Drop Shotting bluff walls

[Brian]

I like to to fish drop shots down lake on bluff walls around Elm Hill. I get right up against the wall so my drop shot stops on the first or second ledge on the wall….usuall 20ft-40ft deep.
I use 6lb-8lb copolymer line with a 12″-18″ leader. I use a drop shot hook with with a finesse worm or a mini tube. I finish with a 1/4oz drop shot weight.

Once my lure lands on the bottom I lift up my rod until my line tightens. Then I drag slowly while stopping and giving little switches.

[blockel]

For drop shotting, I’m currently using braid as my main line with approx. a 7ft leader of 8lb fluorocarbon. I’ll vary my leader length but it usually falls within in that 12″-18″ range. Other lures that have worked for me would be a jig, shakey head, and jerkbait.

I usually get a lot more bites around the ends of the bluff wall where they open up into a pocket or creek. Also, bluff walls that are on a main channel bend would probably be your best bet.

Good luck!

[simplecircuit]

After taking a trip with Brian a couple years ago, I dropshot the bluffs around Elm Hill a lot too.
From day to day, you will find which depths the fish are at. Last year, we caught a lot at 35ft. For setup… I use 7lb sunline fc sniper, sz 1 gamakatsu split shot hook (sometimes the VMC spin shot or gamakatsu g-finesse dropshot swivels. I typically keep the leader to 16-24″. For baits… I use a variety of finesse lure all in the 3-4″ range. Think Japanese soft plastics and roboworms in shad tones.

As an aside. I got the chance to ask several elite series pros how they would approach fishing Priest in the winter based on my description of it being deep, rocky with relatively clear water and well defined points and channels. Every pro gave the exact same answer. 4-6″ purple roboworm on a dropshot on main lake points. I thought it was funny that they all independently came up with the same approach with such specific detail.

Good luck.
J

[blockel]

quote simplecircuit:

As an aside. I got the chance to ask several elite series pros how they would approach fishing Priest in the winter based on my description of it being deep, rocky with relatively clear water and well defined points and channels. Every pro gave the exact same answer. 4-6″ purple roboworm on a dropshot on main lake points. I thought it was funny that they all independently came up with the same approach with such specific detail.

Good luck.
J

That is something! Where did you get an opportunity to ask them that?

[hooperj14]

I really appreciate the feedback! This forum is great; I have learned such an incredible amount about fishing percy priest.

Thank you! Jack

[tnbassman10]

I heard there was some guys having success doing this around mid-lake. Did you end up having any luck?

[hooperj14]

quote TNBassMan10:

I heard there was some guys having success doing this around mid-lake. Did you end up having any luck?

I haven’t been able to make it to the lake yet, I will be out there tomorrow, and it’s in my plan to give it a shot (no pun intended 😀 ). I’m gonna put in at Fate, so I probably won’t run all the way down to Elm Hill. I’m going to hit the bluff right outside Long Hunter cove.

[simplecircuit]

I’m planning to give it a try on Sunday.
I’ve made an attempt several times over the last month, but always ended up throwing a shadrap instead due to the conditions [mainly wind]. I also plan to try a couple of new finesse techniques. So, hopefully the water won’t be too stained up from the rain [jinxing myself as I type].

blockel – I rode as a marshal on Kentucky Lake in 2009. Day 1 – Dave Smith, Day 2 – Mike Iaconelli, Day 3 Skeet Reese. Pretty lucky draws. 🙂 Then in 2012, I fished the PAA tournament at Old Hickory. Day 1 – Fred Roumbanis, Day 2 – Brian Snowden. Again, lucky draws. The pros that gave the advice were Iaconelli, Reese, Roumbanis and Snowden. All 4 of them specified the purple roboworm – I’m assuming they mean the Margarita Mutilator color. I don’t recall Smith’s suggestion. It’s funny how they all are keyed in on the same lures for different bodies of water on KY lake, all three pros [regardless of sponsors] threw strike king series 5’s in the blue back chartreuse color.

[blockel]

quote simplecircuit:

blockel – I rode as a marshal on Kentucky Lake in 2009. Day 1 – Dave Smith, Day 2 – Mike Iaconelli, Day 3 Skeet Reese. Pretty lucky draws. 🙂 Then in 2012, I fished the PAA tournament at Old Hickory. Day 1 – Fred Roumbanis, Day 2 – Brian Snowden. Again, lucky draws. The pros that gave the advice were Iaconelli, Reese, Roumbanis and Snowden. All 4 of them specified the purple roboworm – I’m assuming they mean the Margarita Mutilator color. I don’t recall Smith’s suggestion. It’s funny how they all are keyed in on the same lures for different bodies of water on KY lake, all three pros [regardless of sponsors] threw strike king series 5’s in the blue back chartreuse color.

Wow, I’d say those are some incredibly luck draws! I’ve got to ask, was Iaconelli a basket case? And who was you’re favorite personality wise and also, who was the most informative?

[simplecircuit]

All of the guys had different personalities.

Iaconelli was great. He was absolutely one of the most conscientious boaters I’ve ever ridden with. The water was rough on KY lake that day and whenever we hit rough water or hit a ghost wave in an awkward direction, he would immediately check with me for a thumbs up. He did have a meltdown late in the day, but it wasn’t anything outrageous. His dropshot rig had tangled with 2 other rods – same thing happened to me this weekend – super frustrating. Being under a time crunch at the end of the day, he went ballistic on the front deck trying to get it all untangled. Lots of cursing and stomping, but that stuff doesn’t bother me at all. He was also really good about describing exactly what he was doing at all times. He was also the most open to answering specific questions while he was fishing. Being a marshal doesn’t give you much to do in the back of the boat. Overall, he was great. Also, he is who he appears to be on TV. The elite series coverage is no different than what I saw being on the water with him all day. When he caught a 6lb fish he was super pumped and gave me a huge high five and fist bump. He also was really technical with how he approached spots, very reliant on his electronics and used his marker buoys a lot. Also, he has an almost photographic memory of water. I asked him about some areas on Old Hickory and he immediately told me several very specific spots without looking at his map [e.g. rough spot on a ledge near Drakes Creek close to a channel marker]. Keep in mind, this was before side imaging too. He really had an incredible memory.

Reese was all business. He was in the top 5 going into day 3 and had no chance of beating out Bobby Lane. He fished fast and efficiently all day. I learned a lot from watching him and how he managed his time, but not much from talking to him.

Fred Roumbanis was also great to fish with. I lucked out and had seen him in the same areas on OH that I was fishing around during practice. So, I had a good idea of what he was going to be doing. The night of the draw, he wasn’t very forthcoming about what to bring the next day, “we’re going to start shallow… then, we’ll fish deep… a carolina rig would be good for you.” I showed up the next day with rods rigged with a 6XD, football head jig, finesse spinner bait, clear gunfish [topwater], and a small swimbait. The first thing he said was, “Damn dude… What are you trying to do? Win this thing?” I looked on the front deck and his lures were an almost exact match with what I had – selection, colors, size, etc… We fished exactly the way that I like to fish at OH – deep cranking and jigs. So, I’m not sure that I learned much from him besides how to rotate through and manage spots more efficiently. He was really easy going, and just an easy guy to fish with.

Otherwise, Snowden was fun to ride with. I was really hoping that he’d be doing something that I could learn from, but he was on a frog bite. I have to say, fishing out of the back with someone who is on a super shallow bite is tough. I had always thought of Snowden as a deep water offshore guy [based on the Bass Pros], but he was incredible at pitching into tight spots and cracking anything that bit. Made for a tough day for me, but he was pretty amazing to watch. He was another guy with an incredible memory of the water. He had a couple of spots that he had found in 2008 practicing for the Elite series that he went back to and was able to cast directly to a stump and catch a keeper on the first try. He was also probably the ballsiest driver I’ve ever ridden with. He took short cuts that I didn’t know existed, ran to the back of bledsoe creek using a trail on his graph from 08, and really handled rough water from boat traffic better than anyone I’ve been with.

j.

[Brian]

Great post! What a fun experience.

[blockel]

Great read. Thanks for the write up, Simple. It honestly has me tempted to be a marshal for the tourney at Chickamauga this year.

[simplecircuit]

Blockel,
you might check this out at Nickajack this year.

http://www.bassmaster.com/news/new-ultimate-experience-elite-series-fans-offered-2014

[tids-lucky-dog]

I have had some great success with this pattern. Two key factors: you should be able to touch the rock wall with your hand meaning be that close. Second don’t set the hook to soon. I keep my bail open and hold the line with my finger. This does two things. I feel the fish and have to slow down close the bail then set the hook. Also you can keep the drop shot weight on the bottom and finger out needed line as the depth changes.

I also have best success in the 25-35 foot range.