A good article on Panfish Senses and triggers!

Panfish Senses and Triggers
by Doug Stange…Published in IN-FISHERMAN Magizine.
For educational Purposes only!



One concept we have long used to get anglers to consider what they’re doing when they’re fishing a lure or a bait is this: The presentation moves we make have two parts, each with different purposes. First, we work our presentation to attract attention in order to get panfish to move in close to check it out. Secondly, we manipulate the lure to trigger fish to bite.

Say we’re working a spoon vertically. We lift the lure, let it fall, then hold momentarily. The lift-fall is the attracting maneuver, while the pause usually triggers the fish. We might add twitches to the pause to further tempt (trigger) fish that have been called in.

At times attracting maneuvers also serve as triggering maneuvers. I like to fish tiny crankbaits like the #3 Countdown Rapala for panfish. Another favorite is a miniature swimbait like the 3-inch Storm WildEye Swim Shad. The realistic swimming movements of these lures attract panfish that overtake the lure from behind and eat it—attraction becomes triggering. At other times, it takes a little hitch or pause in the straight swim to get fish to bite. Or, it might take pausing the lure to let it fall to get fish to finally react.

Vision is important, but anglers often overlook the importance of vibration in this process. My search for answers about how vital vibration can be lead me to Bluegills—Biology and Behavior, by Stephen Spotte. An in-depth and enlightening look at the biology of the bluegill proved a good place to find answers about how panfish respond to the vibrations that come from the things that live around them as well as vibrations from the lures and baits we use to fool them. In no other scientific discussion have I seen such detailed analysis of swimming movements and how those movements are sensed by fish with their lateral line.

To read More, go to Panfish Senses and Triggers - In-Fisherman

Editor’s Note: Bluegills—Biology and Behavior, by Stephen Spotte, is a publication of the American Fisheries Society, fisheries.org