Hey Geo,
Based on your vids, I decided to explore the Albany Park area for the first time. I've been there twice now.
Two days ago, I was skunked around the area in your vids. Skunked at the dock, along the shore, and near the rapids. I did get a bunch of light taps on my jig and gulp minnow, plus one monstrous hit, but no hook ups. The experience motivated me just enough to try again today.
This morning, on my 3rd cast with a road runner underspin jig head and gulp minnow, I hooked the biggest crappie I've ever seen. I couldn't land it so no photo. The reason: in the 2 days since I was at the spot, the river level really rose. You can see the roaring rapids in the photo.
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Where I was standing 2 days ago is underwater today. So I had to move way up above the water and I couldn't lift the crappie out of the current and up to where I was. Midway up, the hook pulled out and it was gone. If he had hit 2 days ago, I could have landed it easily at the water's edge. Damn!
I did manage to lift 3 smaller crappie like the one pictured.
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Still decent to me, but the easy lifting is why I know the missed crappie was so big. Plus I hooked a carp unintentionally on a small crank bait, plus a drum unintentionally on a powerbait swim jig. Just saw them but I couldn't land either of them.
It was a fun morning, so thanks for the inspiration!
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