Reins Ring Shrimp: the soft shrimp bait that unlocks perch on drop shot
Before tying this one on, it helps to know if the spot actually calls for it. CarnaFish reads the scene from a photo.
Drop shot has a double-edged reputation: brutally effective on tough perch, but often poorly used for lack of the right bait. The Reins Ring Shrimp was built specifically for this technique — not adapted after the fact, but designed from the ground up to exploit what drop shot does best: doing almost nothing, and letting the lure speak for itself.
Why a shrimp shape instead of a shad
Most finesse lures imitate a small baitfish. The Ring Shrimp takes the opposite approach: a segmented body, ringed claws and legs that trap tiny air bubbles. As a result, these appendages float and sway at the slightest movement transmitted through the rod tip, even while the main body stays completely still on bottom. That's a fundamental difference from a classic shad, whose swim depends on an active retrieve — the Ring Shrimp generates movement at a full stop, exactly the situation where a tough perch is easiest to approach.
Rigging the drop shot, step by step
- Tie the hook (size 1 to 1/0) directly onto the mainline, about 30 to 50 cm above a drop shot weight.
- Nose-hook the Ring Shrimp, keeping the body perfectly straight in line with the hook.
- Pick the weight based on depth and wind: 3-5 g up to 3 m, 7-10 g beyond that or when wind is pushing the line.
- Let the rig sink to bottom, keep light contact with the weight, and work it only with small rod-tip vibrations.
The most common drop shot mistake is moving the lure too much. The Ring Shrimp is built to vibrate on minimal energy input — an overactive rod tip drowns that effect instead of amplifying it.
The retrieve that gets bites
Fishing the Ring Shrimp on drop shot is fishing almost at a standstill:
- Rod-tip vibration: small wrist tremors, without moving the weight, are enough to sway the lure's appendages.
- Long pause: 5 to 10 seconds, well beyond what most anglers dare hold. The perch often commits during that pause.
- Short lift: raise the weight a few inches then let it drop, to shift zones slightly without leaving the spot.
Where and when to use this rig
The Ring Shrimp on drop shot excels on stationary, low-activity perch: dock margins, drop-offs, artificial structure in canals, or any spot where perch prefer to ambush rather than chase. It loses its edge on very active, surface-feeding perch — in that case, a faster retrieve with a Keitech Shad Impact 2" on a jighead will be more productive.
Not sure what to tie on?
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Colour by conditions
- Clear, cold water: translucent, natural tones — subtlety comes before everything else.
- Slightly stained water: a flashier or slightly higher-contrast colour helps stay visible without losing subtlety.
- Murky water: go for a darker silhouette colour, trading some realism for detectability.
Gear that fits
A dedicated drop shot rod, soft enough at the tip to transmit vibrations without exaggerating them, paired with thin braid (8-10 lb) and a subtle fluorocarbon leader, genuinely changes the outcome with this rig. A rod that's too stiff turns every small movement into something too large for the Ring Shrimp.
Knowing when to reach for a drop shot rather than a more dynamic lure depends on how active the fish actually are at the spot — something CarnaFish helps assess: one photo of the spot is enough for the AI to read conditions and point you to the right approach, subtle or faster depending on the moment. To go further on perch beyond drop shot, our guide to lure fishing for perch pairs well with this one.
The rig in summary
- Size 1-1/0 hook nose-hooked, 3-10 g drop shot weight depending on depth, 30-50 cm above.
- Minimal retrieve: rod-tip vibrations, long 5-to-10-second pauses.
- Best on stationary, low-activity perch, less useful on very active fish.
- Translucent colours in clear water, more contrasted ones in murky water.
FAQ
How do you rig the Reins Ring Shrimp on a drop shot?
Tie the hook directly to the mainline, 30 to 50 cm above a drop shot weight, nose-hook the lure keeping it straight, then let it sink to bottom before working it with small rod-tip vibrations.
What weight should I use with this rig?
Between 3 and 5 g up to 3 m deep, 7 to 10 g beyond that or in wind that pushes the line. The weight should stay in light contact with bottom without being heavier than needed.
Why leave such long pauses on drop shot?
Because it's precisely the lure's stillness, combined with its appendages' subtle movement, that triggers a strike from a wary perch. Too short a pause doesn't give the fish time to commit.
Does the Ring Shrimp work on predators other than perch?
Its small size and very subtle presentation mostly target perch. For zander or bass, a bigger size or a different creature bait will suit better.
What rod should I use for drop shot?
A dedicated drop shot rod with a soft tip that transmits small vibrations without over-amplifying them, paired with thin braid and a subtle fluorocarbon leader.
What's the alternative when perch are very active?
On actively feeding perch, a more dynamic retrieve with a jighead-rigged shad, like the Keitech Shad Impact 2", will generally outperform drop shot.
The full perch lure guideSeason-by-season strategy: which family of lure, when, and why.Go from theory to fish
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