A year or two back I produced a video and wrote an article about dropshotting for perch. In that video I used a VMC Spinshot hook which is a drop shot hook on a very small swivel. The system works as well as a conventional drop shot rig but it’s quite expensive to buy so for this article and video I’m going to dial it back and show you how to tie a simple drop shot rig for perch.
How to tie a drop shot rig for perch, click below to watch
A conventional drop shot rig for perch starts with a length of fluorocarbon line which acts as a leader. Fluorocarbon is invisible to fish so it’s ideal for the drop shot rig and the fluorocarbon I use for my rigs is Drennan Supplex in 10lb breaking strain. A drop shot leader should be at least 3 feet long (1m), most lure anglers use braid for their main line and for dropshotting, a bright yellow or orange braid is ideal for seeing subtle bites so the leader needs to be long enough to keep the bright coloured braid away from the drop shot lure. I measure mine out by stretching my arms right out, my reach is in the region of 5-6ft and this is the length of my fluorocarbon leader, I prefer longer than 3 feet just to make doubly sure the fish won’t know the lure is attached to anything.
To tie the drop shot rig thread your fluorocarbon line through the eye of your drop shot hook, I use a size 6 VMC Drop Shot Hook for this, once the line is threaded, double it back through the eye of the hook so the hook is free running with the fluorocarbon doubled over. If your drop shot hook is big enough you can simply fold the leader in half and thread it through the eye of the hook. With the hook free running and the leader folded in half tie a palomar knot to secure the drop shot hook to the middle of the leader, you tie an overhand knot then thread the hook through the loop and pull it tight, the hook should sit perfectly in the middle of the leader and sitting at a right angle to it when it’s pulled tight.
Use a Palomar Knot to Tie the Drop Shot Rig for Perch
Apart from tying the drop shot hook to the leader the only thing we have to worry about is attaching the leader to the braided main line, I’ve covered this before and I use a shock leader knot for this job, it’s not a complicated knot but it’s best watch the video for this one as you can see the knot being tied and follow it easily.
Braid to mono shock leader knot for your drop shot rig, click below to watch
The drop shot weight I use for this rig is a Fox Drop Shot Weight but to be honest any drop shot weight will do, the weight is held in place by threading the line through the swivel hole then pulling it up into the recess to lock the weight in position. Generally I like about 12 inches between the weight and the lure, this keeps the lure just off the bottom where you’d expect to find the perch sitting.
Pull the line into the recess to fix the Drop Shot Weight
Last but by no means least is attaching the lure. For this article/video I’ve used a Gunki Whiz Lure, this particular perch lure is 2 inches in length (50mm). It’s simply a case of hooking the lure through the nose and pushing it round the bend of the hook, try and sit the lure right on the bend so the hook point is free to take hold and penetrate on the strike, I put the point into the gunki whiz about 3mm from the nose of the lure, that way it doesn’t interfere with the hooking properties of the rig.
Gunki Whiz Lure on a completed Drop Shot Rig for Perch
That’s basically it for tying a drop shot rig for perch. Dropshotting for perch is a great way of fishing and at this time of year (winter), it can still get you bites. The perch in the video above was caught in minus temps at the end of November, so if you’re a carp angler expecting a slow winter with not many bites then I’d recommend giving lure fishing and dropshotting for perch a go, the drop shot rig for perch is very easy to tie and fishing this way will keep you catching fish and ticking over until spring.
A 'netter' perch caught Drop Shotting with a Gunki Whiz Lure
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Until next time
Tight Lines
Mark.
