Fishing Rod Product Review: Kistler Drop Shot Special
By: TackleTour.com

Fishing a drop shot effectively requires patience, practice, and lots of persistence, but with the right tools it can be an extremely effective way to actually target those fish you see below on the finder. Kistler has created a new rod specifically designed for this exciting technique.

Impressions: The drop shot rig has been perhaps the fastest growing technique since it resurfaced in the late 90's. While first employed as early as the 70's the technique was all but forgotten except for a few Japanese anglers that brought it back into play on highly pressured waters. No longer are anglers using trout rods for this practice, today the popularity of the technique has spurned a number of manufacturers to design and manufacture refined tackle specifically designed for the art of drop shotting.

The "Drop Shot Special" is one of Kistlers new California Series rods and continues to make use of innovative Kistler features like the smart touch reel seat and famed bent hook hanger. From first inspection the rod appears a lot longer than it actually is because the cork handle is so short. In the lab the rod weighed 3.7 ounces alone, which is relatively light for a 6'9" rod. The IM7 graphite blank is handsome and looks quite sharp with the burnished red threading that Kistler uses throughout.

Real World Test: To test the KDSS69 (Kister Drop Shot Special) we fished three local bass lakes over a period of three months. During this period we witnessed a season change, accompanied by a major shift in weather. The changing conditions drove the fish to change depths, and lucky for us we were armed and ready to pursue the fish.

Casting/Retrieving: While it is possible to cast a drop shot rig when running a modified drop shot combo with a jig at the end of the line, in most cases anglers armed with quality electronics will simply position the boat directly on top of fish residing 25 to 75 feet deep, then proceed to lower the drop shot into the strike zone. While the KDSS69 is made for the Drop Shot technique it is a capable casting rod when used for other light line presentations. The same soft tip used for twitching baits does an excellent job flicking small swimming jigs, and we conducted a series of cast tests using these type of lures. Though the tip is a bit too lively for large lures the rod is an excellent choice for tossing weightless plastics or retrieving small Yamamoto swimming jigs.

Sensitivity: The drop shot technique is all about sensitivity. Unlike power fishing techniques where there is an obvious take, fish that commit to the drop shot are often missed simply because many fish will strike at the end of lure rather than the hooked head, combined with the fact that your lures are often over 50 feet down. To maximize sensitivity and increase the sheer number of strikes it is a good idea to use as light a line as possible. This is especially true in clear water conditions. The KDSS69 is ideally suited for this technique for a number of reasons. A good drop shot rod needs to be sensitive, feature a nimble tip to deliver quality action to the bait, and have plenty of power in the bottom section of the rod for heavy lifting. The Kistler Drop Shot Special meets all of these fundamental requirements, and the more we fished the rod the more impressed we were with the fine details Kistler added to the list of technique enhancing attributes. While other drop shot rods feature shortened cork handles or shaved cork grips the Kistler Smart Touch design still takes the cake. To maximize overall sensitivity you have the option of extending your index finger to the main blank itself. One thing some of our editors did note was that at times the rod felt unbalanced. This was mainly due to the extremely short cork handle. This is easily remedied when your finger is extended, but we did find fishing with smaller downsized spinning reels helped balance out the outfit, and were also superior when it came to handling ultralight lines.

Power: The trick to a quality drop shot rod is a perfect balance of finesse and power. The tip of the rod must be able to twitch ever so slightly to bring life to lures 50 feet down, but the rod must be ready to load up instantly at any given time. Unlike most techniques fishing a drop shot doesn't require the angler to set the hook aggressively. Instead of a dramatic "set" motion, anglers instead must be ready to begin cranking and lift the rod slowly. During our tests almost all the fish once hooked bolted straight for the surface, rarely did the fish vary from this course. Upon reaching shallow depths the fish would then start changing direction putting additional burden on the rod tip. Kistler's rod design has placed the guides forward to protect both the line and the rod during the extreme flex, often associated with vertical hookups. The KDSS69 is deceivingly thin in appearance, but is actually very competent when it comes time to haul sizeable fish up from below.

Price: Kistler is fast building a reputation for their premium Helium rods, but anglers should also note that the company also develops quality products at astoundingly aggressive prices as well. The KDSS69 is easily worth over 150.00 dollars when you consider the characteristics and unique Kistler features, and yet the company has priced the rod at only 139.99, a great price for an All-American made rod that is specifically designed to excel at the technique of drop shotting, and still manages to retain a custom rod look and feel.

Applications: The KDSS69 is great for the drop shot technique and during our tests we were able to land a number of fish we would have otherwise had to attempt and target with spoons and jigs alone. Match the KDSS69 with a small reel, some 6lb line, and small plastics rigged on equally small hooks and you have a finesse rig capable of actually targeting those fish directly below you on the finder. Two innovations on the Kistler offering that make it even easier to fish the drop shot rig are the smart touch reel seat to help you identify the most subtle strikes, and the Kistler hook hanger which is simply the best hanger for stowing drop shot weights. But perhaps what I like best about this rod is that though it is designed for the art of drop shotting, it is also capable of so much more. Whether you choose to toss small jigs or Carolina rigged plastics the KDSS69 feels right at home casting these lures.

Interested in the Kistler Dropshot Special? <CLICK HERE>