There are several techniques that seasoned bass fisherman use.Drop shotting is one of the best ways to locate and catch deep water smallmouth on Lake Erie.
What is a drop shot
A drop shot rig is simply a finesse way to present your bait. You can use a small plastic worm ,or a great choice a goby bait from Culprit,it is called the Great Lakes Goby.,also Berkely has a couple of baits that work very well .they are the Gulp Goby and a Sinking minnow.With a stand out hook tied approximately 10 to 15 inches above a 1/4 to 5/16 ounce weight .
How to rig a drop shot rig,it is simple.start by tiying your hook with a palomar knot about 10 to 15 inches up your line . with a stand out hook your bait will stay straight out.that is important ,for shaking your bait.with the restof yuor line trailer you can tie on your weight .8#test line is a good choiceto try.
How to fish a drop shot rig.
Now that you have your rig tied up you can start fishing .choose a bait .on Lake Erie,Goby .small plastic worms or a minnow type bait is your best choice .use your graph to locate some bait or rock piles or even a gravel flat in deep water.Try verticle jiging over the fish that you have located on your graph.With a upsweeping motion lift your bait of the bottom let it slowly sink back down.when on the bottom shake the bait a little .this will give your bait a life like action. when your lure is on the fall ,be a line watcher .most of the tim the fish will strike your bait on the fall. you will not feel a strike ,all it will be is a slight tick on your line.also you can cast your drop shot rig over chunck rock or what ever kind of bottom you are fishing.In the summer months deep water smallmouth bass will hang in 25 feet or deeper water on Lake Erie.
Try this method of fishing you will be glad you did . do not give up on drop shotting in deep water .give it a good try .you will catch some big fish when other people are strugling to catch a limit of bass,.
Mid summer bassin on Lake Erie in Buffalo N.Y can be great if you know were and how to catch them.For a trip of a life time contack Captain Tim Braun at braunsoutdoors.com.
Captain
Tim Braun