There are so many factors contributing to a successful drop shot presentation, with leader length critical among them yet still overlooked and under-analyzed. Pro angler Gary Klein explains the importance of rate of fall, which is directly tied to drop shot weight and rate of fall (the time it takes for the lure to reach bottom after the weight does). Some days the fish like it short, others, a long fall gets more bites. Klein explains another interesting point pertaining to tungsten drop shot weight shine and fish triggering.
As a general rule-of-thumb, a long leader is better fit for fishing in grass and when fish are more tentative (longer fall period), whereas a short leader is beneficial for fish keying in on bottom forage.
