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Drop Shot successfully with help from the Kistler Drop Shot Special
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Date: |
11/28/04 |
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Tackle type: |
Rod |
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Manufacturer: |
Kistler |
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Reviewer: |
Zander |
Total Score: 8.83
Introduction: Fishing a drop shot effectively requires patience,
practice, and lots of persistence, but with the right tools it can be an
extremely effective way to actually target those fish you see below on the
finder. Kistler has created a new rod specifically designed for this exciting
technique.
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Kistler
Dropshot Special (KDDSS69) Specifications |
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Material |
IM7 Graphite |
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Length |
6' 9" |
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Rod Weight |
3.7oz |
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Line Weight |
6-12lb |
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Lure Weight |
1/8-1/2oz |
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Guides |
6 plus the tip |
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Action |
Fast |
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Power
Rating |
Medium-light |
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Color |
Graphite Grey |
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MSRP |
$139.99 |
Impressions:
The drop shot rig has been
perhaps the fastest growing technique since it resurfaced in the late 90's.
While first employed as early as the 70's the technique was all but forgotten
except for a few Japanese anglers that brought it back into play on highly
pressured waters. No longer are anglers using trout rods for this practice, today the
popularity of the technique has spurned a number of manufacturers to
design and manufacture refined tackle specifically designed for the art of drop shotting.
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Introducing
the Kistler KDSS69, an all American rod designed specifically for the
technique of drop shotting |
The "Drop Shot Special" is one of Kistlers new
California Series rods and continues to make use of innovative Kistler features
like the smart touch reel seat and famed bent hook hanger. From first inspection the rod
appears a lot longer than it actually is because the cork handle is so short. In the lab the rod weighed 3.7 ounces alone,
which is relatively light
for a 6'9" rod. The IM7 graphite blank is handsome and looks quite sharp with the
burnished red threading that Kistler uses throughout.
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Complete Test Rig for Kistler Drop Shot Special |
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Rod |
Kistler KDSS69 |
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Reel(s) |
Team Daiwa-X HSDF
Quantum E20PTi |
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Line |
8lb Trilene Big Game
6lb Trilene XL |
Real World Test: To test the KDSS69 (Kister
Drop Shot Special) we fished three local bass lakes over a period of three
months. During this period we witnessed a season change, accompanied by a major
shift in weather. The changing conditions drove the fish to change depths, and
lucky for us we were armed and ready to pursue the fish.
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The
trademark Kistler smart touch reel seat |
Casting/Retrieving: While it is possible to cast a drop shot rig when
running a modified drop shot combo with a jig at the end of the line, in most
cases anglers armed with quality electronics will simply position the boat
directly on top of fish residing 25 to 75 feet deep, then proceed to lower the
drop shot into the strike zone. While the KDSS69 is made for the Drop Shot
technique it is a capable casting rod when used for other light line
presentations. The same soft tip used for twitching baits does an excellent job
flicking small swimming jigs, and we conducted a series of cast tests using
these type of lures. Though the tip is a bit too lively for large lures the rod
is an excellent choice for tossing weightless plastics or retrieving small
Yamamoto swimming jigs.
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Kistler's
"Smart Touch" reel seat is comfortable to hold for extended periods, and
helps reduce overall rod weight |
Sensitivity:
The drop shot technique is all about sensitivity. Unlike power fishing
techniques where there is an obvious take, fish that commit to the drop shot are
often missed simply because many fish will strike at the end of lure rather than
the hooked head,
combined with the fact that
your lures are often over 50 feet down. To maximize sensitivity and increase the
sheer number of strikes it is a good idea to use as light a line as possible.
This is especially true in clear water conditions. The KDSS69 is ideally suited
for this technique for a number of reasons. A good drop shot rod needs to be
sensitive, feature a nimble tip to deliver quality action to the bait, and have
plenty of power in the bottom section of the rod for heavy lifting. The Kistler
Drop Shot Special meets all of these fundamental requirements, and the more we
fished the rod the more impressed we were with the fine details Kistler added to
the list of technique enhancing attributes. While other drop shot rods feature
shortened cork handles or shaved cork grips the Kistler Smart Touch design still
takes the cake. To maximize overall sensitivity you have the option of extending
your index finger to the main blank itself.
One thing some of our editors did note was that at times the rod felt
unbalanced. This was mainly due to the extremely short cork handle. This is
easily remedied when your finger is extended, but we did find fishing with
smaller downsized spinning reels helped balance out the outfit, and were also
superior when it came to handling ultralight lines.
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The
Kistler KDSS69 features a very short cork handle capped off with a comfortable
foam butt cap |
Power:
The trick to a quality drop shot rod is a perfect balance of finesse and power.
The tip of the rod must be able to twitch ever so slightly to bring life to
lures 50 feet down, but the rod must be ready to load up instantly at any given
time. Unlike most techniques fishing a drop shot doesn't require the angler to
set the hook aggressively. Instead of a dramatic "set" motion, anglers instead
must be ready to begin cranking and lift the rod slowly. During our tests almost
all the fish once hooked bolted straight for the surface, rarely did the fish
vary from this course. Upon reaching shallow depths the fish would then start
changing direction putting additional burden on the rod tip. Kistler's rod
design has placed the guides forward to protect both the line and the rod during
the extreme flex, often associated with vertical hookups. The KDSS69 is
deceivingly thin in appearance, but is actually very competent when it comes
time to haul sizeable fish up from below.
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JIP tests
the sensitivity of the Kistler KDSS69. For even more sensitivity anglers can
take advantage of the smart touch reel seat and extend your finger right on
the main graphite blank |
Price: Kistler is fast building a reputation for their premium Helium
rods, but anglers should also note that the company also develops quality
products at astoundingly aggressive prices as well. The KDSS69 is easily worth
over 150.00 dollars when you consider the characteristics and unique Kistler
features, and yet the company has priced the rod at only 139.99, a great price
for an All-American made rod that is specifically designed to excel at the
technique of drop shotting, and still manages to retain a custom rod look and
feel.
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Fishing a
drop shot rig with the KDSS69 allows you to actually target those fish you see on
the finder directly below you at just about any depth |
Applications:
The KDSS69 is great for the drop shot technique and during our tests we were
able to land a number of fish we would have otherwise had to attempt and target
with spoons and jigs alone. Match the KDSS69 with a small reel, some 6lb line,
and small plastics rigged on equally small hooks and you have a finesse rig
capable of actually targeting those fish directly below you on the finder. Two
innovations on the Kistler offering that make it even easier to fish the drop
shot rig are the smart touch reel seat to help you identify the most subtle
strikes, and the Kistler hook hanger which is simply the best hanger for stowing
drop shot weights. But perhaps what I like best about this rod is that though it
is designed for the art of drop shotting, it is also capable of so much more.
Whether you choose to toss small jigs or Carolina rigged plastics the KDSS69 feels
right at home casting these lures.
Ratings:
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Kistler
Dropshot Special (KDSS69) Ratings (?/10) |
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Construction/Quality |
Kistler does it again. The Drop Shot Special
is a quality rod with plenty of detail in design. We didn't find any
construction flaws in our test rod |
9 |
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Performance |
Great sensitivity, which is a very important
attribute in a drop shot rod. The rod also boasts plenty of lifting power
when required |
9 |
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Price |
This is a great rod, and really priced at a
very aggressive price. For what you are getting this is a great deal |
9 |
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Features |
Full of features like the Kistler Hook hanger,
special composite materials, sensitive "smart touch" reel
seat...and the list goes on. |
9 |
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Design (Ergonomics) |
The rod may seem a little off balance to
anglers used to fishing rods with longer corked handles, but this feeling
disappears when you extend your index finger onto the blank |
8 |
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Application |
This rod is a application specific rod but is
also surprisingly good at a number of other techniques. The quick tip is
also great for casting small lures with lighter lines |
9 |
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Total Score |
8.83 |
Pluses and Minuses:
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Plus
Minus |
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J
Agile tip, perfect for drop shot |
L
May seem off balanced if you do not extend
your index finger |
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J
Smart Touch reel seat |
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J
Excellent power |
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J
Best Hook hanger we have tested to date |
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Conclusion: I have been a power fisher all my life and learning how to
fish the drop shot rig with any confidence took plenty of practice and a shift
in my basic fishing methodologies. There are no fast motions here, no aggressive
"sets," all of this is replaced with slight twitches with the tip of your rod, a
smooth lift of the rod, and a smooth crank on the reel to signal the beginning
of the fight. I originally learned to fish this technique with my trout outfits,
and while it worked the rods often lacked either the proper power to handle
larger bass or the dynamic tip necessary to animate lures deep below. The
Kistler Drop Shot Special is an excellent rod for this specific technique and
additional proprietary features help make the rod even more appealing.
At a price of only 139.99 the rod is an excellent value, and the ability to fish
a variety of other lures other than just a drop shot rig make this flexible
performer a quality rod definitely worth considering by any angler interested in
practicing this effective technique.
Until next time....Tight Lines!
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