A Review of the Best Drop Shot Rods

Perhaps buying a fishing rod is one of the most expensive investments a fisherman can have. Most mid-range quality rods vary from 100 dollars up to 500 dollars. However, a good rod is also critical for a successful catch. 

Sure, you can definitely fish on a cheaper rod, but the experience and feel you get from fishing on a good quality rod is irreplaceable.

There are plenty of options available in the market today. It can be stressful when researching for viable options as these options come in a wide range of price and quality. 

If you’re new to purchasing a drop shot rod or you’re planning to upgrade your old rod, then you’ve come to the right place. We believe that investing in quality gear will help you throughout your fishing journey. 

Thus, we reviewed options that might help you choose the rod that’s the best bang for your buck. Make sure to read the rest of this article as we show you our top picks for the best drop shot fishing rod. We also included important rod features to look out for and other recommendations that might help you on your fishing journey.

Overview of the Best Drop Shot Rods

PictureName
St. Croix Rods Mojo Bass Casting Rod
– Advance SCII graphite construction
– All-rounder casting rod
Abu Garcia Veracity & Villain Casting Fishing Rod
– Lightweight balanced rod
– Superior comfort
St. Croix Rods Premier Casting Rod
– Premium SCII graphite construction
– Strong grip
St. Croix Rods Premier Spinning Rod
– Premium SCII carbon rod with the Fortified Resin system (FRS)
– Comfortable handle
Dobyns Rods Fury Series Spinning Fishing Rod
– Versatile (various application)
– Accurate
St. Croix Rods Mojo Bass Spinning Rod
– Premium SCII graphite construction
– Slim-profile
G. Loomis IMX-PRO 820S DSR Spinning Rod
– Professional grade
– Super lightweight
Dobyns Fury
– Versatile (various applications)
– Accurate

Things to Consider Before Buying a Drop Shot Rod

What is drop-shotting?

Drop-shotting is a fishing technique for catching bass. With a small, thin-wire hook, and a weight fastened to the tag end of the line, drop shotting is a high finesse method of fishing using plastic baits. This rig allows for a weightless motion while keeping your lure off the bottom. 

How it works:

You let the weight reach the bottom of the water and then wiggle the rod to shake the lure. The suspended lure’s motion attracts the fish along the deep grounds of the water and eventually takes the bait. 

Drop Shot vs. Texas Rig vs. Carolina Rig

These three are well-known rigs that combine a soft plastic lure and lead or tungsten weight. However, the three differ in technique and application.

The Drop Shot has its weight below the hook at the end of the line to keep the lure off the ground. This technique is best to use when it’s hard to fish in clear waters. This is also the easiest technique for beginners because even if you don’t feel the fish being caught, the fish will most likely remain stuck on the hook as it is suspended from the ground.

Texas Rig is a traditional method where there’s a sliding weight (usually a bullet weight style sinker) and a stopper along the line to keep the weight near or on the head of the hook. This rigging technique is better in vertical conditions where the bottom is deep with a steep slope or when you have a specific fish target cover. 

Carolina Rig’s weight is sliding and is placed above a barrel swivel and a bead, with its hook located at the tag end. Hence, it is also known as ball and chain. This rig is better on horizontal bottom surfaces with a gradual slope or ground where you cannot directly pinpoint hiding spots of fish. Moreover, the hook size used in this rig is typically smaller compared to the Texas Rig’s hook for better drag. 

What’s the best technique to use?

What makes these techniques challenging for fishermen is that, oftentimes, you won’t feel when the fish has taken the bait. The best technique depends on the situation and your current skill capabilities. 

You can catch fish faster with Texas Rig, although it requires enough skill and technique to be effective, which beginners lack. The Carolina Rig is the fastest when fishing on a large area for better coverage. While Drop Shot is the most beginner-friendly technique.

Recommended Features of a Drop Shot Rod

Weight

Choosing a rod weight is subjective, and there’s a variety of weight rods ranging from ultra-light to extra heavy. We suggest that you try to feel the weight and balance of the rod first and proceed to choose based on your preference. 

For most fishermen, whether you’re a beginner or a professional, we recommend a lightweight rod. A lightweight rod might be better since long waiting times in fishing can cause fatigue, especially when you have existing injuries that can be potentially harmed or worsened. With a lighter weight rod, you can cast all day and not have a tired arm. 

Sensitivity

A good rod is sensitive and responsive to any movements. You can tell from the movement of the rod when you shake it.

It all comes down to your budget. Typically, high sensitive rods are more expensive, while low sensitive rods are cheaper. 

There’s a noticeable rod sensitivity difference between a $50 rod and a $200 rod. Highly sensitive rods are better, especially when you’re deep fishing during winter and you can barely feel any movement. However, as you move along the spectrum of high-end rods, the difference becomes less significant and more about preference.

Action

Where a rod flexes determines how fast or slow the rod is. Fast action rods flex mostly close to the tip, moderate action rods flex around the center or middle section, and slow action rods flex along the butt region of the blank.

Slow action rods

Most budget friendly rods have a slower action, with a more parabolic arc. Slow action rods have the advantage of keeping the fish hooked and not letting it come off easily when using reaction baits like treble hooks. This is a good option for newer anglers.

Fast action rods

Fast action rods are expensive, which most high-end rods are. Fast action rods have stiff blanks and only flex on the tip, which makes these rods very responsive and fast. 

Fishing can be stressful when you have to be aware all the time to immediately respond when a fish finally takes the bait. Fast rods give you a sense of ease where you can feel fish bites right away, like an extension of your arm. It has a smoother feel to it that makes you less aware of the tackle itself, which is a more enjoyable fishing experience.

Moderate action rods

These rods are the best of both worlds. Like the slow action rods, most anglers also use this on reaction baits.

It can do both slow and fast action but doesn’t really perform specific tasks as well as what the two other counterpart rods offer. It’s like the jack of all trades of the rods, so do keep that in mind. 

Length

Rod lengths usually range from around 6 feet to 8 feet depending on the manufacturer and your use case. For drop shot fishing, the recommended average rod length is between 6 1/2 and 7 feet. 

Although it still depends on your preference, choosing a rod length depends also on your rod-size compatibility and comfortability. A good rule of thumb is that a taller person would be more comfortable using a longer rod than a shorter rod.

Short Rods vs. Long Rods

Shorter rods are around 6 feet in length. They are typically more accurate than longer rods. Shorter rods are easily maneuverable and require little effort to load and put into motion. Moreover, short rods work best in murky waters or fishing on covers.

Long rods rival short rods accuracy in long-distance fishing. They are usually at least 7 feet in length. Long rods work best on clear waters, high pressure, or when you need more depth for your crankbait. Furthermore, longer rods have more leverage, typically best once a fish is on the line for a faster hook-set. 

Material

Rod material is also significant. The majority of modern, high-quality fishing rods are built from fiberglass, graphite, or a combination of the two materials. Generally speaking, fiberglass has a more forgiving and softer feel (excellent for many treble-hooked baits), graphite is more sensitive and has a lighter weight (great for fishing with plastic worms and jigs), and composites are a balance between the two.

Top 6 Drop Shot Rods

St. Croix Rods Mojo Bass Casting Rod

This is by far one of the best drop shot rod products on this list. What we love about this product is that it is very sensitive and lightweight, a perfect rod for serious anglers out there!

It is made from advanced SCII graphite, which makes it a high-performance and durable casting rod. It also has integrated IPC tooling technology for smoother actions and better sensitivity of your blank.

With its slim profile and cork handles, it is very comfortable to use even with arthritic hands. It is a very responsive and an all-rounder casting rod.


Abu Garcia Veracity & Villain Casting Fishing Rod

Are you looking for a dependable and durable fishing rod? Then look no further!

This Abu Garcia casting rod is made with aluminum that claims to be 30% more stronger than its counterpart brands. It features an improved impact and fracture-resistant 3M Powerlux resin system without adding weight or sacrificing its sensitivity performance. 

It is also comfortable due to its custom Fuji soft touch reel seats, lightweight blank, cork-fitted, and EVA grip. Although durable, Abu Garcia features only 2 products in their line-up: Villain 2.0 for the black option, and Veracity for the red option.


St. Croix Rods Premier Casting Rod

If you’re thinking of using a fast medium to heavy rod, then this product line-up might be for you.

This St. Croix product is a long lasting casting rod that utilizes premium SCII carbon with a strong grip handle due to its premium-grade cork. This product offers a fast rod in both medium and heavy configurations.

This is excellent for bass fishing since you can feel the bottom of the water, especially stones and covers where a potential catch might be. It has a great action for drop shot and Texas rigs.


St. Croix Rods Premier Spinning Rod

Are you looking for a rod with a good variety line-up? Then this product offers it!

This St. Croix product line-up of spinning rods might be the most diverse when it comes to style variety. They offer a wide range of rods from ultra-light to extra-heavy power, moderate to fast action, and 4’6” to 7’6” lengths. This is probably why most refer to it as the standard line-up of St. Croix products as it provides various configurations for different applications.

It might also be one of the few product line-ups that offers heavy power in a spinning rod. It is made from premium SCII carbon, with a comfortable handle and quality grip. It also comes with a 5-year warranty service.


Dobyns Rods Fury Series Spinning Fishing Rod

If you’re looking to upgrade your rod in your current arsenal, this product is definitely worth a look for drop shot fishing!

This spinning rod has a strong back bone with a fast tip that can be used in every finesse technique you can think of – it is that versatile! You can definitely tell that this rod is of good quality since its blank is made of graphite with Kevlar wrapping, Fuji reel seat, and Portugal cork grip.

It has a smooth action due to it being lightweight, sensitive, and accurate. Although its options might be a bit limited. It only offers medium or light actions, and rod lengths ranging from 6’5” to 7 feet only.

The best part is, it has a limited lifetime warranty for the original owner. Simply prepare for your original receipt, and check Dobyns’ official website for their customer service details.


St. Croix Rods Mojo Bass Spinning Rod

Are you looking for an all-rounder spinning rod that has a good balance between performance and price? Then this product is for you!

This is perhaps the best bang for your buck since it is an all-rounder rod that comes with a 5-year warranty and split grips. It is made with SCII graphite, making it lightweight and durable. It also uses IPC tooling technology for smoother action and for the rod’s overall durability.

It is quite a popular choice for St. Croix due to its good performance offered at a lower price compared to other options available. Moreover, they have a variety of Medium rods with options such as light, moderate, heavy, and X-fast, available at different lengths. 

It can be used in drop shot fishing, but is ideal for techniques that don’t require highly sensitive blanks for bite detection.


Our Pick!

G. Loomis IMX-PRO 820S DSR Spinning Rod

Our personal pick for anglers who are getting into serious drop shot fishing is this G. Loomis IMX-PRO 820S DSR Spinning Rod!

This might be among the top of the line drop fishing rods with professional grade quality. It is an expensive spinning rod, starting from 600 dollars, but you can definitely feel the excellent quality that it offers.

It is incredibly sensitive and fast with a light tip and a sturdy blank. This rod is specifically intended for drop-shotting small baits with light lines in waters up to 25 feet deep. It’s made for open-water fishing, where getting a bite is more important than its ability for wide coverage.

What makes it special is its ease of use. As you lift, you only need to execute a few swift cranks and the rod will handle the rest of the work. Thanks to the IMX-PRO technology, fishing with its rod makes it incredibly light and responsive. It’s the pinnacle of finesse fishing!


Dobyns Fury

For fishermen on a budget and wanting an upgrade for their rods, this Dobyns Fury Rod is our personal pick for you!

This spinning rod series is made from graphite and is very versatile in terms of handling various fishing techniques and applications. You can definitely tell that this rod is of good quality since it has Kevlar wrapping, Fuji reel seat, and Portugal cork grip.

It might be best for fishers who want to start getting into the mid-range territory of the price range. Moreover, this rod is designed by the bass fishing legend Gary Dobyns himself!

The best part is, it has a limited lifetime warranty for the original owner. Simply prepare for your original receipt, and check Dobyns’ official website for their customer service details.


Conclusion

Drop shot fishing is a technical method that requires skill. However, do not be discouraged if you’re a beginner who wants to learn this fishing technique. Everyone has to start somewhere, and taking consistent steps to learning these techniques is what matters.

If you’re an experienced angler on a tight budget, slowly upgrade your equipment as you progress with your fishing skill. At the end of the day, tools are just tools. Don’t get worked up by the gears, and remember to keep the fun in fishing!

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