Yes, you can tie a brick to a rope and drop it down to stir up the silt I know guys that would put red flags on the rope like the ones at a car dealer red is suppose to atract them. My father when he was still alive would take an onion bag with a five pound weight in it and put 5 cans of canned cat food with holes punched in the cans and drop it down to the bottom and every once in awhile shake it and the oily cat food would attract the perch. I remember being the only boat in a the pack catching fish.. Good memories.. Good Luck the walleye fishing has been to darn good to even think about perch fishing yet. I am loving this nice big fish this year.. I may take some minnows out in the morning. I have a short crew so after we get our limit of eye. Maybe we can get a limit of perch.. That would be nice...