Bouncing plastics off the bottom is usually our best bet in Kansas this time of year (but still poor fishing).
I have seen like 5 ways to rig and retrieve those cane thumpers!
Are you catching most of your big fish on "swim" retrieve, erratic "jigging" retrieve, bouncing off the bottom, or working through the cover in those ponds?
Usually cast out parallel to the bank and strait retrieve. When it gets warmer sometimes chatter it across shallow on the surface. I have cast out and let it sink close to bottom and retrieve slowly with Rod tip up. I have too much weed on bottom to bounce it off . The spinner part snags the weeds
