Bumping for cats

Catfish tactics have come a long and varied path from the days of just casting out lines and waiting for ol’ whisker-face to come strolling along. From trolling to casting, even getting in the water and noodling for them, catfish are becoming a more popular target.

The most recent big fish tactic is called bumping.

Like most things in the outdoor world, it’s a new twist on an old approach that some may recognize as back-trolling. Two of the kings of bumping for catfish are Nick Dimino and Adam Long from Starkville.

Dimino describes what makes the tactic so effective.

“What you do is you nose your boat into the current and let the current drift you back, then using the trolling motor, you want to troll into the current, cutting your drift speed in half,” said Dimino. “Let your line out until your weight hits the bottom and then you lift the rod and set it back down. Once you get in a rhythm, you’re bumping that bait along the bottom about a foot at a time.”

Current plays an important role in bumping success. Pickwick anglers may only fish the tactic when water is releasing from the dam, but river anglers may find it more productive in places like the Mississippi River or Tenn-Tom Waterway where current is consistent from top to bottom.

“You’re covering a lot of water, so when a fish grabs the bait you’ve got to take up a lot of slack really fast because the boat is still moving and the fish isn’t,” said Dimino. “I use a three-way rig with 2½ feet of hook line and probably 12 to 16 inches of weight line on the rig. I also use big Team Catfish double-action hooks, so when I catch up to the fish, a sweep of the rod and he’s hooked.

Dimino said the type rod used for bumping also makes a big difference. He uses a specialty catfish rod made by local manufacturer B’n’M Poles. The rod has a split handle and is made of a combination of high-density carbon and fiberglass so that’s it’s light enough to work all day but also strong to horse a good fish out of deep water.

“Bumping is not a multiple rod tactic,” Dimino said. “With my partner Adam and I in the boat, we fish one rod each, but it will definitely put some big catfish in the boat.”