Drop shot rigs came to the United States by way of Japanese anglers who settled on the West Coast. They employed the technique with great success in the clear, deep bass reservoirs of California and was other anglers caught on to the tactic, it spread faster than a Western wildfire, pun intended.
The rig works well in saltwater as a finesse technique per its original implementation, or as Falterman is using it; as more or a less and anchor for a live shrimp. Here are two methods of making the versatile rig.
• Take a 42-inch length of line and double it over.
• Tie a simple overhand knot.
• Tie a treble hook onto one end…
• …and a 1-ounce weight to the other. When you cast the contraption with a shrimp on the hook, it will drift back and float in the current while the weight anchors the rig in one spot.
If you’re in the marsh, drop shot gear for bass fishing might be more ideal. Simply tie the hook on with the point upward leaving a 12-inch tag end. Thread the tag end through the eyelet and pull the line up tight, pinching it in place. If you get hung in an oyster bed or reef, you only lose the weight rather than the whole rig. Use round sinkers for sandy bottom and cylindrical ones for rocks.