Drop Shotting Live Bait?

[one100grand]

I fish quite a bit with live bait on the Potomac River in addition to my bass fishing. I'm a firm believer that working on tactics for subtle improvements will make a big difference and so I'm re-evaluating my bait fishing approach. I've been using a Carolina Rig w/a leader between 12-36" and a 1-2 oz egg sinker. I haven't ever tried the drop shot with live bait, but I've had some success with it on artificials. What are folks experiences with using this technique on live baits and how did you rig the bait?

 

[Captain Ahab]

We do something in the salt for Stripers that is very similar to drop shotting - depending on the location all it eitehr three way rigging or long lining.

Three way rigging is done from a boat and used as a way to present live eels or spot while drifting baits. Using a three way swivel we tie a dropper loop to one swivel about 12-18" of line. To another swivel we tie our leader anywhere from 24-26" of line to a 5/0 to 8/o octopus beak style hook and attached the eel or spot to that hook. The line if played out in the drift and fished by lifting it off the bottom to give make the the bait look like it is coming up from the bottom

You want to use just enough weight to hit the bottom but not so much that you are constantly dragging - I know they use this rig for fresh water bass as well both with lures and with live bait.

For those not familiar with the tackle:

Long lining is essentially the same idea but there is usually not a swivel involved - you tie a triple surgeons knot and attach the weight to one end of the tag and the lure or weight to the other. Here, we cast these from shore and allow the tidal current to move the bait or lure along again, bouncing it. For stripers we often use a large streamer fly with a 6-8" soft plastic ribbon tail worm

 

[one100grand]

I use a similar rig to that's called a Suicide Rig for fishing baits in areas with a lot of snaggy cover. I'll use lighter line on the leader between the swivel and the casting sinker so it breaks off easily if snagged. In your presentation, does it enable you to make motion to make the bait swim more in the same fashion as you would with artificials drop shotting?

 

[slim357]

Long lining is essentially the same idea but there is usually not a swivel involved - you tie a triple surgeons knot and attach the weight to one end of the tag and the lure or weight to the other.

You catch much with that double weight rig of yours ahab :lol:
Last time I fished live bait I used something ahab put me on to but I dont know what there called, those little slips with a clasp that holds the weight. All you do is use a swivel, regular barrel style, you can put the slid thing on either side of it really, but I prefer to put it above the swivel as to no kill the bait on the cast. Then you can give the bait fish line and let it swim off, then pull it back toward the bottom.
Ok so I worked the google machine and found out there called sinker slides

 

[fender66]

Ok so I worked the google machine and found out there called sinker slides

now that's a good idea. I'll have to get some of those.

 

[Captain Ahab]

Just ask for live line rigs - that is what we call the slide things - and make sure you get the ones made for braid if you use that - it will cut through the cheaper versions

And hey Slim - glad to see you posting again


Now where are those linesider photos?

 

[slim357]

whats a linesider?
I guess I didnt really answer your question one100grand, I dont really drop shot with live bait other than worms. wacky rigging a night crawler on a drop shot will definitely catch some fish

 

[Captain Ahab]

whats a linesider?