Drop Shot Fishing on Smithville Lake
Smithville Lake · Missouri · Midwest
Smithville Lake sits in Clay County roughly 20 miles north of Kansas City, formed by the damming of Little Platte River and opened in 1979. The reservoir runs about 7,200 surface acres with numerous creek arms cutting off the main lake, producing a diverse structural mix of standing timber, laydowns, chunk-rock riprap, and submerged brush piles. Water clarity trends toward stained to slightly turbid — especially in the upper creek arms — which tends to push bass into predictable shallow and mid-depth ambush zones throughout the season.
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 Smithville 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 Smithville Lake
Lake: Pre-spawn largemouth push into the upper ends of creek arms as water temps climb through the mid-50s into the low 60s, staging on laydowns and submerged brush in 6–12 ft before moving shallower to rocky flats and riprap banks to complete the spawn. Shallow-running crankbaits and Texas-rigged creature baits in the 3/8–1/2 oz range draw the most consistent strikes during this window.
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 across main-lake points and transition areas, with the better class of bass suspending near submerged timber in 15–22 ft as surface temps push into the upper 80s. Reaction baits like a 3/4 oz spinnerbait worked parallel to deeper riprap at dawn can be productive, but midday fishing often requires finesse presentations dropped into brush piles with electronics.
Drop Shot: Go deep — 20–40 feet on main lake structure. Shake in place with minimal movement. Shad colors dominate.
Lake: Shad migrations pull bass shallow into the upper creek arms through September and October, setting up some of the most aggressive topwater and swimbait action of the year. Anglers working a Berkley Choppo or a 3/8 oz white spinnerbait around creek channel swings and wood cover during the first two hours of daylight routinely find the most active fish.
Drop Shot: Follow baitfish to secondary points and pockets. Faster retrieve works as fish get more aggressive.
Lake: Cold-water largemouth stack on the deepest available brush piles and timber edges in 20–28 ft, moving very little. A drop shot or football jig dragged at near-zero speed on the main lake's deeper points accounts for most of the catches, and most of that fishing happens midday when the sun has had a chance to tick the surface temperature up even a degree or two.
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 Smithville Lake
Ready to fish Smithville Lake?
Ask Hank about current conditions, water temp, and exactly what to throw today.
Ask Hank →