Need recommendations for a catfish bumping rod blank . Rod will be used primarily in Missouri River.

Are we assuming sinker weight will be 3 oz. or less? I recall the Missouri is considerably slower than the Mississippi.

I believe the Missouri runs faster, but what ever , 3 oz would work . Thanks.

I just have a very generic understanding of what "bumping" is... If you can provide a little more description of what the technique is and the anticipated size of the fish being targeted I'm thinking some guys on here can give you better recommendations.

My understanding is that bumping is essentially just a controlled drift with bottom bouncing type rigs in heavy current areas (like below dams). You aren't doing any casting with this technique correct? So, if I understand correctly biggest controlling criteria is the weights you are dropping and the size of the target fish (i.e. 10# channels or 50+# blues). I've personally not built any catfish rods but I'm thinking several on here could give you some good suggestions with a bit more background info about what you are after.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/07/2024 11:31AM by Kevin Fiant.

It's a lot like backbouncing for salmon, except they run their lines way back so that their offering is on the bottom, sensing bottom, adjusting for bottom contact like salmon anglers do, but the distance kind of glides the offering into the area instead of the abrupt and immediate bottom pounding in comparison that we salmon/steelhead anglers use. Over 100 yards back is where these anglers start. 300 series, Abu 5500 size reels and larger reels. Composite blanks usually, built as light as possible, but the gear gets hammered also. One company I would look at for your blanks that has a history of durability, light as they can built, US made, and a fair price would be Thrasher.
Once you get into the over 12 oz, category I would start looking into the white sturgeon rod builds for help, they use up to a couple lbs. in weight, heaviest I have used was 48 oz. a time or two, 32 to 40 used much more as a max. those weights have to be lobbed than walked back into a hole instead of just dropped over the side.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/07/2024 01:17PM by Spencer Phipps.