Finesse fishing has taken the bass-fishing scene by storm. Fish are becoming a lot harder to catch, with more anglers on the water seeing every possible bait thrown in front of them. But even with so many different finesse techniques that work for pressured bass, one stands out from the rest: the dropshot rig.
The dropshot seems so simple, yet its effectiveness makes it a top player in anglers’ arsenals all over the country—and even the world. You can put any baits on a dropshot and make them look like a perfect snack for a bass.
But with so many different options on the market, how do you choose which one to use? After messing around with a ton of different baits over the years, here are what I feel are the best dropshot baits for both largemouth and smallmouth, and how I fish them on a dropshot.
Roboworm Straight Tail Worm
If I had to pick one dropshot bait to fish for the rest of my life, it’d be the Roboworm. Its subtle quiver and softness make it irresistible to both species of bass. The “Morning Dawn” and “Aaron’s Magic” colors are legendary for a reason; they shine in clear water when bass are picky. Their soft texture makes bass hold on longer and trigger more bites with its realistic action in the water.
This bait excels both when used in a Texas rig or with an open hook on a dropshot. With its hand-poured design, it has an extremely flat edge that makes for many rigging opportunities when fished. Whether it’s largemouth or smallmouth, deep in the weeds or out on offshore rock, this bait can be used just about anywhere.
Zoom Finesse Worm
It seems that everything Zoom creates is absolutely stellar, and the Finesse Worm is no different: This bait works so well because it’s as simple as it gets. It has just enough action to look alive without being overpowering. With its fat tail and overall nightcrawler shape, it has become one of the most sought-after dropshot baits on the market. Green pumpkin and watermelon seed are my go-to colors for this bait. They flat-out catch fish.
Finesse Worms are my top choice when dropshotting for largemouth. When Texas-rigged with a longer leader to the sinker, it is truly unbeatable pitched in the grass. I rig this on a 15- to 20-pound fluorocarbon line and fish it on a baitcaster, unlike a normal dropshot. This is called power shotting, and you can’t beat this setup for largemouth in vegetation.
Strike King Dream Shot
Designed with input from professional angler and all-out G.O.A.T. of bass fishing Kevin VanDam, the Dream Shot is a killer minnow-shaped worm that darts and glides naturally on a drop shot. A part of his KVD perfect plastics lineup, this bait stands out from other dropshot baits on the market. Its profile is perfect for mimicking small and slender baitfish. Its bulging tail, flat side and extra-soft plastic make this bait truly dance in the water. Match this bait up in one of the many smallmouth catching colors and you’ve got a recipe for success.
When bass, especially smallmouth, are keyed in on large, slender baitfish like smelt, this bait truly shines. I usually rig this bait nose hooked with the smallest octopus hook possible. When shaken on a slack line, this bait moves better than any other dropshot bait on the market. This bait is hard to beat if you’re fishing in smallmouth country around minnows and smelt.
Berkley Max Scent Flat Worm
This is by far my favorite bait, especially for hungry smallmouth in all dropshotting situations—there’s a reason the Flat Worm has a specific storage bin in my boat labeled “Juice.” Of all the dropshot baits in my boat, this accounts for the most smallmouth caught for both myself and my clients.
Its characteristics make it one of the best smallmouth dropshot baits on the market nationwide. If you fish northern waters for smallmouth, you already know this bait is like candy to them with its deadly combination of scent and a flat profile that flutters on the fall. It’s so good that it sells out almost every season in most smallmouth-country tackle shops.
The only thing that I’ve found is that sometimes fish like to short strike this bait, especially when the bite is tough. Instead of nose hooking them, try using a long shank hook with some sort of keeper on it. Threading the bait onto a hook like this turns the short strikes into hookups every single time. Hooks like the Owner Cover Shot or the Re-Barb Hook are great choices because they come in a variety of sizes to cover both the larger- and smaller-sized Flat Worms.
Yamamoto Shad Shaped Worm
One of the original dropshot baits on the market, the Shad Shaped Worm has accounted for more bass caught across the county than most other baits out there. This bait bridges the gap between a worm and a shad imitator, making it great for a multitude of presentations. Its subtle tail movement and deep-bodied design almost exactly imitates a herring species.
I fish this bait when bass are schooling around baitfish with a heavy weight. When I see a bait ball with fish around it on my Garmin Livescope, I’ll cast right at the school and that heavy weight will pull it past them fast, triggering a reaction strike. The Shad Shaped Worm will then dart back and forth on the fall, making bass go nuts.
6th Sense Party Minnow
I bet a lot of you are surprised that a swimbait made it on here, but small boottail baits are some of the best dropshot baits around. If there’s something out there that looks like a little fish swimming around, it’s a swimbait. These baits give off incredible action with their soft plastic, but they are arguably the most durable plastics out there. I find myself catching 10-plus fish on each bait before fish tear it to shreds. In my book, that’s amazing!
Like most dropshot baits, nose hooking them gives them the best action. But seeing as they have a tail that gives the bait all its action, I very rarely shake this bait on the bottom. I fish it as you would a normal swimbait but as a dropshot. Just drag it along the bottom. This makes the bait look like it’s swimming just above the bottom at the same depth, as most singular baitfish normally do. The more action you give this bait, the less they will bite.
Great Lakes Finesse Drop Minnow
Like all the baits in Great Lakes’ lineup, these baits are killers! They were designed to put fish in the boat when others simply just won’t cut it. What makes these baits stand out is their neutral buoyancy, allowing them to be presented perfectly horizontal. The small bulging tail creates an ever-so-soft quivering motion that drives bass absolutely crazy.
To me, this is one of those baits that I have to put on a dropshot when fish are solitary around structures like a large isolated boulder. You see this on many of the Great Lakes and bigger smallmouth bodies of water. These bass don’t like anything within their little rock bubble, but are wary to a lot of baits. The Drop Minnow in particular seems to pull the bass’ attention just a little more than others, and turns a fish that won’t bite into a fish landed.
Keitech Live Impact
Known for its highly rated swimbaits, Keitech also makes killer dropshot baits. The Live Impact is a perfect bait that is unlike a lot of dropshot baits on the market. Its ribbed body and soft salt impregnated plastic make this bait move in the water with even the most subtle rod twitches. When you’re fishing in an area with a lot of invertebrates or leeches that the bass are keyed in on, this bait is hard to beat.
I don’t fish this like other dropshot baits: Rather than being nose hooked or threaded on the hook, I’ll rig this bait wacky style. When shaken aggressively, this bait has incredible action that looks just like a leech or tapeworm swimming through the water. This drives bass of all species nuts and makes them jump right on it.
Z-Man Trick Shotz
When on guide trips when I know there will be a lot of fish caught on a dropshot, the Trick Shotz is the bait I’m using. Made from ElaZtech, this bait is hard to kill: Arguably, it’s the most indestructible dropshot bait sold—that’s a big deal when you’re catching fish after fish without having to re-rig, especially if you’re a guide like me. The most bass I’ve seen caught on one single bait was earlier this summer, where a client landed 27 largemouth! This bait combines many attributes of other bait I’ve listed, making it an extremely popular option.
Whether nose hooked, Texas rigged or threaded on a hook, this bait will catch fish. I personally believe there is no wrong way to fish it. Shake it, pop it, or drag it, odds are this bait will get bit.
Yamamoto Senko
This is probably the last bait anyone expected but a senko on a dropshot works wonders, specially on pressured bass. There is something about a senko that catches bass in all circumstances all year long. Even with its subtle action on a dropshot, it triggers some serious strikes as it is hovered over the bottom. But fishing it on a dropshot is not on many anglers’ radar.
My go-to way to rig a senko on a dropshot is the wacky rig. From the two-inch panfish senko to the seven-inch magnum, a senko rigged wacky style on a dropshot is a fish producer. Imagine the action of a senko falling but stationary in place, quivering in one place to drive a bass insane.
Lake Fork Lures Pro Flat Finesse Worm
The Lake Fork Lures Pro Flat Finesse Worm shines as a drop-shot bait because its design elements naturally complement the finesse-driven, subtle action that the technique relies on. The worm’s strong garlic-and-salt scent load plays a big role here: On a drop shot, the bait often sits still or moves only slightly, giving bass ample time to inspect it. A heavy, appealing scent cloud helps seal the deal, especially in pressured or clear-water situations. Because the Flat Pro Worm is loaded with scent, anglers can leave it soaking longer — one of the key factors in increasing drop-shot success rates.
The worm’s flat bottom, which creates a natural spiraling fall and lifelike quiver, is a major advantage on a drop shot, where minimal movement is often most effective. Its buoyant plastic helps the tail stay animated above the weight instead of collapsing, and the head is perfectly sized for nose-hooking without tearing. In short, the Flat Pro Worm checks all the boxes that matter on a drop shot: scent, motion, durability, color selection, and a profile built for finesse. It’s a bait that works with the technique, not against it, making it a smart addition to any spinning-rod arsenal.
Final Thoughts
The beauty of the dropshot is its versatility. You can rig baits weedless, nose hooked, or even wacky style depending on the situation; the key is to match your bait to the conditions you’re given. Subtle baits for clear water pressured fish, baitfish imitators for bass keyed in on forage fish, and durable baits when they’re eating just about anything.
All of these baits catch fish under the right circumstances: The real trick is having confidence in your presentation and letting that bait soak until the bass can’t resist. If you’re serious about dropshot fishing, stock your box with a mix of these and you’ll be covered on all bases. Having a variety of baits in your tackle box will ensure you’ll be prepared for any dropshotting situation.
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