There are two main rigs that I use for crappie fishing. And on of these is the drop shot rig.
Popularized as a bass fishing rig, the drop shot presents fish fish an enticing presentation that they can’t seem to resist.
So let’s break down the drop shot rig for crappie fishing.
The drop shot rig works best for crappie when fishing deeper water.
The other popular crappie fishing rig, the jig and bobber rig, is not good for fishing deep water.
The wind or current will swing your hanging jig around too much.
It is also almost impossible to ensure your jig is the right distance off the bottom, especially if the water depth is changing.
But the drop shot anchors your rig to the bottom and suspends your bait in exactly the right place where the crappie can eat it.
The drop shot is really a year round rig for crappie fishing. I tend to prefer it over the jig and bobber rig when winter crappie fishing.
In the colder water, crappie will hold a bit closer to the bottom, so the drop shot is perfect for catching these crappie, as you are able to keep your bait exactly in the strike zone the whole time.
Of course, the drop shot will catch crappie year round and in all water depths, so feel free to use it any time. You will have plenty of success.
The crappie drop shot will be rigged the same as you would with bass, but just downsized.
Get a small mosquito hook and tie it on using a palomar know. Leave about a 1-1.5 foot tag end off of the knot.
Feed the tag end back through the eye of the hook so that the hook stick out more parallel.
Then tie on small bell sinker or attach a real drop shot weight to the end of that tag end. As far as the rigging goes, it’s as simple as that.
I usually like to use a 3/16 or 1/4 oz drop shot weight when crappie fishing.
This gives the rig enough finesse while still being able to keep the bait grounded at high depths.
If there is a lot of chop on the water, you will need to upsize the weight, but I mainly focus on the 3/16 and 1/4 oz drop shot weights for crappie.
Again, you are pretty much going to retrieve the drop shot the same as you do when bass fishing.
The only difference is that you will be working it a bit slower and with smaller movements.
To retrieve the drop shot, cast it out and let it hit the bottom. Then lift your rod tip until you feel the line straighten out and you can feel the weight of your sinker.
From here, just hop, shake, and drag the bait slowly back to the boat or bank. You want to make your bait dance around and get the crappie’s attention.
The drop shot setup will ensure that your bait doesn’t get too high or too low in the water, so you don’t have to worry about retrieval speed very much.
All that you really need to know about retrieval speed is that when the water is warm, you can work the drop shot fairly quickly and aggressively.
But when the water is cold, slow down and really just shake and wiggle the bait around.
This is a very slow retrieval, so it is important that you know how to find crappie so that you aren’t wasting any time.
These small minnow baits are far and away my favorite drop shot baits for crappie.
Bobby Garland is the most well known brand that makes these. Minnows are the number one forage of both black crappie and white crappie, so using logic, these minnow plastics will be fantastic.
They are also super durable so you can catch 10-20 crappie on the same soft plastic bait.
The straight tail swims and moves at the slightest movements from your rod tip.
To be honest, I probably use these baits about 80% of the time I fish for crappie.
These style of baits are ideal for fishing very deep water or water that is stained or muddy.
The extra vibration that the curly tail or paddle tail on these small baits help the crappie to find them a bit easier.
This can be important in low light conditions where crappie can’t see very well and are relying on scent and their sixth sense.
In terms of effectiveness, it doesn’t get better than live minnows. They are obviously the most realistic because they are actually real.
Finicky or cautions crappie will have nothing to worry about because they are actually eating a real minnow.
However, the problem with live minnows is that they are hard to get, hard to keep alive, and are annoying to handle.
If you hook the minnows properly, they will stay alive fairly well, but they are still hard to get and impossible to store long term.
Drop Shot Rig for Deeper Water: The drop shot rig is effective for crappie fishing in deeper water compared to the jig and bobber rig, which is less suitable for deep water due to swinging and depth control challenges.
Year-Round Versatility: The drop shot rig can be used year-round for crappie fishing, with a preference in colder water conditions when crappie tend to stay closer to the bottom.
Simple Rigging Process: Rigging a drop shot for crappie involves using a small mosquito hook, a palomar knot, and a small bell sinker or drop shot weight, making it easy to set up.
Ideal Weight for Drop Shot: Using a 3/16 or 1/4 oz drop shot weight is recommended for crappie fishing, providing finesse and depth control.
Retrieval Technique: Retrieving the drop shot involves lifting the rod tip, feeling the weight of the sinker, and then using slow and subtle movements to make the bait dance and attract crappie.
Best Baits: Minnow plastics are highly effective for crappie drop shots due to their resemblance to natural forage. Paddle or curl tail plastics are suitable for deep or murky waters, while live minnows offer unmatched realism but can be challenging to acquire and maintain.
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