Drop-shot Weight Diversity
by Steve Reed

Go to any tackle store and you'll see lbs and lbs of weights on the wall from many different manufacturers, none as diverse as the drop-shot weight selection. All you want is a weight, but there are so many different styles and sizes which should you choose? Just like the lure you tie on, the style and size of the drop-shot weight is very important and many factors should be taken into consideration when buying.

Material: Tungsten and lead are the two most commonly used materials for drop-shot weights, but there is a difference. Tungsten provides a smaller profile that is much more compact creating a better feel of the bottom composition and according to studies tungsten has a far lower negative impact on the environment compared to lead. The downside of tungsten is the price; which is more than double the price of their lead counterpart. Is it really worth it? In some instances such as very deep water where feel is very important the difference is great, however much of the time fishing the drop-shot the feel is not much greater. Pitching a drop-shot to visible targets has become much more popular in recent years and in this instance tungsten and lead are both equally effective. The most important thing is to assess your price range and decide if the advantage tungsten gives you outweighs, no pun intended, the price difference.

Size: The general rule of thumb is to use the smallest weight that you can comfortably feel the bottom with and allows you to make a good presentation of the bait. Remember you are fishing the worm, not the weight so the lighter the better in most cases.

Shape: This is the most important factor in weight selection. The shape of the weight makes a great deal of difference depending on the cover you are fishing. The most common would be the tear shot weight. This weight is effectively used in brush piles, trees, and open water.

The next weight is the cylinder weight which is exactly that, a cylinder shaped weight. As you can see the slim profile of the weight allows it to be especially effective in tules, grass, and rock.

Variations of each have come out and there are a few variations that are particularly unique and worth mentioning. The first is the slimshot style weight that is produced by Team Davies drop-shot weights. This weight has a unique style that is very effective.

Another weight is a new style that is already receiving a lot of praise. It's the Provider Tackle weight that has a unique design that was made with the intent of fishing rocky cover.

The last detail to be considered is the use of a swivel on the weight. Many of the new drop-shot weights are produced with swivels connected to the line tie which greatly reduces the line twist. This can make quite a difference, this is a tungsten weight made by River 2 Sea.

With all the variations of drop-shot weights it's important to define the cover you are fishing, the depth, and finally your budget when purchasing weights. The best thing to do is buy a few of each kind try them yourself and see which best fits your needs.