Get the Job Done Right with B’n’M Poles
B’n’M knows rods. They should since they have been building them for more than 70 years. After years of experience with crappie fishing anglers, they recognized the need for good affordable rods for catfish anglers too. The design staff stays current with what anglers want by communicating with a carefully developed pro-staff. The Pro-staffers advise the company on what they need in a great catfish rod and B’n’M builds the rods that also help everyday catfishermen catch more catfish.
One of those B’n’M Pro Staff Anglers is Captain Jeremy Ransom. He, along with his partner Travis Hunter operate ALL OUT Guide Service (573-259-7120 or 573-259-6771) in Missouri where they use B’n’M Cattish rods on trophy blues and massive spoonbill catfish. Ransom uses several models, depending on the type of fishing he is doing. His most recent addition to his arsenal is the SilverCat Elite Light.
SilverCat Elite Light
Given the success and popularity of the Silver Cat Elite series, B’n’M introduced the light-action version at the 2021 ICAST show in Orlando, FL.
“This lighter action rod is targeted towards the Midwestern and Northern anglers who primarily target channel cats, smaller blue cats, and flathead catfish,” said Jason McDuffie, National Sales Manager at B’n’M. “It has all the same features that have made the Elite series one of the best-selling and widely used catfish rods. They include the X-grip EVA handle, aluminum reel seat, and stainless steel guides. It is built on a blank with 20% less backbone than the original Elite.”
“I refer to the SilverCat Elite Light as the smaller, lighter brother to the SilverCat Elite,” said Ransom. “It has the EVA foam handle, stainless guides, and a superfast tip for those cold water days when fish are sluggish or when you just want a good fight out of smaller fish.”
“Just because they call this the light version, don’t be fooled,” added Ransom. “This rod is a beast! If given the opportunity it would make a great all-around boat rod to anchor, drag, or even back bounce. As I noted before, the rod has a super-fast tip but it still has plenty of backbone to handle a big fish!”
Silver Cat Elite
The 7.5-foot one-piece Silver Cat Elite is designed specifically for suspend-drifting and anchoring. This type of fishing requires a rod with power and the Elite’s non-parabolic action provides it. It has a stiff backbone, but with a fast tip to see bites easily.
The Silver Cat Elite features a double-nut locking reel seat, Hi-vis tip, and a high-quality X-Grip handle that looks good and provides extra grip.
“The SilverCat Elite has been my go-to rod for anchor fishing,” stated Ransom. “I use them to cast weights up to 24 ounces. They also have the nice EVA foam handles, stainless guides, and fairly fast tip.”
“I also use them to walk bait from anchor or spot-lock position,” continued Ransom. “I’d do that if I had marked a big fish or a piece of structure I wanted to fish. I’d mark it, set up on anchor or spot-lock. Once I use my electronics to determine how far the target is from my waypoint I would use the line counter on my reel to get the bait where I want it.”
Silver Cat Magnum
The Silver Cat Magnum is built on a 90% carbon, 10% fiberglass blend to provide sensitively and extra backbone for trophy catfish anglers. The magnum series retains the two-piece construction and ceramic insert guides for smooth line flow. They come in a 10-foot model for when those longer casts are needed.
“I use the 10-foot, 2-piece SilverCat Magnums to deadstick or suspend fish,” noted Ransom. “They have that nice EVA foam handle that doesn’t turn over in the rod holder. These rods handle anything from a split shot to 32 ounces of lead for me. I also like the stainless guides with good spacing. It has a nice soft tip but great backbone to handle trophy fish.”
Silver Cat Magnum Pro-Staff Bumping Rod
As bumping became a favorite method of catching big cats by river fishermen, B’n’M went to the pro-staff for advice on what kind of rod was needed. The result is the Silver Cat Magnum Pro-Staff Bumping Rod.
There is only one model and that’s all you need. It went through several versions in the developmental stage and the result is a top-notch bumping rod used by many top pros. This rod has a stiffer blank than the original and is fitted with stainless steel guides and tips. It is built with sensitivity in mind and designed to battle the swifter current and those big catfish that bumping produces.
“I love the Pro-Staff Bumping Rod,” revealed Ransom. “It is very sensitive with stainless guides and the split grip cork handle is built for comfort. This is what I use to drift and bump. I find I can use the same rod with weights from 1 ounce up to about 16 ounces, depending upon conditions.”
Original Silver Cat
The original Silver Cat is still available as a great entry-level rod. It is in widespread use in spinning and casting models. The two-piece construction remains popular among anglers that want to take their rods down for storage. These 100 percent fiberglass rods provide sensitivity for bite detection and a glow-in-the-dark tip to help see those night bites. They are built with ceramic insert guides and are designed for 15- to 30-pound lines.
More Info
Where ever fishing takes you, B’n’M has been there. For information on B’n’M Catfish Tackle visit the website at www.bnmpoles.com or call at 1-800-647-6363. How-to videos and how-to articles are available on their website. You can also download a current catalog that includes the complete selection of products. Remember, they also offer replacement parts, just give them a call for whatever you need.
