook the only place in Utah I can get it is at Fishteck on the east side of the SLC valley..
The knot I use is a Palomar knot and how I tie it is (start the line through the eye so the line points to the tip of the hook then back through the eye now the loop end is the one that is on the hook point side...when you do the over hand knot part you watch the hook and you will see the hook turn so the hook point is now pointing up the line)...
The double line that goes through the eye of the hook put two fingers through the hook eye line and the over hand knot and spread your finger but hold the line so the knot does not slip, you should see a small part of the knot flip to the upper side of the line, then just pull tite ( the hook point should point up the line) then take the tag end and go down through the eye so when you pull the tag end and the upper line the hook point will face or point up the line....
I pick this type of hook cause it will not bind or straiten out on hook set like the fine wire one do and this is a semi circle hook and when tied right will hook in the upper parts of the mouth about 80% of the time...
Some times if on hook set you fell the fish and then he is gone one of two things has happen the hook point was upside down or the hook pulled strait just a little...
If you want to see how I tie this catch me at the boat show or ask when you see me I hope you can understand and this helps...
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Bassrods last post reminded me about the split shot hooks that Gamakatsu puts out. I've used this also for dropshotting and enjoyed similar success and also fish getting unhooked at the boat/tube. The Provo Sportsman's also carries this type of hook, again in sizes 1,0, and 1/0.
I've also been thinking about some of the bass that I've lost and try to remember what setups I was using at that time. I've probably lost more smallies on a medium-heavy rod setup than on a medium action rod. Again, it probably comes down to my technique and the way I play with the fish, but I've always tried to always keep pressure on the fish, keep the rod tip high, and pre-set the drag according to the line I'm using, loose enough to let the fish take line when needed but enough to get a good hookset or better yet, a secondary hookset when needed.
Where's my
y face?[
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I knew I should have brought
ys for the whole class. [
] for Kastmaster, [
] for bassrods and [
] for saberfish. Thanks for trying to help, I didn't mean to sound like a [shocked].
Saberfish, I don't have a problem hooking the largemouth just getting them boated. I can see that they are greenies but as soon as they see me it's hard to turn their head on lighter line and if they dance for ya it's usually over. You are right about the technique but just because a dropshot is typically fished one way does not mean you cannot change things up a bit. I have found several baits that I usually texas or carolina rig that work well on a dropshot. I can't wait to hit the water with you, (if you can stand me cursing if I lose a fish) let's make a trip this summer and we'll get you talking like basser (lies, lies, and more lies and attitude, you only asked me one question in your first response [
]).
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