the diversion canal is a tourist hangout. you need to get out in the lakes, get you some drift socks, set yourself up to drift and try drifting. use cut baits. leave the stinks to the tourist catching the small stuff. if you still got that toon, you got the perfect boat for drifting down there. one sock off each end of the boat and fish off the upwind side, and use the slinky type weights, rods with soft tips and strong backbones and circle hooks.. and good rod holders. if you get a chance to go a time or two before the tournament, try that and refine your setup before the tournament. i spent most of my weekends down therer several year ago for a whole year and seemed like everytime i went id learn soemthing new. the first time or two we went down we dint catch much to talk about. talking to guides and fishermen who hauled the fish in helps a lot. by the end of the year, we was catching some real hogs, my biggest of the year was 42 lbs. i wouldnt consider the canal unless the current was strong in it or the wind was making it unsafe on the lakes proper.
listen with your eyes---its the only way to beleive what you hear...