Three local men got hooked last year.

After attending the weigh-ins and witnessing the excitement of the anglers who participated in the first-ever Bill Dance Mississippi River Monsters Megabucks Tournament in Vicksburg, Charles Toney, Will Hood and Roy Simmons decided they wanted to be part of the action. So, Toney bought a boat and the trio has been trolling the Mississippi River in preparation for what is being called a historic tournament boasting the biggest payout in history. Cash prizes totaling $200,000 will be awarded with the first-place team pocketing $100,000 in cash.

Tony said last year’s participants made it look easy as they wheeled their boats through the Vicksburg Convention Center holding on to their super-sized catfish for the weigh-in. But in reality, it takes skill, along with technique to hook a big one.

Toney laughed and said, “There’s not a YouTube video we haven’t watched or an article we haven’t read (to prepare for the tournament).”

In describing how one would go about reeling in a catfish, Toney said there are three techniques.

“There is bumping, dragging or walking,” he said. “Bumping — you set up just like you do walking, except if the current is say two miles an hour going down the river, you want to set your boat at one mile an hour floating down the river. And when you cast out, your bait hits the bottom and then you’re picking up and walking that bait backwards along with the boat drifting backwards.”

Toney said the difference between bumping and walking is all about the boat. With walking, he said, you stop the boat before you proceed to drop your bait. And then there is dragging, which Toney said he is not doing. But for those who do, they will throw the line out and then drag it behind the boat for half a mile an hour up current.

Using these techniques requires using weights to reach the bottom of the river where catfish feed.

“We thought we were going to have to have a 16-pound weight to get down there, but naw,” Toney said. “These guys are fishing with two-, three and four-ounce weights in 50 to 60 feet of water, and that’s real tough.”

So far, the men said they have not had much luck catching any big fish, but as the river levels change so might their chances of luring in a prize-winning mudcat.

“The river changes so much it’s hard to pre-fish early,” Simmons said. And, according to Toney, the river will be dropping prior to the start of the tournament, which will hopefully allow for a better catch.

“A rising river is hard to fish, but the river is supposed to drop Thursday (July 18) and drop three-tenths a day,” he said during the interview.

“And I think when the river gets right this week and we can get out there, we will do better,” Hood said, adding, “I hope.”

Toney predicted that this year the river will be about 25 feet on tournament day. Last year he said he recalled it being at 11 feet. The difference in this year’s water level and last year’s will definitely play into the outcome of the tournament, he said.

When the water levels are low, Simmons said the water is slower and clearer.

“And the current is less,” Toney added.

Because sizing up the river conditions is a must, the men said locals should be seeing visiting anglers begin to roll in this weekend, with more coming in towards the first of the week.

Growing up with the Mississippi River in your backyard, one may think Toney, Hood and Simmons would have an advantage over the visiting anglers, but Toney said that is just not true.

“There is no advantage over these guys. These guys are professional,” he said.

“The biggest thing that they can do that we haven’t probably learned yet, is they can quickly adapt to the river conditions,” Hood said. “And they’re more skilled at trying to find the fish and adapt to whatever conditions they are in.”

The thought of competing alongside professional anglers, however, has not intimidated Toney, Hood or Simmons.

Toney said they were fired up after seeing last year’s event and they continue to be energized to have the opportunity to participate this year.

“Competing in the tournament is not about the money. We just want to catch fish and represent Vicksburg,” Toney said.

“It would be nice to win $100,000,” Hood said laughingly.

But all three men agreed their main goal is to have a good time and make it to the second round of the tournament.

The Bill Dance Mississippi River Monsters Megabucs Tournament is a two-day event. All participants will fish the first day of the tournament. After the weigh-in that is to begin at 3 p.m. on July 27, the top 25 competitors will fish again on Sunday, July 28.

The rules of the tournament include a maximum of three anglers per boat with only six rods allowed in the water at a time. Boats can launch beginning at 3 a.m. tournament days, but rods cannot be cast until 7 a.m. Anglers must return and be docked by 3 p.m. each day. This is a catch-and-release tournament, which means boats must have access to at least a 50-gallon LiveWell.

“We have an 80,” Toney said.

Also, all cash-prize winners of the tournament will be subject to a polygraph test.

“If you place in the money, you are subject to a polygraph test at these tournaments — this is a big deal — anybody caught cheating will be banned,” Toney said. And depending on the size of the winnings, cheaters could also be charged with a felony.

Anglers in the Vicksburg tournament hail from 25 different states, tournament organizer George Young Jr. said.

But if one wants to spot Toney, Hood and Simmons, just be on the lookout for shirts designed with the logo River City Hookin’ & Cookin’. It’s an apropos logo since two of its members, Toney and Hood, own restaurants — Toney’s Grill & Seafood Market and Beechwood Restaurant & Lounge, respectively. The trio also has sponsors supporting their endeavors. In addition to Toney’s and Hood’s businesses, and Simmons, who owns B & J Farms, those sponsoring include Patriot Motorsports; Big River Shipbuilders; Keyes Recycling Center Inc.; Goldies Express; Delta Bank; Boolos and Oakes CPA Firm; Rusty’s Riverfront Grill; 61 North Liquor; H & M Promotional Printing and Signs; Ed Hampton Air and Heat; Taco Casa; Ben E. Keith Co; Arc-Up Welding Inc. and Toney Town Daiquiris.

For more information, on the Catfish Tournament, visit www.mississippirivermonsters.com or email George@bigriverwildlife.com.

Additional events to coincide with the Bill Dance Mississippi River Monsters Megabucks Pro Series Catfish Tournament include:

• 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, July 24 — Professional catfish angler Alex Nagy with Twisted Cat Outdoors & SeaArk Boats will be at Kirk Brothers Chevrolet, 2339 N. Frontage Road for visitors to check out the boats and rigs anglers use to catch trophy catfish.
• Noon to 2:30 p.m., Thursday, July 25 — Professional catfish angler Larry Muse will be on hand at Cannon GMC, 2950 S. Frontage Road.
• 6 p.m. Thursday, July 25 — Meet the anglers at the River Walk Casino parking lot, 1046 Warrenton Road.
• 6 p.m. Friday, July 26 — Boats and Bricks parade along Washington Street, showcasing the impressive fleet of tournament boats.
• Beginning at Noon Saturday, July 27 and Sunday July 28 on the lower level of the Vicksburg Convention Center, 1600 Dr. Briggs Hopson Blvd. —A Catfish Expo featuring numerous vendors from the outdoor world will be set up; food and beverages will be for sale; legendary angler Bill Dance and “Duck Dynasty’s” John Godwin will both be on hand and live music will be provided by Bubba Wingfield and Joey Massey.
• Noon Saturday, July 27 and Sunday July 28 on the upper level of the VCC — The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers will have a booth set up with information on the Mississippi River; the Red Cross will be on hand to share information on swimming safety; the Natural Science Museum will have live animals on hand; Layne Logue with Quapaw Canoe Company and Emily Tilman, head of the Belzoni Catfish Festival, will be sharing information about their respective enterprises and cartoon characters will also be on hand for photographs.
• 3 p.m. Saturday, July 27 and Sunday July 28 — Weigh-ins will begin at the VCC; $2,500 will be awarded for the biggest fish caught on the first day of the tournament; the remaining $200,000 purse including the $100,000 first place award will be presented Sunday; A drawing for the SeaArk-Protégé will also be held.
• 8 to 11 p.m. Sunday July 28 — A meet and greet with John Godwin of “Duck Dynasty” (and special guest) will be at the Jackson Street Gallery at the Mulberry, 1310 Mulberry St.