If you live on talquin, longlining is probably the best way to catch these fish until they start spawing in the pads. I am assumong since you fish up the river, you must live on the Tallahassee side of the lake. From now until late Feb or so, you will probably have the better luck in, or close to the channel. I usually fish from mid lake to the dam during this time. When the spawn starts, the creek mouths will be the place to start until they actually go into the creeks and the lilly pads will be a good place to be. Weather and water temps will be the key as to when and what they do. Just gotts hang in there and try to follow them. I fish Talquin most of the time. Maybe we'll get together on the water sometime......Good Luck.