A:
This is a great lure. I use the watermelonseed color in the northeast because it imitates the baitfish here. If your in the south you could use a lighter color I would suppose.
I personally don't weight it because it's plenty heavy enough. If you do add a weight it will cast further which is good for shore fishing. The weight also steadies the lure a little allowing you to reel faster and not have the bait turn upside down.
You could also put it on a skirted jig and do well.