Catfish jugging tournament set for July 23 at Roland Cooper State Park pier

The Catfish Jugging Tournament held at Roland Cooper State Park in January was so popular they are going to do it again this month. And it’s time to sign up.

James “Big Daddy” Lawler, outdoor guru and host of the Gettin’ Outdoor with BDL podcast host, said jugging has become so popular that he decided to hold a tournament in January. The tournament was a big success, and anglers and the park told Big Daddy they would love to see another jugging tournament in the summer.

Jugging is a way of fishing for catfish where anglers place jugs in the water with baited hooks suspended into the water. It has become common to use 2-liter soft drink bottles or swimming pool noodles.

The next tournament will be July 23 at the Roland Cooper State Park “T” pier. There will be a $50 entry fee per boat and an optional $20 big fish pot. They will weigh in three fish, only one of which can be over 34 inches.

“Unlike a lot of catfish tournaments, we do not require you to bring in the catfish alive, but we urge the anglers to,” he said. “We want to be conservation minded, but if someone wants to keep the fish for a fish fry, that’s up to them.” Tournament hours are launch at 4 a.m. and weigh in at 12 p.m. “We’re weighing in at noon because it will be getting to the hot part of the day,” Lawler said.

“We are limiting them to 20 jugs per boat, one hook per jug. You can put 10 in one place and 10 in the another if you want,” Lawler said. The tournament will be held in publicly accessible water in Lake Miller’s Ferry from Jones Bluff lock and dam to Miller’s Ferry lock and dam.

Anglers that want to fish the tournament need to mail their entry fee to Big Daddy at 601 Tomcat Drive, Camden, AL 36726. The entry must be in by July 15. Refunds will be available if you can’t fish the tournament.

You can go to the Gettin’ Outdoors with BDL Facebook page for more information.