use a bigaz sinker on bottom, put a couple small rockers or flies above the sinker...kinda depends on whether you're in weeds or not as to the depths of your bait...big bibitts work well too, especially if you can get the fish cranked, and get em to start off bottom...44ft isn't too bad...one big lake here in Maine we started em on bottom in 62ft and brought em to about 5ft under the ice...smoked em...