A. I like to use braid to fluorocarbon leader on all my drop shot rods. The knot I like to use to connect the two lines together is the royal polaris or RP knot. If I am flipping or punching the grass shot I like to use at least 50 pound braid and at least 15 pound fluorocarbon. When I go to use the 3/4oz or 1oz grass shots I will use 50 pound braid to 20 pound fluorocarbon on my flipping stick. When I use the grass shots on my spinning gear I will use 20 pound braid to at least a 10 pound fluorocarbon leader. I like a heavier fluorocarbon leader. I rarely use 6 - 8 pound fluorocarbon unless I'm in super clear water. My go to is 10 pound and I've used up to 14 pound fluorocarbon when I know I'm around big fish.  One of favoritve ways to fish the grass shot is in deep grass. I texas rig the worm or creature bait and drag or hop the grass shot through the grass. Since there is not a cheap wire clip to bend and collect grass it comes through the cover amazingly. When i'm flipping to heavy cover i like to use a 3/0 or 4/0 straight shank flipping hook. When I fish the grass shot on spinning gear i like anywhere from a 1/0 to a 4/0 thinner wire straight shank worm hook.

 

 

B. Leader lenght is very important. In heavy cover such as milfoil, hydrilla, lilly pads or lay down trees you want to have a short leader. 4 to 6 inches is typically what I use bewteen the hook and the grass shot but you can go smaller than 4 inches. That is what is so great about them because you can use them in so many different ways. I use a palomar knot to attach the hook and to attach the grass shot. With spinning gear i typically use a 8 to 14 inch leader, but  you can adjust that to what ever the fish are telling you.

​

C. Weight size varies depending on the cover your fishing. Spinning gear i use 1/4 oz, 3/8 oz, and sometimes 1/2 oz if it is very windy and I want o feel the bottom. I'll usually flip and punch with 1/2 oz, 3/4 oz, 1 oz.  I try and use  the lightest weight i can to get through the cover with.  The big 1 oz weights are for heavy mats like down in florida or throwing them in bushes in Texas.