If the boat is equipped with a bow-mounted electric motor, use it to nudge the bow over so the boat drifts broadside to the breeze. Hicks likes to tie his drift sock's rope to a cleat near the bow or the middle of the boat, depending on which location allows a more broadside drift. Larger boats require socks on the order of 40 inches in diameter. If Hicks' initial drift doesn't produce any smallmouths, he simply motors back upwind and makes ensuing drifts with his lures at slightly shallower or deeper levels. Scented tubes and tubes impregnated with salt draw more strikes than plain tubes.
Long casts help keep the lures dragging across the bottom, where they can do the most good.
You can literally double your odds by holding one rod in each hand. When using this ploy, you'll often hook two bass at once. And drift fishing is anything but a drag when you're holding a bent rod in each hand.