duh I've been doing it wrong again starting at the bottom
You aren't doing it wrong...in fact, before I got a Vexilar, that's exactly what I would do. More times than not, fish are going to relate to some sort of cover or structure. Often times, the bottom is the only real "structure" to which they can relate, so they'll hide out in the weeds, or just hold tight to the bottom if there is sparse weed growth. If you are perch fishing, you just aren't going to find them suspended, so drop it to the bottom, reel up a little way and jig it. Try various methods of jigging until you find what works. If you're crappie or bluegill fishing, these fish can both suspend and hold to the bottom. Bluegills will suspend all day, but I've found that more times than not, crappies will suspend in the early morning, hold close to the bottom during the day, and work thir way back up in the water column in the evening. The important thing is to fish the whole water column. And again, personally, I would start from the bottom and work my way up.
-Zach
