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By Koaw - November, 2021

Optimize your drop-shot rig with the drop-shot simulators below.

We know the drop-shot rig is an effective multi-species rig. This rig needs sufficient play height when played off of the bottom. Not only does a fish need to be able to see your bait but often a fish will need to feel your bait moving (via pressure waves your bait produces.)

This simulator tool will assist any angler wanting to know how their drop-shot rig appears underwater. Are you getting enough play height?

COMMON MISTAKE: Not enough play height exists when playing the drop-shot rig. Visibility is very important. A non-flat bottom, weeds, and long casts are the main reasons play height and visibility are lost on the drop shot.

EASIEST FIX: Tie the tag end, or the distance between the hook and weight, longer for more play height.

ALSO: Consider increasing the rod angle, the height the rod is held above water, and the length of the rod.

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Find out how high your hook sits off the bottom. Try it out!
CAST INFORMATION: IMPERIAL (U.S.)METRIC (World)
1. Enter ROD LENGTH: (ft) (m)
This is the length from the butt of the rod to the tip of the rod. (2-12 Allowed.)(0.5-3.5 Allowed.)
2. Enter ROD ANGLE: (deg) (deg)
This angle describes the angle at which the rod is held over a parallel plane to the water. (0-90 Allowed.)(0-90 Allowed.)
3. Enter HEIGHT OF ROD BUTT ABOVE WATER LEVEL: (ft) (m)
This height is the distance between the rod butt and water level. (0-50 Allowed.)(0-15 Allowed.)
4. Enter VISIBLE LENGTH OF CAST: (ft) (m)
The length between rod tip and where line penetrates water. (Parallel to water, not along fishing line.) (0-500 Allowed.)(0-150 Allowed.)
5. Enter LENGTH OF TAG END: (12.0 inches = 1.0 foot, 10.0 centimeters = 0.1 meters.) (ft) (m)
This is the length between the hook and the weight along the fishing line. (0.1-25 Allowed.)(0.01-7 Allowed.)
6. Enter WATER DEPTH: (ft) (m)
This is the depth of water where the weight of the rig sits. (1-500 Allowed.)(0.1-150 Allowed.)
Click "Calculate" to see the underwater view of your drop-shot rig.


Drop-shot results below!
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All Information

This simulator was created in tandem with this video on how to optimize and understand play height on the drop-shot. At 10:56 in the video we’ll go through an example of how to use the simulator.

Have an angled bottom? Take your important angle from above and use the KNFS Incline/Decline Adjuster below!

Typically when we’re fishing the drop-shot from shore we will be losing play height. And typically when we are fishing from a boat towards shore then we are gaining play height.


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KNFS Drop-Shot Simulator for Incline/Decline Bottom
CAST INFORMATION: IMPERIALMETRIC
1. Enter LENGTH OF TAG END: (ft) (m)
This is the length between the hook and the weight along the fishing line. (0.1 to 25 Allowed.)(0.01 to 7 Allowed.)
2. Enter IMPORTANT ANGLE: (deg) (deg)
This is the angle between the line and water where the line penetrates the water. (1 to 90 Allowed.)(1 to 90 Allowed.)
3. Enter INCLINE/DECLINE ANGLE OF BOTTOM: (deg) (deg)
This is the angle of incline or decline relative to a flat bottom. (0 deg is a flat bottom.) (-45 to 45 Allowed.)(-45 to 45 Allowed.)
For this input: A (+) angle is typical when casting from shore while a (-) angle is typical when casting at shore such as from a boat.
Click "Calculate" to see the results below.
Results appear below.
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Note: 1. Scale changes. 2. Hook is not to scale and only a reference point. 3. Height from bottom begins where hook is tied to fishing line. 4. Height from bottom is measured as a vertical drop from highest achievable point; i.e. The height does not account for differences of hook dropping with max horizontal extension of the tag end’s length.

There’s a bit of trigonometry involved in calculating play height. The simple calculations are here if you are curious: Drop-Shot Calculations