So I'm planning on using laundry detergent bottles on my trotline. Is there anything I need to do to the bottle other than just thoroughly rinse it out? Not sure if a scent can seep out from the lid and effect the fishing.

I wouldn't think the detergent jugs would be a problem. Catfish are drawn to strange smells and if you need large jugs, I think detergent is a good choice.

Set your line and out and check it . You really can�t go wrong with a trot line it�s almost fool proof.

You can use a variety of jugs for juglines, such as Clorox or other bleaches. I am using Tradewinds Tea gallon jugs at the moment. Next round I will use a TFF hint to pour some white paint inside & swish it around, then pour the excess in the next one & so on. I do not suggest milk cartons, as they are of a harder & brittle, as well as thin plastic. If left even a week out, the sun eats them up & it's Rice Krispies (crack, crunch, very brittle).

The sun shines thru the clear or almost clear plastic & makes the plastic brittle faster than white or colored jugs.

The latest is for non-commercial, you can now use any color (before, it was white only) except orange, as orange is the designation to "say" it is a "commercial" line (meaning the fish will be sold).

But I realize you are using the jugs for only a marker & as your trotline "Tag" info. In my shallow water trotlines, I tie them underwater & tie a soft vinyl square with the tag info. So as to keep them out of sight. You tend to have less people helping you run your lines. In the deep water, I use my "Planter" trotlines, which incorporate 2 to 3 white fender floats on each side. Each side's anchor weighs 60 to 72 pounds each (concrete in a 3.5 gallon plastic pail).