Drop Shot Fishing on Lake Ray Roberts
Lake Ray Roberts · Texas · South Central
Lake Ray Roberts sits in Denton County roughly 15 miles north of Denton on the Elm Fork of the Trinity River, impounded in 1987 and covering just over 29,350 acres at conservation pool. The lake mixes shallow, vegetation-studded flats with submerged creek channel edges dropping to 30–40 feet, giving largemouth bass a full range of seasonal options. Water clarity tends toward lightly stained — 1 to 3 feet of visibility in the back of creek arms, improving toward the main lake — and that stain keeps bass relatively shallow and aggressive across most of the year.
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 Ray Roberts
| 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 Ray Roberts
Lake: Pre-spawn largemouth stack on north-facing flats and submerged creek channel edges in 6–12 feet as water climbs from 55 to 65 degrees, then push into shallow brush and dock shadows to spawn; a Texas-rigged Zoom Trick Worm or Strike King Redeye Shad in the 8–12 ft transition zone produces heavily through March and April.
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: Resident bass pull tight to the deepest available cover — submerged timber, channel swing bends, and dock pilings — once surface temps clear 85 degrees; a 3/8 to 1/2 oz football jig dragged slowly in 18–28 feet over hard-bottom channel edges keeps fish in the boat when the topwater bite shuts down mid-morning.
Drop Shot: Go deep — 20–40 feet on main lake structure. Shake in place with minimal movement. Shad colors dominate.
Lake: Shad migration into the upper creek arms triggers some of the lake's most reliable schooling action from late September through November; a Heddon Super Spook Jr. or a 3/8 oz War Eagle spinnerbait matched to the forage size covers water quickly and connects with bass chasing bait pods in 4–10 feet.
Drop Shot: Follow baitfish to secondary points and pockets. Faster retrieve works as fish get more aggressive.
Lake: Cold-water largemouth consolidate on main-lake points and deeper channel edges in 20–35 feet; a drop shot rigged with a 4-inch Roboworm Straight Tail worm in oxblood or morning dawn on 10 lb fluorocarbon and a 3/16 oz weight fishes slowly through suspended fish and bottom-hugging bass alike.
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 Ray Roberts
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