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BACK BOUNCING 101
By: Greg
Brush
There it was! This time I was sure. A moment
earlier, I had thought that I had seen a big King
roll to the left of my boat, but dismissed it as
'wishful thinking' since the river seemed void of
any salmon on this particular morning. So far, back
trolling thoroughly through the long runs and swift
holes had not produced a single strike from any of
the huge Chinook the Kenai River is known to put
out. Glancing at the boats nearby did nothing but
compound my concern. Long faces were everywhere,
evidence that we were not the only fishermen that
morning experiencing the other trait the mighty
Kenai is famous for: long hours between strikes.
But now, with the sighting of several salmon, hope
was renewed. The fish had showed themselves in a
slow, deep eddy where the bottom drops quickly from
3 to 16 feet. Classic back bouncing water!
Pulling my sled to the side, I began
implementing 'Plan B.' Changing the jet divers to
heavy leads and rebaiting with fresh eggs took only
minutes. Putting my clients thru 'back bouncing
101' took a bit longer, as they were as anxious as
school kids to attack the fish we had just seen. My
job, as their guide, was to quickly teach them how
to back bounce correctly. Sound simple? They would
have to learn how to let out line without
backlashing, find the river's bottom, lift the bait
off the bottom then set it back down again. As I
slowly back the boat down the hole and the bottom
drops off, they would have to quickly make the line
adjustments necessary, letting line out until their
sinker hits bottom again, then lifting and setting,
in effect walking their bait through the hole,
always staying in touch with the bottom. They would
have to learn how high to lift and how long to set,
in effect imparting the right action upon their
lure to produce a strike. Then they would have to
recognize the often subtle strike and know when to
set the hook, and when to hesitate, allowing the
fish to turn with the bait. Sound like a lot to
remember? That's because it is!
ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING!
Back bouncing is a 'good new-bad news' method of
fishing: the good news is that when it is done
correctly, it is undoubtedly the most deadly method
of salmon fishing around. The bad news is that it
is the most difficult of techniques to learn, and
quite frankly a waste of everyone's time if not
done correctly. Fortunately, with a little patience
and perseverance, it can be learned by anyone
willing, male or female, from 8 to 88 years of age.
The bottom line is that regardless of your skill
level, all you need is an open mind and a good
attitude.
However, let me make one thing clear: back
bouncing is not for everyone. If you are the type
of fishermen who wants a slow, relaxing day on the
water, you had better put your rod in the rod
holder and stick to back trolling. No napping here!
This is a hands-on method, which demands
concentration and a bit of physical work. Lifting
10 ounces of lead all day long isn't exactly easy.
And if you are frustrated easily, you better turn
the boat sideways and continue boon dogging or side
drifting, because becoming a good back bouncer will
not happen in the first ten minutes on the water!
This system of fishing requires attentiveness and
an open-mind attitude. It is very difficult, and
you must recognize and accept this, rising to the
challenge. It will quickly intimidate you if you
let it! Likewise, the best student in the world
will surely fail if he/she has a poor teacher with
a bad attitude. Your instructor or guide must have
good communication skills and the patience of Job,
calmly critiquing your form and correcting the
mistakes that will surely come during this learning
process. And learn it you will, as you begin to
feel what is taking place below the boat.
OH WHERE, OH WHERE…
Back bouncing is effective on all species of
salmon and trout, but is especially effective on
Kings and Silvers once they have entered the river.
Back bouncing is a technique with no boundaries.
Anywhere with the slightest trace of current is a
great spot to back bounce. Whether it is salmon
traveling through a long run or fish stacked up in
a deep, dark hole, that 'lift-set-pause-lift'
motion just drives them wild! Ledges and drop offs
are spots that can be thoroughly covered by a
proficient back bouncer. Pocket water in front of
or alongside a large rock is easily back bounced,
and slow deep holes where a jet diver would never
hit bottom are ideal for this method. Even tidal
water with little or no current can be effectively
back bounced.
GET THE GEAR!
With the right equipment, an experienced back
bouncer can feel everything, and can even tell
where the little drop-offs and ledges are, as well
as what the river bottom is composed of. Specialty
rods are all the rage now, and often just an excuse
to buy a new toy, but this is one instance where a
particular rod designed for a specific technique
can make a big difference.
A quality graphite rod that is both sensitive
and stout will help you immensely. Your rod has to
be sensitive enough for you to feel the bottom each
time you set the lead down. It must also allow you
to feel the light pick-up of a soft biting salmon.
And remember, lifting heavy weights throughout the
day can wear even the heartiest of anglers out, so
at the same time this sensitive rod must also be
stout. Back bouncing is terribly hard on your
equipment, so leave the buggy whips and 'blue light
specials' at home. Today's premium back bouncing
rods are constructed of the sturdiest of
components, such as over sized eyelets, heavy-duty
reel seats, and ultra-sensitive graphites. They are
generally heavy action rods that are a bit shorter
then other salmon rods, ranging from 7'6" to 8'2".
Most are one-piece affairs that ensure the ultimate
in strength and power, enabling the angler to
'slam' the hook home with authority. True back
bouncing rods are designed for open-faced reels,
rather then spinning reels, for a number of
reasons, but most importantly because this
technique requires you to let line slide out below
the boat in a controlled fashion. You must feel the
bottom once your lead touches down, or you will let
too much line out, losing touch with your sinker.
Spinning reels just do not allow you to make the
controlled line adjustments that are necessary.
Invest in a quality back bouncing rod and this
technique will be that much easier and enjoyable.
Personally, I like a G.Loomis GL2 BBR 964C (BBR
stands for back bouncing rod). It is built like a
Clydesdale but handles like a Ferrari, enabling you
to handle big weights but still enjoy the fight of
an average sized fish. Shimano's Calcutta 400 is an
open-face reel ideally suited to back bouncing. It
has a super strong one-piece aluminum frame, silky
smooth drag and a large enough line capacity to
handle any salmon. The spool release is
conveniently located under your thumb, enabling you
to make line adjustments quickly and smoothly. This
combo is top of the line, and will provide a
lifetime of back bouncing pleasure.
RIG ME UP, SCOTTY!
A standard back bouncing rigging would consist
of either a fixed three way swivel tied to your
main line, with one swivel going directly to your
leader and one to your sinker. Instead, I prefer a
sliding dropper on my mainline above a simple
swivel. With this rigging, the fish does not have
to move the lead before a strike is detected.
Generally, the lead is attached with a light
monofilament dropper of 3-8 inches, depending on
water conditions and lure of choice, but I again
prefer an easier rigging. Common telephone wire is
used in place of monofilament, so that lead changes
are quickly twisted on and off, and snags simply
pull free, limiting my amount of down time. The
easiest and most popular back bouncing lure is a
Cheater or Spin 'n Glo with eggs. Droppers should
be 3 or 4 inches in length to keep the bait near
the bottom. A leader length of 18-36 inches is
ideal for this set-up. If you choose to back bounce
a plug such as a Kwikfish, a longer dropper will be
needed since the plug itself is able to dive and a
short dropper will impair its action. Likewise, you
will need a slightly longer leader of approximately
four feet to let the plug "do its thing".
GET DOWN, DUDE!
One will need to determine the correct amount of
lead for the water conditions. As a general rule,
you will need enough lead to hold bottom, but not
so much that the current won't 'walk' the bait down
the river each time you lift the lead. Usually 2 to
8 ounces is adequate. If in doubt of your lead
amount, err on the heavy side. That is to say, it
is better to have too much lead then not enough.
Remember, the first rule of salmon fishing: if you
are not on or near the bottom, you are not
effectively fishing. Sure, salmon do suspend, but
generally in the glacial river systems (i.e.
shallow and wide) typical of Alaska, the majority
of all salmon will hold and travel with the
security of the bottom directly against their
bellies.
GET THE RYTHUM!
Correct back bouncing is like no other
technique. It's not jigging, it's not mooching. In
fact, it shouldn't even be called 'back bouncing'.
I think we should refer to this advanced technique
as 'bottom walking' or even 'back setting'. In
other words, if there is any 'bouncing' in your
movement, you have likely lost touch with the
bottom, and will soon loose touch with your lead. A
simple 'lift' and 'set' motion, with a slight pause
on bottom of one to two seconds, enables you to
remain in contact with your lead as well as the
bottom. Your line must remain taught at all times.
If you cannot 'find the bottom' when you lower your
rod, it simply means that it grew deeper and you
must let line out again until you feel your lead
hit bottom.
This "lift and set" motion is critical, in fact,
small differences in form will equate to large
differences in results! If you are lifting your rod
too high, you are pulling your bait away from the
salmon's line of sight and out of the strike zone
50% of the time, effectively cutting your chances
in half. If you are not lifting enough, your bait
remains in the same spot, and the boat backs down
past you, in which case you will loose touch with
your lead and have to start over. So, how high is
high enough? You should lift just enough to feel
your lead come off the bottom every time, which
usually works out to 3 to 5 inches at the rod
tip.
HIT 'EM!
All species of salmon strike differently. For
example, Kings often tap softly only once or twice
before turning and swimming away slow and steady
with your lure. Silvers, on the other hand, usually
slurp and munch on the bait much longer before
yanking your rod down fast. In fact, every single
bite will be somewhat different, as many variables
come into play. Water temps and tidal timing
dictate how aggressive a particular fish strikes.
Current speed is also a factor, as a salmon in
swift water will have a 'push' as he moves off with
your bait, jerking your rod down that much harder
and faster. Most back bouncing strikes, however,
are anything but savage. In fact, many start off as
dull thumps. Some big Kings will simply hold onto
the bait in one place, giving the perception that
you are hung up. As a general rule, most back
bouncers have a tendency to set the hook too soon.
The angler should stop lifting, allow the fish to
turn with the bait and pull the rod down before
he/she comes back with a hard and fast hook set. At
the risk of over-simplifying, I like to tell my
fishermen "if it taps-hesitate, if it tugs more
then once-hit 'em!"
JUST DO IT!
Back bouncing will open up new doors for you as
a salmon fisherman. You can thoroughly cover more
water. Your presentation will agitate more fish and
thus stimulate more strikes. You will know that you
are in touch with the bottom where most salmon
hold, instead of just hoping your diver or plug are
getting down. You will enjoy a more 'hands on'
method where you, and only you, are in control of
your own success. You will suddenly have a new
found confidence, knowing that you have a definite
edge and the capability to 'make it happen' rather
then wait around for a visit from Lady Luck. And,
most importantly, you will ultimately catch more
fish. Oh, by the way, if you were wondering about
the end result of our slow morning of Kenai King
fishing in the opening paragraph, rest assured that
'plan B' indeed paid off in a BIG way. We
repeatedly badgered that hole for several hours,
learned a new method and eventually back bounced up
a fine limit of trophy Chinook!
BACK BOUNCING IN A NUTSHELL
1) Purchase a good, stout level wind rod and
reel and fill it with the best quality line
available.
2) Rig the rod with a sliding sinker set-up, the
appropriate amount of lead, 18-36 inch leader and a
gob of the best roe you can find.
3) Hold your boat against the current in likely
looking holding water.
4) Facing downstream (looking out the back of a
power boat, or down the bow of a drift boat,) let
line slide smoothly out until your sinker hits the
bottom.
5) Immediately click the reel over, and lift
your lead approx. 4 inches off the bottom.
6) Set the lead back on the bottom, hesitating
there for only a second.
7) As the boat slowly slides down river, repeat
this lift-set-hesitate motion, keeping a tight line
and always staying in touch with the bottom.
8) Wait for a strike that pumps the rod and
tries to pull the tip into the water, come back
with a good solid hook set and HANG ON!
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