The drop shot, filmed end to end

The whole rig tied and fished on camera, from knot to first lift.

6 min read

· Updated Aug 2026

· beginner

Most drop shot advice assumes you are sitting over fish in twenty feet of water watching them on a screen. You are not. You are standing on a rip-rap bank with one rod and a limited number of casts before the light goes.

Why it works from shore

The good news is that the rig does not care. A weight on the bottom with a bait suspended above it is exactly what you want when fish are holding tight to structure you can reach from the bank. The weight anchors, the bait hovers, and you can work one spot for as long as you like without moving the bait out of the zone.

Leader length

Twelve to eighteen inches covers most bank situations. Shorter when fish are hugging the bottom, longer when they are suspended off it. Start short — a bait too high is invisible, a bait too low still gets found.

The retrieve, such as it is

Cast past your target, let the weight settle, then do almost nothing. Shake the rod tip in place, count to five, and move the weight six inches. The bait is working the entire time it sits still, which is the part that takes some believing.

What you need

Size 1 or 2 drop shot hook

1/4 oz cylinder weight

8-10 lb fluorocarbon

Wicked Worm

Medium-light spinning rod

A camera, if you like

Step by step

Cut a long leaderThree to four feet of 8 lb fluorocarbon. You will lose length to retying.

Tie the hook with a palomarLeave a long tag end below the hook. That tag is where the weight goes.

Run the tag back through the eyeFrom below, up through the hook eye. This is what makes the hook ride point-up.

Set your leader lengthHook to weight, twelve to eighteen inches for bank fishing.

Crimp on the weightA cylinder weight pulls free when it wedges in rock, instead of costing you the whole rig.

Nose-hook the baitThrough the nose only, just under the surface. The worm should hang horizontal.

Check the hangHold the rig up. If the bait droops, move the hook forward a hair.

Cast past your targetLet the weight find bottom before you touch the rod tip.

Best conditions

Water clarity

Clear, Stained

Time of day

All day

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