I stumbled across a pretty good deal on some NIB Shimano Sahara 1500FBs, so I picked up a few. I'm thinking they might make decent shaky/dropshot reels when spooled with 6# fluoro. Your thoughts?

Nice pan fish reel.

Nice pan fish reel.

Possibly, but it's actually a little large and heavy for a panfish rig, imho. I'm thinking more along the lines of a 6'9" ML/XF rod and some 6# fluoro or 20# PowerPro with a 6-8# fluoro leader for light shaky head and floating worms.

Either that, or one of them may replace the Mitchell 308Xe that's currently on my "trunk rod". Heck, I may do both.   

great choice for bass.  I like to go lighter than the norm.  I fish with 2-4lb line depending on the situation.  I use a 1000 size shimano sedona or stradic reel.  It depends though, but I prefer to have fun fighting a bass on super light line.

Depends which rod you match it with. "Balance"

Depends which rod you match it with. "Balance"

That's really not much of a problem. They weigh a little over 9 oz., which is right in line with most 2500-series reels. It shouldn't be a problem finding a 6'8"-6'9" ML rod that it'll balance fairly well with. Leaning towards the Avid AVS69MLXF at the moment...

6# test is excellent for the drop shot.

A 1500 may serve your needs if you balance it with the correct rod as mentioned above.

Give it a shot and see what happens and let us know. 

I use a 1000 series Stradic CI4 on a 6'10" Loomis w/6lb flouro for dropshot. Balances and fishes great. I've never had a problem with the smaller reel for dropshotting and have caught some really good fish with this set up. Sure it doesn't hold as much line, but that has never presented a problem for me.