Most lure fishing is horizontal — you cast out, retrieve back, and hope the fish intercepts the lure somewhere along the way. The drop shot does something fundamentally different. It suspends a soft plastic at a fixed, precise depth and keeps it there, moving without going anywhere, for as long as you want. In Norwegian conditions — cold, clear water, often-neutral fish — that difference in presentation catches perch and zander that simply won't chase a moving lure.
What the drop shot rig actually is
The drop shot is a finesse rig where the weight sits at the bottom of the line and the hook — with the soft plastic attached — sits above it on a short leader. Unlike a jig head, where the weight and hook are a single unit, the drop shot separates the two. The weight anchors the rig to the bottom. The lure floats above it, at whatever height you've chosen, and moves in response to even the slightest rod tip movement or current.
The result is a lure that sits in the strike zone indefinitely, twitching and breathing without moving away from the fish. For perch and zander holding tight to structure — a depth break, a submerged log, the edge of a weed bed — that presentation is something a standard jig head retrieve simply can't replicate.
When to use it
The drop shot earns its place in specific situations. Understanding those situations is more useful than treating it as a technique to use all the time.
When fish are holding at a precise depth: Perch and zander often stack at a specific depth band — the top of a depth break, the thermocline in summer, a particular layer of water temperature. A drop shot lets you put the lure exactly there and keep it there. A jig head fished on a standard retrieve passes through that zone briefly. The drop shot stays in it.
When fish are inactive and won't chase: Cold water, post-frontal conditions, and high pressure all produce fish that are present but not actively feeding. These fish will refuse a lure moving past them but can often be tempted by something that stays in front of them long enough. The drop shot's stationary presentation with subtle movement is the closest thing in lure fishing to just waiting the fish out.
When fishing tight to structure: Fishing a jig head accurately next to a submerged tree, a dock piling, or a boulder requires repeated casting and risks constant snags. A drop shot fished vertically from a boat positions the lure exactly where you want it and keeps it there without the lure constantly dragging across the structure.
In summer when fish go deep: Perch and zander push to 4–8 metres in warm Norwegian summers. Horizontal lure fishing at that depth requires heavy jig heads that fall fast and feel cumbersome. A drop shot weight drops to depth efficiently and then suspends the lure at the right level — lighter, more sensitive, and more natural-looking than a heavy jig head retrieve.
How to rig a drop shot
The rig is simple but the setup matters. A poorly tied drop shot tangles constantly and kills confidence in the technique.
Hook: A dedicated drop shot hook in size 4–8 depending on lure size. Look for hooks with a wider gap and a turned-up eye — these are designed specifically for the rig and sit the lure correctly. The hook is tied using a Palomar knot, leaving a long tag end below the knot that becomes the leader to the weight.
Tag length: The distance between the hook and the weight determines the depth at which the lure fishes above the bottom. For most Norwegian perch and zander fishing, 20–40cm is the working range. Shorter tags (15–20cm) keep the lure close to the bottom for fish holding very tight. Longer tags (40–60cm) present the lure higher in the water column for fish suspended above the bottom.
Weight: Cylindrical drop shot weights with a clip attachment are the standard — the clip allows you to adjust the tag length without re-rigging. Weight ranges from 3g for shallow, calm water to 14g for deeper water or current. The weight should be heavy enough to keep the line vertical — if current or depth is pushing your line at an angle, go heavier.
Soft plastic: Straight-tail or finesse-style soft plastics in the 2–3 inch range work best for the drop shot. The hook is nose-hooked — passed through the very top of the lure's head — which allows the body and tail to hang naturally and move freely. Don't use a ripper-style lure with a large paddle tail for drop shotting — the weight of the tail pulls the lure down and kills the natural hang. The NorseFisher Ripper 4" can be used on a drop shot rig when nose-hooked carefully, but a straight-tail 2–3 inch plastic is the ideal profile for this technique.
How to fish it
From a boat, drop the rig vertically to the bottom, take up slack, and hold the rod at roughly 45 degrees. The lure is now fishing at your chosen height above the bottom. Small, subtle movements — a slight wrist shake, a gentle lift of the rod tip — make the lure twitch and shimmy without moving it from the zone. Let it sit still for five or ten seconds between movements. Watch the rod tip and the line for takes — perch and zander often pick up the lure very softly on a drop shot and the take can be a barely visible tap rather than a pull.
From the shore, cast the rig out, let it sink fully to the bottom, then work it back in a series of lifts and pauses — lift the rod tip gently to move the weight along the bottom and make the lure flutter, then lower the tip and wait. The lure settles back into its natural hang position after each movement. Takes often come on the pause as the lure settles.
Resist the urge to move it constantly. The drop shot's strength is the stationary presentation — anglers who twitch and work it like a jig head miss the point of the rig. Less movement, more patience, and you'll understand quickly why this technique produces when everything else has stopped working.
Tackle for drop shot fishing
The drop shot is a finesse technique and the tackle should reflect that. Heavy gear kills the sensitivity that makes it effective.
A 180–210cm light spinning rod with a fast action and good tip sensitivity is ideal — you need to feel soft takes and transmit subtle movements to the lure. A 1000–2500 size reel, 0.06–0.08mm braided main line, and a 0.14–0.18mm fluorocarbon leader of 1–1.5 metres. Fluorocarbon is particularly important for the drop shot in clear Norwegian water — the leader is long and visible, and a stiff, visible monofilament leader in clear water costs bites.
Keep everything light. The drop shot is not a technique for heavy pike gear — it's a perch and zander method that works precisely because it's subtle.
Drop shot fishing in Norwegian lakes — practical notes
Most of the best drop shot fishing in Norway is done from a boat, simply because vertical presentation is more natural and precise than shore-based casting. That said, shore fishing with a drop shot is effective and often underused — casting to a known depth break or piece of submerged structure and working the rig back along the bottom covers a lot of productive water.
Norwegian lakes in summer stratify thermally, with warmer water near the surface and cold water below. Perch and zander sit at the thermocline — the temperature break between the two layers — and a drop shot fished at exactly the right depth is one of the most reliable ways to find and target them. If you have any kind of sonar or depth finder, use it to identify where fish are holding before you drop the rig.
In autumn and winter, when fish push deeper and slow down, the drop shot becomes the most consistently productive technique in the box. When a jig head fished fast catches nothing and a slow jig catches nothing and you've covered the water thoroughly, try a drop shot over the structure you know holds fish. It will often produce when nothing else will.
Frequently asked questions
What is a drop shot rig?
A drop shot rig suspends a soft plastic at a fixed height above the bottom by placing the weight at the end of the line and attaching the hook on a short leader above it. Unlike a jig head, the weight and hook are separate — the weight anchors the rig and the lure moves freely above it without the whole rig moving along the bottom.
When should I use a drop shot in Norway?
When fish are holding at a specific depth and won't chase a moving lure. The drop shot works best for perch and zander in cold or post-frontal conditions, for fish sitting tight to structure, in summer when fish push deep to the thermocline, and whenever standard jig head retrieves are failing to produce takes.
What soft plastic is best for drop shot fishing?
Straight-tail finesse soft plastics in the 2–3 inch range, nose-hooked so the body hangs naturally. Avoid large paddle-tail lures on a drop shot — the tail weight pulls the lure down and kills the natural presentation. The smaller and more subtle the lure, the better the drop shot works in clear Norwegian water.
How long should the tag be on a drop shot rig?
20–40cm for most Norwegian perch and zander fishing. Shorter tags (15–20cm) for fish holding very close to the bottom. Longer tags (40–60cm) for fish suspended higher above the bottom. Adjust based on where the sonar or your knowledge tells you the fish are sitting.
Can you drop shot from shore in Norway?
Yes. Cast to a known depth break or piece of structure and work the rig back with a series of gentle lifts and long pauses. The lure settles into its natural hang position after each movement and takes often come on the pause. Shore-based drop shot fishing is underused in Norway and produces well around submerged structure and depth transitions.
What weight should I use for drop shot fishing?
3–5g for shallow water and calm conditions, 7–10g for deeper water or light current, 14g and above for fast current or very deep presentations. The weight needs to be heavy enough to keep the line vertical — if current is pushing the line at an angle, the lure isn't fishing at the right depth.