DROP SHOT RIG

Drop shot is an awesome technique for inshore, nearshore and the bays!
Probably the most popular freshwater technique in bass fishing today this is taking our local bays and nearshore areas by storm. It's a question we see a lot more of now than ever. Drop shotting is easy, fast and a great way to pick up multiple fish from a single area, it's also a way to find fish on tricky days when lockjaw seems to have infected the water around you.
The dropshot action drives bass wild and they are helpless to avoid attacking your baits. We recommend either a stick bait like the Senko or SaltShaker worm or something more fishy such as a fluke or minnow bait. Anything between 3" and 10" is fair game for the rig - just make sure to match your hook size and style to the bait. For small 3" baits an octopus wire hook will do the job, size 4 or so, but for larger or longer baits we shift to an extra wide gap Gamakatsu or similar in any size between 2/0 to 6/0. Generally fished on lighter tackle this is an excellent opportunity to dig out the spinning reels and use 6 lb or 8 lb test. In extreme situations you can up it to 10 lb but only if you really need to. Also, the bottom weight can be anywhere between 3/8oz to 5 or 6 oz depending on your depth, current and tides. Experiment! Practice!

The object of the game is to keep your weight on the bottom and your line tight while you provide jiggly jiggly action to the bait. You accomplish this by twitching your rod tip up and down, putting the slightest amount of slack into the line and snapping it back very quickly. If your weight isn't staying on the bottom easily or if it the current is pushing it around size up your weights. Local celebrity angler Scott "Fishtricks" Johnson will also advise you to stand up, put one hand on your hip, lean back and jiggle away while pretending to focus on something else. Eventually you'll reach down to grab a soda or move your gaff to another location and that's when you'll get bit. Works every time.

Kayaks provide a great opportunity to deadstick a dropshot bait as well. Because of our smaller hulls and lighter weight we move around a good deal more on the surface of the water than traditional boats. Tighten up a line and drop it in a rod holder and let the action of the swell and drift do the work. Saltwater bass aren't as picky or wily as their freshwater cousins and will pounce on this presentation quite readily. Just be ready to snatch up the rod and drive the hook home when it goes bendo!

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: 5 minutes

Here's How:
1.Decide on yoru hook size, bait and lead size
2.Tie your hook onto your line with a Palomar knot but leave a long tag end - 36" is safe
3.After you draw your Palomar knot tight your hook should point out and up as in the picture. If it does not (or even if it does) take the tag end and run it through the eye of the hook one more time from the front, pull down and this will put your hook into proper alignment.
4.Tie your weight onto the tag end at the desired length. It's better to start long and short the distance between the hook and the weight as you'll find yourself in trouble trying to go the other way. :)
5.Thread your bait on the hook with whichever method is appropriate (depending on hook style).
6.Catch fish.

BY: Anthony Smith

Double whammy!

There are some bass fishing techniques that people really seem to enjoy. I believe that one of those is topwater fishing. There is just something about a big bass exploding on your topwater bait that get your adrenalin going.  Topwater fishing is my favorite type of fishing. I  am sure that when the bass are biting that many anglers would agree that topwater fishing can be very exciting. One of my favorite lures to use on topwater is the Lucky Craft Sammy. I know that there are other brands that make very similar baits that can do the same trick, but I prefer the Lucky Craft Sammy for the action, the sound, and the reaction I get from the bass.

A couple of years ago I bought my first Sammy, it was ghost minnow color and a one knocker. I really did not know how to "walk the dog," but I had heard a lot about it. I needed and wanted to learn how to "walk the dog" and I really thought that it would be rewarding.
You need to have a decent rod, with good length and a fast tip. I use a 6'8" rod with a fast tip for my Sammy and walk the dog technique. The ideal size depends alot on you. The longer the rod, the better help you will have in tightening the line quickly when the bass hit, mostly needed for longer casts. Too long of a rod and you might have trouble trying to get the right motion on the rod and the bait for walking the dog.
I like to use monofilament line for topwater, since it floats on water and has more stretch to counter act my all to often quick reaction hooksets. I believe it is really important to use floating line to keep the action of the lure walking properly.
Once you have made a nice long cast, you can start making short twitches of the rod tip to make the bait walk. I prefer pointing the rod down toward the water when I twitch. Once you establish a nice rhythm with your twitches, make sure they are big enough movements to allow enough slack for the bait's nose to go side to side. Try not to get discouraged, this took me many hours of practice to master.
One cold fall morning, on the river near where I live, (Three Rivers, MI) I was working on this technique in particular. My oldest son came with me, and after about two hours of casting and reeling he decided he has had enough. He put his poles away and curled up on the bench seats to get out of the wind. Two and a half hours of trying to learn walk the dog with nothing to show for it.  Sure, I threw some crankbaits here and there. I happened to notice a spot of calm water, nestled next to some brush, protected by wind and current so I made a cast there when I twitched it once and boom, he hit it. The bass took it down and was tangled in a log. I had to maneuver my boat and position my rod to work him out. When he finally came up I realized that not just one, but TWO bass on my Sammy! My son woke up quickly, (with my sceaming, of course.) and grabbed the net and he netted the bass. That net must have weighed around eight or nine pounds with those bass in it!
Maybe A double hit doesn't happen very often, but you can learn to be successful while walking the dog. I was using a slow rhythm when I caught those bass, I have since learned to use a real fast rhythm, that would mimic fleeing baitfish. One should try different speeds and retrieves until you find what the bass are telling you. Keep lines tight. Fish with fury.
By:Joe Minor
Inside bass fishing
Pro staff