I feel that my “sweet spot” is between 50 and 60 feet behind the boat.

Tackle for back-bouncing is specialized. Rods are in the 8-foot range with a powerful tip. The guide prefers the G-loomis HSR983-C. It’s 8 feet, 2 inches long with a magnum action rated for 12- to 25-pound-test lines.

Because you’ll be lifting and dropping heavy sinkers, a rod of good quality makes back-bouncing much more pleasant. Whatever rod you choose, make sure it’s shorter than 8 feet, 6 inches long, has a heavy-duty tip and feels light in your hand.

Completing the setup is a level-wind casting reel filled with 65-pound-test braided line. I like the smaller Ambassadeur 5000 reel because it fits comfortably in my hand.

For back-bouncing, braided line is preferred over monofilament for several reasons, the most practical of which is to break off snagged sinkers and leaders quickly and easily, so that you can get back to fishing.

Your weight can be rigged either “solid” or “sliding.” For back-bouncing, I like the simplicity of a solid-rigged weight.

Here’s how to do it:

Start by tying a large 3-way swivel to the braided line, using either a Palomar or Uni Knot. Use the same exact leader you would for back-trolling, only tie it a little shorter, between four and five feet long.

To the remaining swivel, attach an 18-inch dropper of 10-pound-test monofilament. Tie a Duolock snap on the end of the dropper for quick weight changes, and the rod is rigged.

It’s a good idea to have several leaders and extra droppers pre-tied. Wrap extra leaders around pipe-insulation foam. Store extra droppers in a Pip’s hook and leader dispenser.

While other sinker styles will work, round cannonball sinkers are preferred because they don’t hang up as much. A selection of sinkers from 2 to 10 ounces is needed to cover most water conditions.

Down in the rocks, sinkers get beat up pretty fast, and their size markings are gone in no time. Many anglers color-code their sinkers. My favorite method is to twist a little piece of color-coded wire around the eye.

Sprinkler cable, available at most hardware stores, has five color-coded strands inside its casing. I like to keep things simple and color-code the five sizes I use the most, such as 4-, 5-, 6-, 8- and 10-ounce sinkers.

Being lighter, the smaller 1-, 2- and 3-ounce sizes don’t get beat up as fast and are easy to tell apart, so I don’t bother color-coding them.

While it’s possible to back-bounce almost any kind of water, this technique really shines at the top end of deep holes. In freestone tributary streams, it’s usually possible to pull the front of your boat up on the beach and drop the anchor on dry land. Then, standing at the stern of the boat, with the fast water at your feet, back-bounce the current seam.

In bigger water, you’ll want to follow the “When in Rome . . .” rule and do what the other boats around you are doing. If they’re anchored, you should anchor too. If they’re working the water, using their kicker motors to hold position or slowly slip downstream, follow their lead.