A drop shot is the most precise way to present a small lure to a single fish. Unlike most rigs where the weight drags the bait around, here the weight pins the bottom and the bait dangles above at a fixed height — exactly where the fish are looking.
To tie it:
- Tie the hook directly into the main line using a Palomar knot, leaving an extra long tag end (12-18 inches).
- Pass the tag end back through the hook eye so the hook stands out perpendicular to the line.
- Tie a small drop-shot weight (1/8-3/8 oz) to the bottom of the tag.
Cast, let it sink, then shake the rod tip without moving the weight. The bait quivers seductively in place. Effective on pressured smallmouth, suspended bass, and finicky trout in lakes.