Steve Brown is an expert crappie angler. Steve gives us information about using a popular bass fishing technique, the drop-shot, for crappie. 

The system
“We start by trying to pick the crappies off the top, usually by spider rigging multiple poles,” says Brown. “We might catch those fish and pull some up from the brush. However, this doesn’t work in all situations because sometimes the fish just won’t come out to take the baits.

“After we spider rig it and present our baits like we want, we will switch to one pole and take a few minutes to jig the brush pile,” Brown continues. “We use a drop shot to get baits down through the limbs. We’ve learned that it’s not unusual for the biggest crappies from the spot to come from deep in the cover.”

Setup is easy. Brown finds the spot he wants to fish and marks it with a buoy keeping it off the cover so it won’t get in the way. He moves into the wind for better boat control. He carefully fishes by spider rigging, making sure to hit all areas around and over the brush or bed. Then he switches to the drop-shot rig.

Brown’s drop-shot setup includes a quality 10-foot rod. On bottom is a 1/2-ounce bell sinker. A #1/0 VMC hook is tied 20 inches up from the sinker on a small tag line.

“The 1/2-ounce sinker allows me to feel the brush and bottom. I drop it until I feel something. If I don’t hit cover I can move it around until I feel it. I use 10-pound braid because it is more sensitive. It’s the best line for ‘feel’ and it’s tough. Some prefer fluorocarbon but that’s probably just a personal preference.

“A sensitive rod isn’t an option, it’s a must-have. Fishing stumps, laydowns and deep brush means you have to feel everything including the cover and bites.”

Brown says the rig is primarily for use in places where hangups are a problem. He has used two hooks, but says that defeats the purpose of the rig. A fish will immediately run when hooked, so the hook usually gets hungup, and then you lose the fish.

“The technique is basically a secondary way to fish and works well with our spider rigging,” Brown says. “The drop shot penetrates the cover so, if a pattern is formed, it could be the primary technique. We’ve learned it really helps getting to spooky fish that stay buried in the brush.

“I usually drop it until it hits bottom or something else. Then work it up as needed. On the rivers with big crappies we are likely to pull out a 2-pounder.”

Brown says patience is very important. The bait gets in the strike zone it’s best to leave it there a while to give the fish time to bite. He uses a minnow but says adding color is okay on some days. He prefers a small-bodied plastic bait and tipping with a minnow.

“I learned this technique from an older gentleman I know. It has worked well for me. I’m sure other fishermen can find situations when the drop-shot will help them reach more crappie.”

Bait options

The drop shot is geared primarily toward fishing a minnow. However, sometimes a jig tipped with a minnow works. Brown says he likes different jigs, but a Bobby Garland Minnow Mind’R in Love Bug color works great in stained waters because it is designed to be fished with a minnow. He also likes a MidSouth tube in a lime/chartreuse combo color. Sometimes a Road Runner 2.0 head adds flash and a thump to help attract bites. But, unless crappies demand the jig, stick to a straight minnow.

Drop-shot rigs have been used for years for crappies (it was the original Kentucky Lake rig before anyone called it a drop-shot), but using them as a follow-up tactic is not common. It’s easy to rig a rod just for drop-shotting, use it for a few minutes on a brush pile, and move on.  MWO

 If you like crappie fishing, you’ll love the April issue of MidWest Outdoors magazine, available the first full week of April at a newsstand near you, or by subscribing on our website.