Build or Buy a Thumper? What is Better?

If I think back to my thumper experience, I looked at the thumpers that were on the market and decided to build my own. They seemed simple enough and the ones that were for sale were more than I wanted to pay.
After I built mine, I saw how effective it was and was impressed with its ability to bring in fish. One day I went in to work and 14 of my coworkers were laid off. It was at that point, that I decided to start selling thumpers. They key goal for me was:
1. Make it cost effective for the average fisherman (if I didn't want to pay alot I assumed other people did not as well).
2. Use a proven design, ‪@skunkedagain‬ had an amazing design that I had built
3. Give people peace of mind (which is why I started offering a warranty from day 1
I often have customers purchase a thumper who have taken the time and effort to build their own. Although it looks like a relatively simple item to build the reality is that there are specific things that have to be done to optimize the thump that your thumper makes and it takes some effort to figure this out. This thumper was designed by Tim from ‪@skunkedagain‬ who is an electical engineer. The woodworking was designed by my father in law who is a retired wood craftsman. I built my original thumper based on Tim's design but it was pretty ugly :). Over time and practice, practice, practice, we have refined the thumper to its current state design but even then it takes time and a shop full of tools to create one!
Pros to building:
Cheaper (although time is money)
Fun
Sense of Accomplishment
Cons:
Not as easy as it looks
Requires trial and error
Takes valuable fishing time
Pros to buying
Easy
Warranty and Customer Service if there is an issue
Proven Product
Cons:
May cost more
If you need a thumper, its so much easier to go to www.thumpemupfishing.com KZbin subscribers can save 5%, just send an image of your subscribed to [e-mail] for a discount code!
Want to book a guided trip on Texoma with one of the great guides from my videos? Go to www.striper-guides.com

[@wildwest888]

It really works. Specially for white bass, hybrid, and striper

[@ThumpemupFishingchannel]

I agree Alex! It will bring them to your boat!

[@charlesfoster8814]

I can build anything! So I can't believe I can't build a thumper that will not attract fish. This afternoon I just finished making all the mods to my splasher, shortened the shaft, built a new bracket to hold it more securely, made my own splasher prop. I even installed a remote in the trolling motor head with 70amp relay to make sure I don't fry the remote! Of course my thumper has a remote also... Now, if the fish will just come...

[@ThumpemupFishingchannel]

You should be able to catch them for sure!

[@ronaldbrailey1503]

Great video and thanks for sharing!

[@ThumpemupFishingchannel]

Thanks for watching! Hope it was helpful!

[@KevinsNorthernExposure]

I stumbled on this video and I have absolutely no idea what your "thumper" does...lol Never heard of it...ever...I was searching tree thumper rods....lol

[@ThumpemupFishingchannel]

Check out the other videos on my channel. A thumper attracts freshwater striped bass, hybrid striped bass, white bass, white perch and catfish to your boat making them easier to catch.

[@jamesanderson7337]

How can I contact you about a thumper? Thanks

[@ThumpemupFishingchannel]

Hey James, check out my website, www.thumpemupfishing.com or email me at [e-mail]

[@charlesfoster8814]

One question I have, never seen anyone say, but how many thumps per minute (TPM) is ideal? I've heard guys say it may change from day to day, but you have to start at some TPM!

[@ThumpemupFishingchannel]

It depends on the motor since people fish different motors and different speeds. For fish in 30-40' of water I will run 60-100 BPM based on how they react. I start slower in colder water and then get faster in warmer water, deeper water and to get the to react.

[@charlesfoster8814]

@@ThumpemupFishingchannel Let me give you an example of my experience...but let me say first. If my big engine is off, the thumper is on! I've been an offshore guide, I've run my boat out the Spar rigs doing over night tuna trips! So I'm not you average fisherman. I fish a lot! And it's very, very rare that I get out fished. A week ago I took two buddies out to fish for Hybrids. We were making drifts and there were three areas that we would get bit. I had the best one saved in my GPS. On the 3rd or 4th pass over the spot I decided to spotlock it! Thumping and splashing away! Not one bite and no fish came running...after 15 minutes I dropped the spotlock and let the boat drift, once we were in good spot to loop around I did and as we entered the zone, two of us got bit and I landed my 10th Hybrid for the morning...the three of us caught 16 all together with 9 legal Hybrids. At no time did we have any fish stack up under the boat...we did have a few strays wonder up to the boat, then go back down. There was some wind and we did drift at .7 knots most of the time. All our fish were caught deadsticking in 28fow and the water temp was 51 degrees.

[@charlesfoster8814]

@@ThumpemupFishingchannel Speaking of motors I'm using a Jeep wiper motor...the bolt pattern was small enough I use 2" aluminum angle to mount it in the box. I need to remember to bring my underwater camera to record what my thumper sounds like underwater... Oh, something else I forget to mention. My hull is a modified cat...with very small tunnels by the time they get to the back of the boat. My thumper is in my starboard rear corner.

[@ThumpemupFishingchannel]

@@charlesfoster8814 I use a completely different motor. I don’t feel like wiper motors are strong enough.

[@charlesfoster8814]

@@ThumpemupFishingchannel In this video you can see all my current parts... kzbin.infoVnQt5DPvU7A?feature=share Oh, the battery I'm using is a garden tractor small battery...the motor sounds better when it's on the marine battery on my boat.

[@charlesfoster8814]

I've commented on one of your videos before, it was about my DIY Thumper. I know they must work but I've done quite a bit of thumping with mine and I can't say that I've seen any difference. My first one was in an ammo can, it of course had a very metallic sound. So I ditched the ammo can and made a wood box. IMO it sounds perfect! I've seen guides using fishing rods, boat oar and even their feet. I was only on one of those boats. I've sounds as good as someone manually thumping on the deck. Then I seen a guy say the rubber mallet was better, so I found the cane ends (1⅛") that will fit over the head of the hammer. I think that sounds super, but still have not seen a positive reaction. Last Thursday there was a guide who pulled up really close to us and he was using a fishing pole and his foot. It was slower than what I've been running my unit, so I turned the speed down. We fished a couple more hours and still didn't see any reaction. Most of the time I'm moving around .4 knots. Deadsticking for Hybrids. I know I'm using the right "stuff", the first 30 minutes on our first spot (don't get to the lake until 10:30/11am) I caught 4 Hybrids (2 - 22" and 2 undersized) and one Yellow Bass. My buddy only caught one too small Hybrid. Fished and thumped till dark without much more success. The guide pulled up beside us at one spot so I know my "spots" are good. He didn't catch anything and they left pretty quickly.

[@ThumpemupFishingchannel]

I have many videos where I have a blank screen, turn on the thumper and have fish on the graph in seconds so they definitely work. To me its the vibrations vs. the sound. I have used steel hammers, rubber hammers and wooden sticks (generation 1 thumpers). One thing I try to say in every video is set a timer for 10 min and if the fish aren't biting leave... even if your graph is full of fish. I typically drift at .7 for deadsticking.

[@charlesfoster8814]

@@ThumpemupFishingchannel Seriously, I've don't doubt they work...I don't think you could 1,000 if they. I know you have sold a lot more than that. I'm trying to find out why I'm not seeing any kind of reaction.

[@ThumpemupFishingchannel]

@@charlesfoster8814 I would have to look at what you built to tell you…

[@charlesfoster8814]

@@ThumpemupFishingchannel My first thumper box, it's now in a wood box, but all the parts are the same. kzbin.info/www/bejne/f6K7mXlqp9pmrqc This is my UTube...my splasher is/should be on there too...I finished it today!