Drop Shot Fishing on Bartlett Lake
Bartlett Lake · Arizona · West
Bartlett Lake sits in the Tonto National Forest along the Verde River, formed by Bartlett Dam and stretching through a narrow desert canyon at roughly 1,700 feet elevation. The water tends toward clear-to-slightly-stained depending on seasonal runoff, with visibility commonly ranging from 4 to 10 feet, and the structure profile is dominated by rocky points, submerged ledges, canyon wall shad-holding drops, and brushy cove pockets. Largemouth bass are the primary target, but a healthy smallmouth population and seasonally active stripers give anglers legitimate multi-species opportunities in the same water.
The drop shot suspends a soft plastic bait above the bottom on a fixed line, keeping it in the strike zone longer than any other rig. Originally a West Coast technique, it now dominates clear-water and finesse situations nationwide. Works vertically over structure or on a long cast.
Drop Shot Setup for Bartlett Lake
| Rod | 7' medium-light to medium spinning rod, fast action |
| Reel | 2500–3000 size spinning reel, 6.2:1 or higher |
| Line | 6–8 lb fluorocarbon main line or 10 lb braid + 8 lb fluoro leader |
| Weight | 1/8–3/8 oz tungsten drop shot weight (heavier in current or deep water) |
| Hook | #1 or #2 Gamakatsu Finesse Wide Gap, 6–18 inches above weight |
Seasonal Tactics on Bartlett Lake
Lake: Pre-spawn largemouth stack on rocky points and the upper ends of secondary coves in the 8–15 ft range as water temps climb through the low 60s, typically February through April — this window arrives significantly earlier than most of the country, and anglers fishing finesse jigs and Texas-rigged Zoom Trick Worms in pockets near the dam arm consistently produce.
Drop Shot: Target staging fish on points and drop-offs in 8–20 feet. Nose-hook a 6" Roboworm or Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Flat Worm.
Lake: Triple-digit Arizona air temps push bass deep by late June; fish suspend along canyon wall drop-offs in 25–40 ft chasing threadfin shad, and a drop shot or swimbait worked slow along the wall face is often the only reliable daytime option — early morning topwater over shallow points stays viable until about 8 AM.
Drop Shot: Go deep — 20–40 feet on main lake structure. Shake in place with minimal movement. Shad colors dominate.
Lake: Cooling water through October and November pulls largemouth and smallmouth back into the 10–20 ft range on rocky main-lake points; shad migrations concentrate near creek channel swings and fishing a spinnerbait or shallow-running crankbait along those transitions produces some of the most consistent action of the year.
Drop Shot: Follow baitfish to secondary points and pockets. Faster retrieve works as fish get more aggressive.
Lake: Winter fishing on Bartlett is underrated — water temps rarely drop below 50°F, and bass remain active on sunny afternoons, especially on south-facing rock banks that absorb heat; a slow-rolled swimbait or finesse football jig in 15–25 ft outperforms the crowd throwing reaction baits on the warmer mid-day window.
Drop Shot: Slowest presentation of the year. Dead-stick a 4" finesse worm at the bottom. Let it sit 10–15 seconds between shakes.
Best Conditions
Clear to stained water, pressured fish, cold fronts, post-spawn suspended bass, deep structure in summer
Use a Palomar knot and leave the tag end pointing up to keep the hook riding correctly. Most anglers tie it wrong.
More Techniques for Bartlett Lake
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