Kevin J Legg

. Limit by in 1 1/2 hours two shorts also. 3 on deep divers.

I run stick baits and troll them. Be tough to cast a 1 lb. bottom bouncer!

We got some heavy rain last night and this morning. The river is definitely much higher than earlier this spring.

I make a wire loop at the top of the weight and run a 1 foot wire leader above that and then attach that to a swivel and the braid.( all one straight line) The leader attaches to either the loop on top of the weight of the swivel a foot higher up with a snap swivel. If you tie directly to the weight without the foot of wire leader the mussels will sometimes cut even 60 # braid. Believe me, I've lost many over the years and you loose both weights and lures!

Lineman 49 I read an article on article on them somewhere that ways very enlightening. Hellbenders can get much bigger than that.

I use to make the right angle bend in the wire but now I don't bother. Simply use a straight piece of wire inside lead pipe and fill pipe with molten lead. A foot of wire leader above the weight to swivel and the braid. Floro leader off the top of the weight.

I've caught them on jigging spoons and on heavy bucktails tipped with worm or leech using controlled drift with bow mount electric. Also caught them drifting worm and spinner. Strong current does change everything. I'm not sure if sonars would work in 30 fow or more with heavy current. Perhaps at night when they can move into shallow water but they still like the current.

External gills make it a mudpuppy. I don't believe hellbenders are found in this region.

I don't believe dipsey divers will work in the current. I have caught some off riggers but heavy bottom bouncers are more precise. Also deep divers off long lines can work on shallower fish or for suspended fish. My bottom bouncers weigh nearly a pound in weight . Just made up seven more yesterday! A foot of wire above the weight also reduces zebra mussel cut off of the braid. !Prof T , we have. House full also. Give me a shout after this weekend Nd perhaps we can get together next week.

Although there was a lot of floating green moss today and a great del of current, we still managed to catch two walleyes and drop one. One was 19" and the other around 24". Also picked up a smallmouth on a deep diver. I even ran up above the bridge and caught one just for Prof T.

Although we only caught 6 bass on the river this morning my sister-in-law caught a pb 20 1/2 incher.

Thanks Prof T

Camera angle makes it look big. Think it was about 18".

Took my wife and her sister out for a quick trip this morning. After missing opening weekend due to a week trip to New Mexico we diid ok for my first outing.

Glad the boat is working Landshark.

I must admit I'm not super accurate with my deep divers on the river. I cast them as far back as possible and the give 10 pulls on my rod and close the bail. Not super accurate for depth but easy to deploy.

Water is very clear so Floro helps. I wouldn't go much lighter than 20 lb. or zebras will be cutting you off.

I use 20 lb. braid with 20 lb. floro leader and fish it off a spinning rod as it s easier to cast it out behind the boat to deploy quickly. Also put heavy split shot ahead of deep diver. They don't have to be on bottom as fish often suspend. Caught them in 70 fow down 25 feet.

Nice fish Pete.