6 Effective Panfishing Techniques

If you’re in the mood to go back to basics, have fun, and eat fish, do some panfishing. Fishing for panfish is gratifying and fulfilling because an angler at any skill level can do it, and you can get a meal out of it! You can always count on fishing panfish wherever you go on your fishing tours. Most panfish can be found around and under some cover and caught using similar techniques, but there are still some differences between these freshwater fish species. Successful panfish anglers know how to pay attention to these fish species’ subtle differences to understand better what they need to do when catching panfish. Here’s what you need to know about effectively catching panfish and some fishing tips that will help you become a better panfish angler:

1. Sunfish Fishing

You can find sunfish species like bluegill and pumpkinseed in structures like weeds, rocks, docks, brush, and overhanging branches. Small fish form large schools and quickly take to your bait or lure on your hook. Bigger fish are usually loners or form small groups. They tend to be found in deeper water than smaller fish and can be finicky. 

A good general guideline is to move on to another spot if you don’t get a bite in five to ten minutes. Several baits and lures are used to catch sunfish. Use live bait such as crickets, grasshoppers, grubs, earthworms, and waxworms because they work very well. Thread them into a #8 or #10 hook and cast your line next to the structure you find them in. If you want to target larger fish, use small spinners, flies, poppers, and jigs that can entice something like big bluegill. Live bait and jigs can be presented slowly under a bobber over weeds or overhanging branches. The key to catching sunfish is to fish slowly. Bluegill, pumpkinseed, redbreast sunfish, redear sunfish, and green sunfish generally bite better in the morning and evening. But you can still fish for them all day long.

2. Crappie Fishing

The best time to go on crappie fishing trips is when you do it in the spring before they spawn. During that time, they can be easily caught around weeds and brush. The best way to catch crappie is to fish in relatively shallow water (three to six feet) with small jigs or minnows suspended with a small bobber. Other things that can work with crappie are worms, spinners, flies, and small topwater lures. Live bait is your best bet if you use a #6 hook. Whether you’re using live bait or artificial lures, fish them slowly. 

Your line should be kept tight once crappie is hooked because their mouths are soft and can tear easily. You might lose the fish if you give a slack line. In the heat of the summer, crappie will move to deeper water. They may emerge to the surface to feed at dawn, dusk, or even at night.

3. Fishing for Bullheads

Bullheads (black bullhead, brown bullhead, and yellow bullhead) are bottom feeders and aren’t identified as fish that prefer to be around structures, unlike most other panfish. The prime seasons to target bullheads are in spring and summer. During the day, the most action can be experienced in the evening or night. The best way to catch them is through bottom fishing using dough balls, night crawlers, or chicken livers on a #4 or #6 hook.

Adding a couple of split shots to your line makes for a good bullhead fishing setup if you spot some close to the shore or in shallow water. Another great arrangement involves tying a sinker on the bottom of your line and tying your hook around eight to twelve inches above the sinker. Another way is to use the slip-sinker method, which ties slip bobbers or sinkers and a swivel a couple of inches above the hook. 

4. Perch Fishing

You can find yellow perch thriving well in a wide variety of waters. If you want to see larger perch, go to lakes with a good predator population and a few weeds. You can use small minnows and worms on #6 hooks or artificial baits on spoons, jigs, spinners, and flies to lure perch effectively. Like bullheads, the key to catching perch is keeping your bait near the bottom. Bobber rigs can work well with perch, but you might want to try using a bottom rig with two hooks or vertical jigging. Castmasers and Swedish pimples are excellent for jigging if you tip them with waxworms.

Once yellow perch are biting, get your line back in the water quickly because the increased activity will cause a feeding frenzy. Perch group themselves by size, so if you keep catching small fish, move to another area.

5. Best Panfish Setups

A jig with live bait or plastic lure is the most versatile setup to target panfish because it ticks most boxes. The jigs come in a wide variety of sizes and profiles, providing depth control and letting you cover more area of water. Bobbers or corks can also be versatile and effective because they’re available in a wide range of styles. Drop shooting is a unique method that goes beyond bass fishing. It is because a drop shot setup lets you master depth control when bottom fishing for panfish. Having spinners on your panfishing rig can get you a ton of crappie. Hard artificial baits are also very effective for crappie and bluegill fishing. Use these lures if you want to see an increase in the size of your catches. Gliding jigs or spoons are great if you plan ice fishing for panfish because they sink quickly.

6. Best Panfish Gear and Equipment

Ultra-light to medium fishing rods are the best for panfishing. You will feel the fish fighting more with a lighter action rod. Spin casting reels with a good drag are preferable. Use size 6-10 hooks with a long shank to easily remove swallowed hooks. For fishing lines, something that can stand a 6-8 lb weight test is good. 

Find Panfish with Fishing Charters

Panfish are found all over the country. Wherever you are, booking a fishing charter is always a good idea. If you plan on heading to the Gulf Coast, book with Ocean Cat Charters and catch numerous fish from the shores and waters of Alabama. Check out Killin Time Fishing Charters which lets you explore the abundant waters of Orange Beach. Experience a personalized angling excursion when you book with Caleb’s Guide Service in Texas. Catch plenty of crappie with Rusty Hook Charters in Grapevine Lake.

Next time you go on fishing trips in Corpus Christi or experience Alabama inshore fishing, don’t forget these tips if you want to take a break from targeting other sport fish and have plain good old fun catching panfish anywhere in the country!