I caught my first dd in November of 09, just over 10#s and the fight was on in just 5' of water. My second came one month later in December of 09, it was 24 degrees, early morning, and caught her in 15' of water, maybe 10' away from the boat throwing at trees with a worm, she felt heavy like a 8 or 9#er, but when I got her to the boat (without very much ressistance), she weighed 12#s