Working in fast moving water

[Dewit2it]

I'm not totally ignorant about ropes and rigging.  I do work with theatrical rigging, both counterweight and hemp.  And Fleet Farm rope would NOT be used!  Everything would be done on 11-12mm climbing rope.  And yes, there's a whole different set of knots that have to be used for that style rope. (a normal bowline will slip on climbing rope)

I jumped in the Crystal River by the Red Mill to get a little experience.  Imagine trying to low crawl on the bottom, wedging yourself on any rock that can give support against the current, and trying to hold a 30lb camera steady.  Add to that your wetsuit buoyancy trying to float you.  Then all the fish take refuge behind you, taking advantage of the slack water you create.  Then you have ~3-4' viz making rocks come at you with almost no time for evasive.  Shooting the slack water behind you, and you get all the crap off the bottom that's being dug out beneath you by the current.   And that's medium/slow compared to what I'm hearing about. :-\  I'll definitly need a rigging system.

Lots of sucker minnows up to 8", good sized crayfish, and even a few panfish that got washed over the dam.  The eddies on either side of the main current aren't too bad.  Saw a couple of nice panfish under/in some logs in a deeper area of slacker current.  One little bluegill liked taking refuge behind my hand and even nibbled on it.  Saw one crayfish in there that could have ran 9+ inches.  Got to go back with a bucket and BIG slurp gun for that one! ;D