I have noticed that some states don't allow drop shotting. Does anyone know the reasoning behind this? The only thing I can think of is that there is a concern about lost lead from the technique. Tom

This is the first I have heard of this. Drop shotting is very popular here in Arizona.

I can only speculate that it made catching fish too easy since your hook isn't going to snag bottom. According to our MN DNR, they say it was outlawed because people were snagging fish that way. That's a argument with so little basis, since one could snag fish with just about any lure. Anyway snagging is illegal in MN. Since bass fishermen have a lot of push, drop shotting became legal again. Now I can go catch some catfish or bass on rocky/timber snaggy bottoms.

Dropshotting also was/is illegal in Michigan, at least on some waters. Sometimes I wonder if there just aren't too many regulations that just don't make a lot of sense. Tom

The offending practice requiring regulation: Tie a heavy sinker on the end of a main line, placing a treble hook above it. The hook was thus held taut and more likely to snag a fish than be taken into a mouth. We call them "snag lines" here, often hung off tight trot lines supporting one drop per two feet, making a curtain of treble hooks. The worst offenders placed multiple trebles on each drop line, snagging a high percentage of any passing school.

Michigan outlawed anything resembling that, but reworded the regulation to allow a proper drop shot. Besides making it illegal to retain a game fish not caught with hook in mouth, they outlawed "snagging" hooks.

Their new order specifies the hook for a drop shot must be a small treble hook if a treble is used (3/8" between point and shank), and it must be tied to an unweighted line tied at least 3" out from the weighted main line. The hook must be free-floating to permit a fish to eat it. That's a true drop shot rig, except that I've never seen anyone use a treble of any size for that. We use either a "drop shot hook" or other suitable type with a single point.

Jim

Thanks Jim. You might understand my confusion seeing as I have never seen anyone use anything other than a single point hook. The only times I will use a treble other than on a lure is as part of a quick set rig or on the rare occasion that I set out a bottom dough bait for carp. I never got into snagging as a technique. Tom

I'm glad few have known about treble hooks used for unattended snagging. I filled a lot of tubs taking up such lines as we found them, often loaded up with rotting fish. Weekenders plan on using them each visit, leaving them out. They scrape the dead fish off and rest the lines the next time they visit. I think what makes that style of snagging so offensive is
1. the randomness of fish species targeting (whatever swims into the hook)
2. killing and wasting fish, turtles, etc bypassing any catch-n-release requirements
3. danger to divers, swimmers, and annoyance for anglers
4. ya'll can probably add more reasons

Jim

Here in Northern Illinois trot lines and jug fishing are not real popular, partly due to the rules concerning unattended devices. I suppose  the fact that many of the lakes are also heavily used by recreational boaters keeps this in check also. Also snagging is only allowed at certain times of year and only in a few areas. Tom

tom, i do know that jim said it right for mi. laws.
as a kid growing up i learned how to work a drop shot rig for ice fishing, mostly for perch in deep water. then when snagging became unpopular, drop shotting became against the law, for the reasons that jim stated and the way the law was written so was bait fishing for the perch with that rig. but as time past the law was modified so it isn't against the law now.

my deep water rig for perch was/is...........a bell sinker--depending on how deep the water is the size of the sinker, i have used up to a 1/4 oz.--, then about 8 to 10 inches above that tie on size 6 or 8 alberdene hook and then about a foot or so tie on a second hook--now i tie on a tag line or make a loop knot and place hook on ends of the tag line or the loop knot-- to finish the rig place a ice fishing bobber to line.

this rig work great for the deep perch because of how fast one good get line back down.
sorry this is a bit off base of what you ask for tom, but i believe jim answered yer ? very good and i started to show how a law was change from 1 decade to the next.
in the 60's my perch rig with out dropper lines was a legal rig to use. in the late 70's early 80's it was change to the point that any rig looking like that was not legal. then in the late 90's and early 2000 the law was chnge enough that it was legal again with certain modifications. thanks

The way I understand the Michigan rules would lead me to believe that a standard crappie rig would also have been banned? Tom

Don't know about "drop shot" fishing but if it is any where close to "snatch hooking" I know it is illegal most anywhere.  It is my understanding that the notorious "Bessie" caught in California was "foul hooked" and a touch of conscience caused the fisherman to put it back, only to be found a day or two later "Dead".  The only experience I have with "snatch hooking" was as a boy watching men with weighted treble hooks below the dam or a large reservior walking the edge of tail race water and snatch them right along the edge  of the big rocks.  Usually, the DNR agents sat above them on the dams taking pictures with polaroid cameras in order to hand out citations--even back then it was illegal in Georgia.  I did make a trip to Colorado elk hunting and after a successful kill on first day of a ten day hunt decided to fish and was told treble hook on line was legal but I decided to use Mepps Roster Tail to be safe.  Went by the DNR office and they told me if I had a fishing license, they would give us 15 salmon that they were milking to release back in tanks and then back into river to begin their journey to ocean.  I have always enjoyed elk but man o' man those grilled salmon were hard to beat and got even better when the DNR Ranger we invited to dinner told me we could pick up 15 each day they were milking--needless to say those two 2 hundred quart igloos made it back to Georgia and I did those salmon like Forrest Gump did those Wild Coastal Shrimp in the movie--those NAFC cookbooks and several friends continue to add to my collection of recipes.  I, even caught a few in the river running behind our cabin and my best friend turned down 2" thick T-bones for a couple of grilled rainbow trout.  I think he enjoyed that special gravy he fixed up named after Mr. Jim -----".  It sure did help his personality but it was too strong for me tasted like cough syrup to me.  Good luck hunting, fishing. and cooking!  HAPPY NEW YEAR!  Uncle Tom & "Sweetie".

Good to see a post from you, Uncle Tom. Snatch hooking is different from dropshotting. A dropshot rig has the hook tied above the sinker rather than below it. (think crappie rig) I remember going out with my grandmother's neighbor down in Fl when he snatchhooked mullet for cut bait. At that time it was a legal practice for baitfish in salt water. Around Chicago snagging(same as snatch hooking) is legal during the fall salmon run in certain waters. These are hatchery fish that do not spawn but make an attempt at the end of their life cycle. Tom

tom, as long as the line the hook was tied to was not of stiff wire it is legal other wise its not in mi.