I was planning on putting out some trotlines (legally)on thursday morning, and was wondering if the fish will be alright if I wait to check them on Saturday?

Legally you are ok, but your fish might not survive the turtles or gar. I think you can have a trotline out for 30 days if it is tagged properly, but like I said you might just be catching turtle bait if you leave it unattended that long. I am sure someone on here would know better than me though.

Not worth it. They likely would succumb to turtles, gar, or someone checking it for you. Nothing against trotlines, but I don't think it's right to set a line of ANY kind if you can't check it within 12 hours at most. It's one of those ethics things though.

if im fishing for catfish im using a rod and reel

not going to run a bunch of jugs downstream making itlook like a landing strip

and im not very fond of trotlines or any kind of lines
if i hang it it gets dragged in the boat fish get released and the line goes in the dumpster at the top of the hill

Did you know that if the owner of that line witnesses you cut and remove his line he can file thieft of property charges on you?

How the heck could you prove that you own that Trotline? Good luck on that one!!! LOL!

If I'm not mistaken law states one trotline allowed at one time (over 5 hooks at least), and it should be labeled with your name and address.

Considering if it's a legally set trotline, the owner's name and address are on the line on a gear tag. Cutting a perfectly legal line just because you got your lure snagged on it is illegal, unethical, and downright WRONG. Pull it up and get your lure off if you must, but leave the line alone otherwise.

Yeah my lines are legally set, and in an area where there has not been much boat traffic lately, And Bassbuster II, no offense meant but If I ever catch someone cutting my lines, I'll call the warden. I have cut old lines in creeks that are obvioulsy abandoned, but if its taken care of, if its legal, and if there are fish on it, then it obviously has an owner, and you never know when they will show up. I dont want to cause undue suffering to an animal, or have my fish die on the line.

Kdub,

I beleive that the law says that you lines must be checked at least once every 24 hours. So if you set and bait them on Thursday you'd want to check them at least once on Friday. Two days is a long time to leave fish anyway. Most would either be killed by gar or turtles or work their way off of the hook.

Yeah it seems like waiting over 24 hours would be too long, and by then alot of the bait would be gone. Does anybody ever use treble hooks on their trotlines? It seems like they would hold chicken liver on there better.

I wouldnt want to run a trotline set with trebble hooks, one would wind up in my hand! But Ill tell ya, I usually fish somewhere near my trotline and have biniculors in my boat... if anyone comes in the area Ill be watching. If someone cuts it, Ill be callng the law and getting there tag #.

And yes it's legal... I keep the line set out, then put hooks on it and run it on my days off. When Im done, I take my hooks off and leave it for next time. The only thing I have to do is re-date it every 30 days.

Easy, I would show the LEO my gear tag which is attached to the trotline.

Name, address and date..... yes. One line? Depends on where you are. Most lakes allow a certain number of hooks, and that can be divided into several lines.

Trotline:
A non-metallic main fishing line with more than five hooks attached and with each end attached to a fixture.
Nongame fish, channel catfish, blue catfish, and flathead catfish may be taken by trotline.

General Construction and Design Restrictions: Trotlines may not be used with
a mainline length exceeding 600 feet;
hooks spaced less than 3 horizontal feet apart;
metallic stakes;
or the main fishing line and attached hooks and stagings placed above the water's surface.

Trotlines In Fresh Water
Tag Requirements: Must be used with a valid GEAR TAG. Properly marked buoys or floats qualify as valid gear tags. Gear tags must be attached within 3 feeet of the first hook at each end of the trotline and are valid for 30 days after the date set out.
Construction and Design Restrictions: May not have more than 50 hooks on any one trotline

Too many dern rules. I'll just stick to dynamite.

Wow, I didn't know that you label trot lines! MY BAD!

let me rephrase my statement:
if im fishing an i find a trotline that has brown junk growing on it
or hang a line that looks new and the fish that are on it are chewed up from other fish and turtles
sure im going to pull it in and i actually put it in a bag an throw it away in a dumpster.
and if its not name a addressed then it goes to the dumpster
if its got a name a address and phone number and the fish are hung and tangles in it and chewed off then i will turn their name in to the warden as well.

and please folks dont set out your trotlines in front of the boat ramps where everyone loads and unloads the boats then you have to go around the floats.

i just like to fish and last thing i want to see is someones trotline
and the most disrespectful thing i can imagine is folks who smoke and flip their butt in the water.
i dont want to look down and see your butt
stick it in your pocket
you wont see me spit in your drink or flip a butt in your glass of tea
just extend the respect is all i ask

I know you pee in the water! I don't pee in your tea!

I once asked TP&W who could remove abandoned trotlines and the reply was only a game warden. They said trotlines were personal property and the owner could file thieft charges against anyone other than a game warden for removing them.
Some people put trotlines where they shouldn't, but it is still against the law to remove them yourself.
I personally think a person should have to buy a tag for each trotline so there would be a reason for them to take the line out instead of just abandoning them. And make that tag expensive.

There we go trying to overprice fishing just like hunting...Is the $64.00 for a Supercombo not enough where now people think there should be an expensive tag for trotlines? It does stink when people put out a trotline and never use or check it. I've called the Warden in times past when I've see that. I've also had 4 trotlines stolen this year. I know one time it was a jetskier because he got the line sucked up in his impeller and was being towed away as I was approaching my set. How small are the lakes getting these days where it's too big a hassle to move 50-75 feet to avoid a trotline. I treat others trotlines just like they where there in their boat so I stay away as best as possible. Yes, boat ramps are the one place where you should'nt trotline but other than that take it easy.

"Never" take another man's trot line!!! Just plain thievery! Same as stealing his fishing pole outa his boat. Ya just don't do that!

Now, I did a few week's back snag a trotline. It was illegal. A coke bottle tied to a brick, bottle set just out of visability beneath the surface. Thought that was just a fluke, when I snagged a second one, same set up. Made a visual line between them and dragged a treble hook along that line. Found 12 all set up in a row between some obvious shore landmark's. All were fresh baited. Watched a couple folk's on shore pointing and showing some obvious agitation. Pulled back up to the dock, cut up the line's and bottles and threw them in a trash barrel. They watched me but did not approach. I don't care much for poacher's.

Well I hate trotlines but I’m not going to tell people what I thank they should do with them. But last Saturday I took my dad , brother and nephew out to grapevine. Some A-hole put a trout line on the mane lake in-between Twin Coves and Medowmere most of the time I get on the water before light, luckly this time we got there by 7 so I could see. So this guy put this trotline out not thanking about anyone ells. I was going to cut the dam thing but my Dad talked me out of it. I would like to ask the guy that did this what was he thinking.

What made them illegal? Did they not have a tag?

How would you propose stopping the "weekender" that buys a cheap trotline from Wally World, sets it out, then goes back to the city and leaves it for you to hang up in?
It is illegal for you to remove it. If you remove it it is nothing more than common thieft.