Very well put indeed. I completely concur with your statement, especially the slowing down part.

The funny thing that happened to me was, the D-shot fish last weekend were SO AGRESSIVE, that if you are not tuned into their attack on the bait, they smacked it and left. On the one I broke off, he hit it on the way down, started swimming off with it, and when I set on him he dove forcefully and snapped off. I also had my drag Buttoned, which was an oversight on my part due to the use of light line.

In deep water with little structure to hang up on I use a Yamamoto Split shot hook (#6 or #4) and nose hook the bait.

At San Vee, with all of the grass and rock, if you nose hook, you'll hang up. I was using a #2 Gamakatsu G-Lock hook and tex-posing the bait for this application. I also love the Owner Rig n Hook for this.
(Yes, I'm a student of John Morrow!)

As frogger mentioned, you don't set on the nose hook/mosquito style, just let the Rod load up and maintain taught pressure.

I have been setting the tex-posed hook just like I would T-rig fishing. My screw-up happened when I realized my drag was buttoned. I'm fairly confident that I would not have broke off if I would have had a lighter drag setting, so I could have "BUNGEE'D" The fish.
(I knew it was a good fish too! although the fight was on for only 3 or 4 seconds!)

I also found that the fish were relating more to the bottom, and I got bit more with a 4-6 inch leader above the weight.

Also, no offense against P-Line green, but I'm convinced I had a bad batch/spool. I just had fresh line spooled on my Chronarch SF, and I even inspected ALL of my Rod guides to see if I was nicking the line that way. I was back-lashing like never before, and when I went to pull out the lash, the line would fray and nick. I gave up and switched reels to 8lb after I retied about 10 times. That may have had something to do with it.

I also have a very funny story to tell about a 3lb trout I hooked there. Look for the details in my next post.

Thanks for the great words, and Thanks to Cam also (Frogger!)

Peace My Brothers!

"ROD"