I'm sorry, guys ... I've neglected to come back to this thread for some time. I assume the questions about "article" & "weedless jigs" was directed towards me ... so I will follow up on these questions :

(to OA)
I've been using weedless jigheads for decades, but most recently (last 12 years or so) I've been using a weedless jighead made by site member "Grousefly". I had him make 1/32 & 1/16oz ballhead jigs with a #2 Aberdeen hook, and the Y weedguard (also some with the fiber brush style weedguard). They look like this:



Top jig is the fiber brush style, and can be found on store shelves (but usually with a smaller hook). The bottom jig is the Y guard version, and it's a plastic Y inserted into the ballhead that results in a V shaped guard over the hook point.
The Y guard jig got so popular that some of the other jig making members started making them !!

Color choice, for me, depends on water clarity ... but, since most of the lakes I fish are "stained" (green looking water, with <2ft visibility on a clear/calm day) then I mostly use color combos that are contrasting. That's usually a blue, or green, with a chartreuse tail or belly. When those fail, I usually go to reds/purples w/chartreuse ... or very faint greens or purples with a clear belly.

(& just in case the question about "summer bass" was not a misprint ... I have my best luck with red crankbaits & green plastic craws, fishing at night)

(to Joe)
Yes, you are correct .. I currently use a 6'6" ESP Powerlite rod. But, I have used rods from 5' to 8' when Vertical Casting ... ranging from UL to Med. Vertical Casting only requires a rod length that is sufficient to reach the target area .... not any specific power or rating.
I don't really use this technique for "shallow" water (<10ft to bottom), as I have 9' & 10' rods that I could use for normal "vertical jigging". Chances are, though, that I'd be staying off away from those shallow areas & casting to them, using lighter weight jigs or Roadrunners. And, if I absolutely had to, I'd put a jig under a float and cast/pitch to those areas.

I've never actually used an actual Drop Shot rig, or the method, so I can't comment on how that setup or technique would work with the Vertical Casting method. Personally, I think they're incompatible ... since the Drop Shot method is mostly a stationary, weight on bottom jigging method, whereas the Vertical Casting technique is a drop & slow retrieve, bottom to surface method.

... cp