Getting jiggy with it...

I'm a recovering river rat.  I kicked that addiction a few years ago.  Still miss it at times, but cope by casting in still water.  I have relapsed and made it to the Yough a few times, but much different than the hard core 3 river stuff.  
 
That leads me to some questions.  I rarely bounce jigs off of the bottom while fishing still waters (doesn't seem to work like it does in moving water for me at least).  I'll troll or cast buck tails or swim baits.  They work o.k., but nothing like the simple curly tail or shad body jigs did in moving water.  Or adding a fathead to a curly tail jig and bouncing off of the bottom.  Blade baits seem to be about the same thing.  I have a bunch, but don't seem to catch when I use.  I've read they are a cooler water bait.  It is getting to be cooler water time.  I know they are a Pymie staple.
 
How do people use their blade baits effectively?  Cast and retrieve off of the bottom or just vertical jig?  Do you work them in the water column, or always bouncing the bottom?  Same thing with jigs, does anyone have success using in still water?  I assume to locate some off shore structure, or outside of points?
 
I have success with jigs and pan fish.  Looking more to get into more this fall.  Pan fish have been my go to for the past 4-5 years.  It is great, and I have a blast.  I fried up some perch last night, and can't believe I'm looking to catch anything else!!!  Usually wading for them, after I put my boat into storage.  This year, I'm looking to keep the boat out longer and hopefully pay off with additional species.

You know I bought 2 or 3 of those blade baits hoping to try them on Erie.  Supposed to be deadly on smallies.  Never made it back since then.  And every time I think of using a jig for panfish I just use a minnow instead.  

I've talked to and seen a few anglers utilize the blade baits, typically cicadas down near the **** on lake arthur. I've been told to vertical jig them, just up and down off of the bottom, but common sense would tell you if you're marking fish 10 ft off the bottom to try and get the bait in that zone. These people I talked to said it is highly effective for walleye and they do quite well with that technique every year, in the cold months before the freeze. I want to try it, I never have..I always chase perch with jigs or live bait, maybe this will be the year I dedicate a full day to jigging for walleye. They did mention take plenty of them because of the rock structures, a lot of snag ups.