Most catfish anglers have their favorite way to fish for trophy cats. For B’n’M pro staff angler George Young Jr. (Mississippi River Monsters) it is a method referred to as bumping. It is an active method of fishing where the angler always has the rod and reel in his hands and he controls the placement of the bait. It will likely be the most used method in the upcoming Mississippi River Monsters event in Memphis on Sept. 9 and 10, 2016.
River fishing is a natural thing for Young, who grew up in NE Arkansas. “All we had available to fish were small rivers like the St Francis, the Tyronza and the Black, said Young. “We mostly caught flatheads and channel cats, but there were a few blues too.”
The B’n’M prostaffer fishes both local and national catfish tournaments. “It is a learning experience,” said Young. “I have fished with some of the best cat anglers in the world. They willingly share information and techniques on catching more and bigger fish. I hope I can pay them back by sharing what I have learned to the benefit of the sport. I would like to see it grow.”
Bumpin’ as Young calls it is also known as controlled drift fishing and bottom bouncing. “It is without question my favorite way to fish for ole Mr. Whiskers,” revealed Young. “Controlled drift fishing does not fit the traditional cast, sit and wait approach to catfishing.”
“If you are anchored down you have to rely on the fish’s sense of smell and taste to find your bait. Drifting allows you to take the bait to the fish. It is an interactive approach that allows you to cover different depths and different locations quickly.”
Young uses a trolling motor to control the drift. “Point the bow into the current and use the trolling motor to control your backward drift,” instructed Young. “The river current may be 3 MPH but you slow your drift down to about 1 MPH. You are always holding the rod and always fishing. Using this method I have fewer hang-ups and a better strike to catch ratio.”
Young’s rig consists of tying the 65- to 85-pound HI-SEAS Grand Slam braided mainline to a three-way swivel he makes himself. He adds a 12- to 15-inch drop leader made from 14- to 20-pound test Grand Slam leader for his weight. “This step is important for two reasons,” instructed Young. “First the straight through connection is going to help you stay in touch with the bottom and feel it better as you feed line and bait down the river. Secondly, if you do get hung you can break the sinker drop and save the rest of the rig. You can quickly add another sinker drop and you are back to fishing.”
Young chooses a weight based on the amount of current he is facing. Heavier weights are used in faster current. “It’s trial and error at first,” said Young. “You want to be able to bump the bottom while feeding the mainline further and further behind the boat with as little weight as possible. It just takes a little practice.”
The bait line is tied to the 90-degree eye on the three-way swivel. “I like about 18 inches of 60-pound mono for the bait drop,” explained Young. “I add a barrel swivel between the three-way and the hook. The barrel swivel prevents line-twist from the bait spinning in the current.”
The bumpin’ rig is completed by snelling a pair of Daiichi Circle Hooks about eight inches apart. “I usually use an 8/0 or 10/0 hook. Snelling keeps the hook in the right position to penetrate the cat’s mouth,” said Young.
Young’s preferred rod is the B’n’M Silver Cat Bumping Rod. He was one of many pro anglers that helped field test the rod and tweak it to its present configuration. It features a blank made of 80% high-density carbon with a blend of fiberglass. “It is light enough to hold all day without getting tired,” said Young.
Catfish like to hang around structure like logs and rocks. They like ledges and drop-offs too. Young uses his sonar to locate structure and contours that he can target with his bumping technique. When structure is known to exist the boat is set up above the structure and the bumping technique begins.
“I am feeling every rock, log and contour down there,” said Young. “If the bottom comes up you have to reel in some line to stay in touch. If the bottom drops into a hole you have to let some line out.”
The more distance you can get behind the boat the more bottom you have covered and the more likely you are to put a bloody chunk of skipjack in front of a Mississippi River Monster.
“It is when you feel a rock or a log that you expect a bite,” suggested Young. “Those fish are using the structure as a current break, just waiting for their next meal to come by. Often as you drop that bait to the backside of the structure you feel the bite and the fight is on.”
Young offers this advice on landing a big catfish. “Always use your rod to land big catfish. You don’t crank them in with the reel. Pump the rod and reel down to put line back on the reel, but never allow slack in the line. Have your drag set to where the fish can take some line if it decides to make a run. To put it simply, never get in a hurry to land a big fish.”
Epilogue: Young’s passion for catfishing has led him to create a new catfish tournament. Mississippi River Monsters (MRM) will debut on September 9 and 10, 2016 out of Memphis TN. As of this writing more than 160 boats have entered.
“I wanted to do something big to help the sport of catfishing grow and get recognized,” offered Young. “The Mississippi River seemed like the perfect place to do it.”
Young has secured the help of other catfish anglers, including Bill Dance, to help him stage the tournament. The total overall payout is $60,000 in cash and prizes. A list of prizes is available at http://www.msrivermonsters.com/the-prizes.html.
The Captains Meeting and the weigh-in will be held at Bass Pro Shops at the Pyramid in Memphis. For more information visit the MRM website or Facebook page.
