Drop Shot Fishing on Lake Kissimmee
Lake Kissimmee · Florida · Southeast
Lake Kissimmee anchors the southern end of the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Osceola County, covering nearly 35,000 acres of shallow, fertile water that rarely exceeds 12 feet. The bottom is primarily sand and muck with extensive submerged grass beds — hydrilla, eelgrass, and peppergrass — flanked by emergent bulrush and cattail lines along the shoreline. Largemouth bass are the dominant gamefish, and the forage base of shad, shiners, and bluegill keeps the population growing into genuine trophy class.
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 Lake Kissimmee
| 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 Lake Kissimmee
Lake: January through March is peak trophy season — fish move shallow into the bulrush and pepper grass edges to spawn, and 8-plus-pound fish are a realistic target during full-moon cycles in February and March. Wild shiners freelined over grass beds in 4–8 ft produce the biggest fish this time of year.
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: Post-spawn fish scatter into deeper grass lines and submerged hydrilla in 8–12 ft, where they suspend and feed on schooling shad. Morning topwater on the open grass flats transitions to deeper presentations — swim jigs and flutter spoons — as surface temps push into the low 90s by mid-morning.
Drop Shot: Go deep — 20–40 feet on main lake structure. Shake in place with minimal movement. Shad colors dominate.
Lake: September through November sees water temps moderate and bass push back onto mid-depth grass edges in 5–9 ft. Bluegill are still active, making a big swimjig or a Keitech Fat Swing Impact on a light swimbait head effective across flat transitions.
Drop Shot: Follow baitfish to secondary points and pockets. Faster retrieve works as fish get more aggressive.
Lake: December and January can deliver the best big-fish action of the year on Kissimmee, particularly on warming afternoons when black bass stack on the south-facing bulrush banks that soak up sun. Slower presentations — wacky-rigged Senkos, slow-rolled swimbaits — outperform faster moving reaction baits when overnight temps drop into the 50s.
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 Lake Kissimmee
Ready to fish Lake Kissimmee?
Ask Hank about current conditions, water temp, and exactly what to throw today.
Ask Hank →