I’ve been infatuated with northern smallmouth ever since my first trip up north. Ive fished a variety of northern fisheries over the last several years, and each year I try and perfect my techniques, decision making, and lure selection. During my most recent trip to Lake St. Clair, I employed a new lure that is quickly taking the smallmouth world by storm. The Great Lakes Finesse Drop Minnow was the most productive lure of the trip, likely because it’s packed with unique fish catching features.
DROP MINNOW BUILD
The Great Lakes Finesse Drop Minnow, developed with renowned smallmouth angler Travis Manson, is a highly effective bait designed to trick finicky smallmouth. This versatile bait shines in various setups, including drop shots, Damiki Rigs, Ned rigs, and finesse ball heads. Featuring a fully ribbed body and tapered tail, the Drop Minnow produces a distinct vibration and lifelike action. Its well-balanced design ensures it suspends horizontally in the water, making it highly effective at enticing even the most pressured fish. Combining exceptional action with a realistic profile, the Great Lakes Finesse Drop Minnow is a must-have for all finesse anglers.
MY FAVORITE FEATURES
Ive used the Great Lakes Finesse Drop Minnow for the last several months, and I’ve noticed a few features that really set this bait apart. My favorite feature on the Great Lakes Finesse Drop Minnow is its neutral buoyancy. This allows the bait to float evenly in the water column, which is essential when using a drop shot. Many drop shot baits float straight up or hang straight down, ultimately hurting your overall presentation. Smallmouth are visual feeders, so its important to give them the most realistic presentation possible. This is why I consistently choose the Great Lakes Finesse Drop Minnow when targeting northern smallmouth with a drop shot.
Another one of my favorite features on the Great Lakes Finesse Drop minnow is its tapered tail. The tail shape on this bait tapers at the body and becomes bulbous at the end. This gives this bait a unique quivering action as it moves through the water column. I’ve found this to be super effective on the back of Damiki and Ned rigs. The subtle quiver closely imitates a fleeing baitfish and is perfect for tricking weary smallmouth and spotted bass.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE DROP MINNOW
I’ve used the Great Lakes Finesse Drop Minnow on two specific types of fisheries. These include northern smallmouth fisheries such as St. Clair, and southern spotted bass fisheries such as the Coosa River. Small baitfish are the primary food group on both of these fisheries, and the Great Lakes Finesse Drop Minnow is the perfect choice for imitating this type of forage.
I recently returned from the Bassmaster Open on Lake St. Clair, and I caught the majority of my fish each day on the Drop Minnow rigged two different ways. I ended up placing 19th out of 225 anglers, and I caught my fish by targeting smallmouth feeding on perch. If the bass were suspended, I’d throw the 3.25-inch drop minnow rigged on 3/16-ounce jig head. I’d float the minnow over their head imparting slight twitches from the rod tip. This generated some of my biggest bites each day resulting in a 23-pound bag on day two.
If the fish were cruising on the bottom however, I would throw the 2.75-inch drop minnow rigged on a drop shot. These fish were often much more skittish than the suspended fish, however the smaller profile drop minnow did a great job at getting them to react. I rigged this bait on a size 1 Gamakatsu Drop Shot Hook and a 3/8-ounce drop shot weight. The heavier weight was great for quickly reaching fast moving fish cruising along the bottom.
No matter what style of fishery your on, small baitfish are almost always a primary food group. Whether its perch, glass minnows or other types of forage, the Great Lakes Finesse Drop Minnow imitates them perfectly. While this bait is designed for northern smallmouth, there are numerous other applications where this bait shines. If you’re looking for the next big smallmouth bait, I highly recommend giving the Great Lakes Finesse Drop Minnow a try.
