Using a drop shot rig has become an increasingly popular and effective technique for walleye fishing. Traditionally, walleye anglers have relied on live bait rigs such as slip sinkers, but the drop shot rig offers a more efficient and flexible approach, especially when paired with soft plastics. Pro walleye angler Mark Courts has shifted from live bait to soft plastics for much of his walleye fishing, citing the convenience and effectiveness of the drop shot technique. He highlights some of his favorite Berkley soft baits and shares tips on rigging them to maximize success on the water.
Why Choose the Drop Shot Rig?
There are a few reasons why the drop shot rig has become a go-to option for many walleye anglers. One of the main advantages is the ability to get the bait down quickly to where the fish are holding, and keep it in the strike zone. Walleyes are known to prefer feeding near the bottom of the lake or river, and the drop shot rig allows for precise control in keeping the bait suspended just off the bottom, where they are most likely to strike.
By using soft plastics instead of live bait, anglers can avoid some of the hassle and mess that comes with keeping live bait fresh. Additionally, soft plastics allow for more experimentation, with different shapes, sizes, and scents that can trigger walleye bites more effectively than live bait in many situations.
Recommended Soft Plastics for Walleye Drop Shotting
Mark Courts relies on several scented soft plastics from Berkley to up his drop shot game when targeting walleyes. His top picks include:
- Berkley PowerBait Twitch Tail Minnow: This bait is designed to mimic the erratic darting action of a small baitfish, making it an excellent choice for enticing walleye. The PowerBait scent technology helps keep the fish interested once they’ve taken a nibble.
- Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Flatworm: Known for its natural look and feel, the MaxScent Flatworm has become a favorite among walleye anglers. Its soft, slim profile allows it to move fluidly in the water, imitating the motion of a real worm. The MaxScent formula gives off a scent that helps attract walleyes from farther distances.
- Berkley Gulp! Crawler, 4-inch: The Gulp! Crawler is another excellent option for drop shotting, offering a lifelike worm profile combined with Berkley’s proprietary scent dispersion. It can be rigged nose-hooked or Texas-style, depending on the cover and bottom structure being fished.
- Berkley PowerBait The Champ Minnow: This minnow-style bait has a realistic profile and swimming action, making it a great option for mimicking small baitfish that walleye love to feed on. The PowerBait formula provides additional scent and taste that makes fish hang on longer, giving anglers more time to set the hook.
Choosing the Right Hook
When drop shotting for walleye, the choice of hook is just as important as selecting the right bait. Courts recommends the Berkley Fusion19 Drop Shot Hook, size 1, for nose-hooking plastics like the Twitch Tail Minnow or the Flatworm. This type of hook allows for maximum bait movement while keeping the hook point exposed for easier hooksets. In situations where there’s more snaggy cover, such as grass or wood, Courts opts for a Berkley Fusion19 Offset Worm Hook, size 1/0. This allows for Texas rigging soft plastics, which keeps the hook point protected from snags while still delivering an effective presentation.
When and How to Use Scented Soft Plastics
Walleyes rely heavily on their sense of smell and color to find prey, so choosing the right combination of these factors can make or break a fishing trip. Berkley’s PowerBait, MaxScent, and Gulp! lines offer a range of colors and scents designed to appeal to walleye, and Courts has found success by experimenting with different options based on water clarity, time of day, and weather conditions.
For instance, in murky water, brighter colors like chartreuse or white can help make the bait stand out, while more natural tones like green pumpkin or shad work well in clearer conditions. Scent is especially important in walleye fishing because these fish often take their time investigating a bait before committing to a strike. The added scent in Berkley’s soft plastics keeps them engaged longer, increasing the chances of a successful hookset.
Rigging Tips for Success
One of the advantages of the drop shot rig is its flexibility in terms of rigging. While the most common rigging method for walleye is nose-hooking the plastic bait with an octopus-style hook, Courts often ventures into bass territory by using Texas rigs for snaggy environments. When fishing around grass, wood, or other underwater structures where the risk of snags is high, Texas rigging the plastic on an offset worm hook can prevent getting hung up while still delivering an effective presentation.
Another key factor in drop shot success is selecting the right weight. The drop shot rig uses a weight at the bottom of the line to hold the bait in place above it. Choosing a weight that’s heavy enough to keep the bait in the strike zone but not too heavy to spook fish is critical. Generally, a 1/4 to 3/8 ounce drop shot weight works well for most walleye fishing situations.
A Growing Trend in Walleye Fishing
The use of drop shot rigs and soft plastics is becoming more popular among walleye anglers for good reason. It provides an efficient way to get the bait in front of fish and keeps it there for a longer period of time. This technique also allows anglers to experiment with different baits, colors, and scents quickly and easily, giving them an advantage when trying to figure out what the fish are biting on that particular day.
With the right combination of Berkley’s scented soft plastics, rigging techniques, and tackle, anglers can improve their chances of catching more walleyes without relying on live bait. The drop shot rig, once primarily associated with bass fishing, is proving its worth as an essential tool in walleye anglers’ arsenals, and its popularity is only expected to grow as more anglers discover its benefits.
Walleye fishing continues to evolve, and the drop shot rig has become an important tool for modern anglers looking to catch more fish with less hassle. By pairing the rig with Berkley’s line of scented soft plastics and choosing the right hook and rigging method, anglers can increase their odds of success. Whether fishing in open water or around heavy cover, the drop shot rig offers a versatile and effective solution for targeting walleyes.
Image/Source: Wired2Fish
