How to Catch Common Sunfishes Pt. 2 | Drop-Shot Rig

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Please share your drop-shot tips below! I didn't go in-depth into this rig as that would been a 2hr video. Although this comes naturally to most anglers, I do want to add that the distance off the bottom your bait will sit will be dependent on your rod tip angle and how far out your cast was tossed. If you tied your hook 10 inches off from the weight and you're directly over your bait then you're bait will be 10 inches off the bottom when your weight is on the bottom and you have no slack. If you tied your hook10 inches from the weight and you've cast out 20 ft then you're bait will be pulled at an angle (dependent on your rod tip position), lessening the vertical height off the bottom. Casting farther and/or needing to sit higher over the bottom means you should at least have about 12" between your hook and weight. I'll probably make some graphics of this on koaw.org when I get the method 2 page done. Oh no...that means I have to do trigonometry! Friendly reminder that KZbin’s Auto-Comment-Filter is active. Inappropriate language is blocked as KNFS is an all-age community. Links are blocked to prevent spammers.

[@robertwhite3752]

I’m a huge panfish guy. Crappie, red ear, bluegill and perch are my target species 90% of the time besides for four or five trips each year up to Erie for walleye, and a few trips down south for saugeye. The #4 Gamakatsu hooks are the hooks I use 90% of the time. I absolutely love them and have no need for any other.

[@KNFishingSmarts]

I can appreciate that. When something works very well, why use anything else? Thanks for sharing!

[@luevang4113]

Wow so much information! Super organized video with detailed diagrams! Thank you so much for making this! 10/10

[@KNFishingSmarts]

10/10! Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@chadburton3337]

Loved the detail about how you play the bait on the drop. I loved the knot tying part too, I have trouble finding good knot tying vids, they all move too fast, have weird angles, or skip details. This was really really good.

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Thanks Ian. Yeah, I was debating putting in the knot tying part as so many other videos already show that. But I'm glad you found it worthwhile! Cheers!

[@joshuaclifton7764]

Yeah me too I watch a lot of fishing stuff but you describe her very well man preciate it maybe I'll get one here soon

[@rudyrademacher8721]

Watched the video this morning and went out to the stingy city lake early afternoon and hot. Usually catch 2-4 fish. Tied the knot per your instructions and baited per instructions. Wow with the hook up properly caught 22 (they weren’t very big but it’s a heavily fished lake). Number 4 Aberdeen hook worked great. No one else was catching anything. What a blast!! That was the best knot video I’ve seen (the color helped). Thanks

[@seasgarage]

This needs to be titled, or at least included in title, the best video for step by step knot tying. This has helped so much.

[@mrrooter601]

6:49 The berkley plastics are so great! I just got into fishing again and have been slamming bluegill on the one inch silver minnows. I have been using them on a 1/32 oz jig, but my dad was using them on a drop shot and he was catching just as many.

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Nice! Glad, those 1" silver minnows are working.

[@ColonelEmoHunter]

I second this. I slay bass and common sunfish here in North Texas on a dropshot using size 6 mosquito hooks, gulp alive minnows, and a 1/8th Oz reaction tackle weight.

[@RonMTube]

I love targeting sunfish but have always avoided drop shotting, mostly because I just don't enjoy it as a fishing method (I usually fish soft plastics on a jig head). None the less, it is something that works and your video has inspired me to try again. Thanks.

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Yeah, I get that. Drop-shotting can get old, even for me. I like switching it up. Though I'm glad I convinced you to give it another go!

[@eboninkdeathliquidnecrosis]

Most educational fishing vids out there.

[@KNFishingSmarts]

🙏 Glad you think that of the KNFS videos!

[@paulisemonger280]

Great info well presented. No gimmicks just plain facts taken from experience. Subscribed.

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Glad you appreciate the bits of information I can share. Glad your subscribed to KNFS!

[@jaybae8056]

beautiful fishes bro, and thanks for the tips. tips or no tips, i am happy just watching you fish.

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Appreciate that, jaybae8056! Glad you appreciate the fishes too.

[@jamesanderson7337]

Enjoyed your video. Thanks for posting

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Thanks, James! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@joebuck66]

That’s a lot of Great information Koaw. It was really good to see you on Panfish Nation Thursday.

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Appreciate that Jobuck66! That was a fun show to do over on Panfish Nation--glad you checked out this one too!

[@peggyparrow2059]

Love panfish videos ! I stopped buying magazines because they are all about catching biggest baddest fish that most times dont taste good to eat ! They have very few storys on panfish !

[@KNFishingSmarts]

I can understand that, Peggy. Thanks for sharing!

[@steveheck7754]

Good detailed video. Love it for bass, now you got me wanting to try it for sunfish. I have some 20 year old koi in a pond , that look about the size of yours. Maybe a meal worm on real small hook. Glad you like to catch all kinds of fish.

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Thanks for the tip on the koi Steve. Still haven't landed (or even seen) that big 'ol koi in the past week. Best of luck when you try out the drop-shot on the common sunfishes!

[@stephenballard3759]

Fantastic information. This is one of my favorite ways to ice-fish for perch and panfish, too. One of my favorite lakes has a lot of milfoil that piles up on the bottom right after first ice. Drop shot gets it down the hole quick, and hovering right above the weeds (keep ypur tag a little long and fiddle with the depth. Wiggly small plastics like bream bugs, PowerBait trout worms, or half a nightcrawler will get me LMB, perch, bluegills, and trout. Tipped with waxes or spikes on a slow day. Even the wind will make plastics on a tight line shiver in place.

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Ah nice, thanks for sharing your experience with ice-fishing this rig!

[@FeBDuron]

very nice presentation , Thank you

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Thanks for enjoying this one!

[@Edward-i5i]

Thanks for the advice and info

[@troyseal9877]

If you want a great lure to fish on a dropshot for bigger sunfish use a Pautzke trout worm. They are stretchy like mule fishing lures. You can trim it down if you like. You can catch a bunch of fish on one worm.

[@stephenballard3759]

Great video. Excellent info, mixed with good footage. I use dropshotting a lot for perch, crappie, and bluegill while icefishing. On lakes with rocks bottoms or weed beds, it's good for holdong a line snugand a bait high enoughbto be seen while "dead-sticking" with occasional little jigs, shakes and wiggles. Works well with bait like red worms, tiny Gulp minnows and light, skinny, wiggly plastics like bream bugs or Berkley trout worms. It's also good for getting. Way down to really deep crappies. Some of our Western lakes I may be fishing for crappies 45' deep, and it takes ice flies a LONG time to sink that far, but drop-shotting a glowing plastic using a little bigger sinker keeps your line in the water more, even if you have to set the hook 4 foot high or something.

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Thanks for sharing your experiences and tackle on this topic, Stephen. I definitely have not targeted crappie at 45'! That's pretty cool.

[@HauntingMouse]

Subbed, excellent video, look forward to more

[@jacksonvillereclaimedwood6709]

Very good video dude!

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Ty ty!

[@PanFishWeekly]

Another great video, and my favorite rig for panfish

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Thanks! Yeah the drop-shot is so efficient.

[@ratfish1000]

Good luck catching the Koi it looks really nice 👍 . I just tried the drop-shot for some steelhead but had no takers

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Appreciate that! And thanks again for your suggesting those Garlands.

[@bankfishingislife5484]

i love drop shot i do a variance though and instead of tying the hook on like this i do a surgeons loop knot. for some reason i just love that way a lot more. for bass or bluegils. nice vid. i like to use nightcrawlers the most.. and no lie ill put big full ones on to draw the bigger fish if im going for just bigs. or you can just pull them into small pieces if that doesnt matter.

[@thomasflickinger1949]

Started to use a drop shot on crick trout. My 9' rod and I dap it in pools at a nearly vertical presentation. Use wax worms, butterworms, a variety of Powerbait worms, eggs and of course Trout magnet bodies on 8 or 10 Mosquito hooks. All work, now for the gills and cats, Will be on them very soon. Thank you for the info.

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Nice, Thomas! Appreciate you sharing your tips on tackle with us. Good luck for the season!

[@RedDouglas]

Have you ever tried using a small bait screw with an eyelet, run the hook through that eyelet, and then using bait pegs to keep it in place on the hook? The screw threads into the body of the plastic bait.

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Nah, I can't say I have...it's intriguing to think of.

[@whatever_bites]

For practical purposes as recreational fisher, could a steel leader work to hang off of a swivel with the hook work? kinda like a tokyo rig. just so u don’t have to piss around with tying knots. i know this is all about feel so wondering if it will change things too much

[@robertwhitworth6915]

If you’re trying to hook up with a koi/carp, my go to is a European style float rod and Waggler. It’s crazy sensitive when set up right and offers a great sport when they bite.

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Alright, thanks Robert! I might just try that as my next approach for the koi.

[@robertwhitworth6915]

@@KNFishingSmarts if you don’t want to spend the money to ship a European rod over, 9-12 foot salmon steelhead rods work great too. The fenwick HMX is a great semi budget rod.

[@greatlakezgirl649]

I like Lunker City FIN-S SHAD for drop shot. They're 1.75" and the tail action is intense.

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Alright--glad to get your recommendation. Thanks Greatlakezgirl!

[@danreid6712]

Try using Trout flies like a small black stonefly nymph...deadly on panfish. You can even add scent on them.

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Nice! Thanks for sharing the tip here with us.

[@James-oj6ck]

I have wanted to try dropshot with sunfishes. Lately I've had great results with jig and curly tail grubs. I'll have to just break downand try it.

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Ah nice, curly tails are great. You could even just toss one of those on a drop-shot. I do that with the Mr. Twisters sometimes.

[@davidnewton3064]

Ohhh damn that's me! Dropshot is deadly, but I hate casting it. Im pretty average at casting in general. Yeah, looking forward to the review on those plastics. And have you noticed any difference in performance between any of the Gulp stuff? They all seem to work just fine. The leeches, red worms, and minnows. Durability is the only difference I can see. Take a look at the Tru Turn hooks. They have a offset shank for what they call cam lock action. Basically rotates the hook point as the line is pulled.

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Yeah, glad to have your input put in this video David. As far as the Berkley Gulp! lines...yeah, over the years I haven't really been disappointed with most of their items. I just expect 'em to be beaten up quickly; I believe that's just the tradeoff with soaking 'em in the scent mixture. And those Tru-Turn hooks are not a brand I've tried (at least that I can recall.) I'll have to explore into those. Thanks for sharing that.

[@jerrykolberg6046]

Good info

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Thx Jerry!

[@davidtreichler8036]

Have you used the VMC spin shot ?

[@KNFishingSmarts]

I haven't used any VMC spin shot for drop-shotting panfishes. So I don't have input on that one.

[@brentfraunfelder892]

What do you recommend for Oregon lakes?

[@KNFishingSmarts]

I can't say I've fished Oregon lakes....but since that seems mostly to be bluegill and pumpkinseed, you'll be fine using a #6-#4 hook with a soft plastic or live bait. Drop it near cover and good things should happen.

[@brentfraunfelder892]

@KN Fishing Smarts thanku for your help, my wife just got a fenwick spin rod with purple cadence primo spin reel. I wanted to help her get started. Your input should be game changer. Thanks again for the help. Tight lines!

[@Trip-in-eat]

Which is better carolina or this drop shot from not getting snag?

[@MrTapout619]

Drop shot for big blue hill is great using live crickets. Also I can help u with that koi or carp or mirror carp. Go to ur desired location or where u think they r around. Chum out a can of corn then leave. Go back the next day and do the same. Do this for three days. Preferably in the morning so the chumed corn has a whole day to attract. Then on the 4th day go with corn, chees, and bread. U can even use some salmon eggs. This will get u any of those fish I mentioned above. Good luck. By the way new to the channel.

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Appreciate the advice on that one! I will say that I did try chumming those koi for a full week with a corn mixture. I didn't try the bread--so that'll have to be my next go to.

[@learningtofish7036]

Try the nishini drop shot hooks.

[@sarahlarson8226]

Since you catch and release, do you find any difference in successfully unhooking between live or plastic bait?

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Typically how the fish is hooked is dependent on the type of hook and the hookset by the fisher rather than on type of bait. A fish is more likely to swallow a hook if the fisher is slow to make the hookset. Though, with live bait as opposed to a plastic, a fish is much more likely to swallow the hook/bait if the fisher is too slow to make the hookset; plastics often get spit if the fish decides the plastic tastes bad. Thanks for the question Sarah!

[@stephenballard3759]

You said you tried clam meat for the red ear sunfish. If you can find an Asian market at a bigger city try apple snail meat or baby mussels.

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Right on! I will have to keep an eye out for apple snail meat the next time I'm at an Asian market. Thanks again, Stephen.

[@stephenballard3759]

@KN Fishing Smarts .I don't even know if it is the bait for shell crackers but I have caught them on it, and those apple snails will stay on the hook, man.

[@leluconpendek427]

do you use swivel???

[@KNFishingSmarts]

With the drop-shot, no I don't use a swivel.

[@adamstreetboyzz]

Why not use circle hook?

[@vcdougherty]

where is part 3 4 and 5? please help.

[@KNFishingSmarts]

I haven't made parts 3-5 yet...sorry Christine! I will move them back to the top of my production queue. If you're curious the remaining methods are: 1) A hook and worm...old school but effective. 2) Wet flies - Spider mimics and bead heads are my favorite. 3) Crank baits/Other lures - Kastmaster is awesome, the Mini-Rapala Fat Rap, and Rooster Tail are some of my favorites.

[@ureasmith3049]

If I want sunfish I just throw a hook in the water.

[@KNFishingSmarts]

That can work!

[@jellobound6257]

Depending on the body of water they can be very smart

[@rickwileysr.6465]

If using shrimp micro, wave it for 30 seconds before you take it out fishing it will stay on the hook longer...

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Thanks for sharing your tip!

[@Goober-pm8sz]

Very long ago video, but you guys: put on dead minnows. Not mud minnows, mosquito fish type minnows. Hook them through their belly or wherever. Works absolutely insane

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Hmm...an interesting method. Thanks for sharing your tip, Goober!

[@matthewanderson9876]

Try the joker from Mr. Crappie

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Right on. That does look like a fine choice for a drop-shot. Thanks Matthew!

[@kylemarkloff4451]

Easier than that, just try to catch any other fish besides a sunny... And you will catch a sunny

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Hahaha, yeah. Sometimes on some bodies of water that is what it feels like.

[@FishingUltralight]

Joss

[@KNFishingSmarts]

?

[@desmondjohnson6360]

Why use a drop shot when you can use a bobber instead??? Plus you can adjust the depth as needed, can't do that with a drop shot. Drop shot rig is OK but don't be fooled by this, have fun and use common sense and have fun just fishing and enjoy yourself like you did as a kid, it's just fishing.

[@bent5434]

Argument for the drop shot is that it won’t move away from the fish since it’s on the bottom and it adjusts to any depth. Wind can move your bobber out of the strike zone

[@jivinmiles6352]

This is such a goofy comment. Sure fishing is fun and that’s what it should be but fishing EFFECTIVELY is way more fun.

[@dallasdon4662]

Both have their applications

[@RobCardIV]

i make my own drop shot weights. 10 meters of metal wire cost 1 dollar. tiny stones are free. takes about 60 seconds to make a single one if im lazy and relaxed. i could probably do it in 20 seconds if i gave a damn. 100 free weights. takes like 10 minutes while im watching youtube. tunscton ? lol wtf...

[@13samfootball]

Great channel, liked and subs. I have a question you may or may not know about, and is off topic. But man I hate gut hooking fish, happens with sunfish, bluegill even bass. Should I change the hook, am I setting it too late? I feel like it's a toss up depending on how aggressive the fish are biting too.

[@KNFishingSmarts]

If you're using live bait rigs then it's more likely to gut hook. I like using offset circle hooks for lepomids but in-line circles are probably best to avoid gut hooking. Also, I rarely fish without my hand on the rod so that I can hookset really quickly. I've found that sitting rigs (like bobbers) just add delay and give a fish a better chance to swallow the bait. Hope that helps a bit.

[@JA-gx4hb]

Small circle hooks work great on panfish and bass. Great for kids who get distracted easily. Kind of hard to find though.