The drop shot rig really grew on me this year. I've been fishing with it everywhere and it really works. If your fishing a specific piece of cover that you feel really sure is holding a fish, you can cast to that piece of cover and and shake your bait in place which drives the fish crazy. It really keeps the bait in the strike zone as long as you want it there. Its not just for off shore structure. I like to use an 1/8th ounce dropshot weight for shallow water or heavy cover and a 1/4th ounce sinker for deeper water, river current, or a long cast with a drag retrieve. I also use gamakatsu split shot/drop shot hooks, size 1. The right hook can make a huge difference. Bait wise you can use any kind of straight worm. Zoom finesse or trick worms work great. One of my favorites would have to be a Berkely hand-poured finesse worm. Alot of guys use robo worms but Ive never tried them. Give it a try, it really works.