drop shotting for panfish in a calm lake

Saw there was going to be little or no wind and 1 of my favorite panfish lakes so I took the kayak and went out +/- 500yds from shore to 6ft of water & started fishing. Using a drop shot with ul equipment in a calm lake (flat/no waves) is a deadly combo. Fished for 4 hours and I have no idea how many dinks I tossed back but it was non stop action as soon as I dropped anchor and started fishing the edge of a weed bed.

I did bring these fish home to clean.
[IMG]https://i.imgur.com/vgn1ivZ.jpg
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Ended up with 25 perch, 24 bluegill and 1 catfish. Was hoping for more catfish, they were rolling all around me but just weren't hitting.

Couldn't even begin to count the number of fish I missed because I wasn't able to set the hook using 2 rods. I'd be taking a fish off of 1 rod or baiting a rod and the other rod would have a good hit. Basically the fish would catch itself. With perch you need to set the hook or more often then not they will get off when reeling them in. Perch have soft quick hits, it's like a dink/dink/dink/dink on the line and you have to set the hook to catch them. Bluegill on the other hand have a more positive/aggressive hit to them and are easier to catch and the bluegill tend to stay on when hooked compared to perch.

It was a great day with lots of action and a bunch of panfish to eat.

I have a spot that sets up that way from December to February. It's in a S curve in 17 FOW with several humps. We catch a low wind Sunny day and I take the wife and we set tandem up front. We fish a pair of UL. She hooks a fish and I hand her my rod. While I'm unhooking the fish and rebaiting she's setting the hook again... repeat... repeat. Take 10 of the biggest fish home for supper. Sure would like to find some perch mixed in.

Thanks for the report. Great stringer of fish.

Sent from my E6810 using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

Very nice. That a good haul and a great technique. I had good success with the drop shot on a UL rod this spring. Caught tons of gills and quite a few bass. Good times!

Drop shot about the simplest form of fishing there is but it flat out works. The ul equipment lets me use my limited skillset to it's fullest and really pushes everything I know to to catch the different fish. This is what keeps me coming back.

The bluegill and crappie have a more strait forward hit, BANG!!! It's game on, there' the occasional tire kicker but not too often. The catfish typically have a soft pull, the rod tip slowly keeps getting more arch/bend to it then I set the hook and it's game on. The perch rarely hit the drop shot, they pick at it. You'll get a dink/dink/dink/dink style hit on the rod tip and you have to set the hook. Mix all that in with dinks hitting the drop shot & picking at the bait.

The 4 lakes that I fish all have perch in them, spring and fall are typically the best times to fish for them. There just starting to turn on up here in ne ohio & by the end of october we'll be crushing the jumbo's with typical outing producing 30/40 fish and 6#+ of filets. A jumbo perch I caught this spring in the same lake I caught the fish pictured above.
[IMG]https://i.imgur.com/nbntJs3.jpg[/IMG]

Should be a good year, the fish are bulking up. The bluegill are fantastic and will do nothing but get better in the cold fall/winter water.

Good ones for sure, congrats!

Forrest, do you fish Pymy? Just posted a report on the Pa board. The perch are starting to hit. Read the report.

Yes I fish pymy, was there last week & did ok on considering it was rough that day. Will be going back next week, the fall bite is starting and the perch are looking sweet this year!!! Thinking about putting in at the 4 islands boat ramp just over the pa line on 322, south end of the lake.

Nice looking perch!