The Drop Shot

Drop shotting is a awesome method for presenting a soft plastic in a way that it is kept "in the zone" with deadly results! this method came here with real bonus's for the likes of big Perch and Zander fishing where the presentation is about as good as it gets! i used this method in the sea also for Pollack and Bass with good results, but for me my heart still sits on the fresh water side where you can work docks and locks with ease in a way previous methods just dont cut the mustard! im going to take time out to put a few piccys up to show how to rig "drop shot" with my fav softplastic the Megabass Xlayer :-)

here im about to tie the Palomar knot, form a tight loop with your Fluro (20lb in this case as there are pike present on my local venures, you can uptrace with wire if needed) this is the part you push through the eye of the hook so forming a nice small tight loop is important, the lighter the fluro the easier this bit is. flure strength is a totally person choice between 15lb and 20lb covers all my needs even in salt water.

then you form a simple overhand knot with the loop you have just pushed through the eye of the hook. I generally use carp hooks from Korda in size 6's and 4's as there sharp as shit and really do hook the fish specially in boney mouths! at this point in the above photo you pass the hook through the loop created hanging here on the right of the picture and then moisten the knot and slowly pull tight, making sure eveything is nice and tidy.

now at this point you will have one end of the fluro attached to ya braided mainline and one end will have nothing attached and hanging

you need to now pass this lose end back up over the hook and thread it down back through the eye (making sure hook is pointing up like the abive picture) this keeps the hook always pointing upright like a scorpions tail, this also is important as it helps the overall action your imparting on the lure.

as you can see the Palomar/drop shot knot is now tied and ready for action. now on the lose tag end you attach your lead/weight this can be tied like i do or you can get leads that have the pinch pull system where leads can easily be moved or changed as well as less snag resistant. i start at about half a ounce for my general drop shotting and if needed move to a heavier weight to keep my gear in the zone!

once your lead has been attached your pretty much there ready for action! all you need now is to choose your soft plastic to wack on the hook :-) i LOVE the Megabass Xlayer as its action literally dances around on the drop shot and perch go pretty much cross eyed when they see them! rigging couldnt be any easier and more deadly

you insert the hook point in the end of the Xlayer and pull it out just before the first rib (ribs always up on the Xlayer for better hook position) you can also rig this just nipped on the nose or even "wacky" which gives you even more lure movements if you want to spice it up a bit! push the Xlayer around the shank so the eye of the hook lies tight into the end of the lure.
once the Xlayer is on the hook you are ready to seriously upset some Perch or even Wrasse etc! this method has accounted for fudgin loads of decent fish in the last 5years or so and apart from it being awesome fish catching method the Drop Shot is a brilliant fun way of catching you fav fish on a cracking method! please do give it a try :-)