Catching drops without a service?
 

Do people still do this with any success? If it's still worth it I'd like to build some nice quick multithreaded software to catch the drops for me. I hear the pay drop catchers have all sorts of special connections with registrars thouhg, so it might not be worth it to build one.

Should I bother?

I wouldnt bother. If its a good name the catchers will get it. They bombard the server when they drop at 2:00pm. For you to catch one you would have to be VERY lucky