Planning on setting some limb lines tomorrow night on a small river. Using 3-5" perch. Water is 77 degrees, slow moving water. What are good depths to set limb lines and what structure? Lots of brush on banks not many rocks.

I have had best luck with two hook lines using two foot stagings. Bottom hook 18" off bottom and second hook 3' above it. Depth does not seem to matter. I try to set behind rocks, logs or down trees. This is what works for me, anyway I hope it helps and good luck! LOL, use a green limber limb and super strong hooks!

Set your lines so that the bait fish is barely in the water. The thrashing and splashing of the bait attracts the big fish.

what super strong hooks do you use? Last Weekend I set 30 limb lines and had 10 hooks straitened. They were 10/0 eagle claw king kahle hooks they were all tied to green limber limbs

Note to self!
That is the reason never to use Kahle hooks for big cats on limb lines!

^^

I agree with jimbo, I would never use a kale hook on a set line fishing for big cats. Look into circle hooks, I would use the cheap mustad circles, used to get them from academy, they work and you wont bent one, we used 12-14/0 size depending on what our bait was.

Any chancy you got into gar? Never seen a catfish streach a swivel like that. I would also up the size of those swivels, looks like they were about to go.

I've used circles at the same time as the kahles and have caught flatheads up to 35lbs on those kahles and nothing on the circles not even the bait was left so I won't use them. Yes I do think it was gar that straitened the hooks. We caught two 5foot gar three small spotted gar and one 20lb blue that night. As far as the swivels go they are rated to 180lbs the same ones I use on my gar leaders and have never had one break. By the way we hooked some huge gar on rod and reel that same night just didn't land them. It was our first time fishing that streach of river and I promise we will go back!

I don't know what to say about that. Catch very few gar on circles. Have to be carful about how you hook your bait and the size of your bait, its real easy to overload a circle so it wont bite and catch a fish. I have had great luck with them for over a decade on jug, trot, and limb lines. I have faith in them and use them and caught cats from barely legal to 82 lbs on them. I wont use kales for the reason in you picture.

I don't understand the misses on circles either unless they aren't big enough, overloaded with bait. You got a good spot that's for sure, takes a mean fish to straighten a hook like that.

What size circle hooks are you using? If you're using anything smaller than 8/0, that's prob why. I used to run limb ALOT when I was a younger guy, 10+ years ago. Learned everything through trail and error. Make that Perch hang right under the surface and make sure you're using a limber but tough branch. 8/0 Gama should do it.

They can straighten out a 10/0 easier than a 6 or 7/0 hook, because the gap is larger and they can get more leverage on the hook. Try a 6/0 and see if it happens as often. A bigger hook is not always the best for big flatheads.

Does anyone use a bungie cord for the shock on your limb lines? Do they work?

First off my apologies to mwfisher7 didn't mean to hijack your thread. redchevy I learned my lesson using those hooks I won't make that mistake again! G love the circles are big not sure of size maybe a 16/0 the store I bought them sells them single for a quarter. I bought 8 and didn't catch anything on them. The gammakatsu big river bait hooks I use for gar are too extensive to use for limb lines. Had some of our lines stolen on a recent trip to falcon lake. I HATE thieves!!! RL206 I just ordered some 6/0 and 8/0 hooks off eBay. There from China but look just like my big river hooks and for 20.00 for 100 I'll give em a try. Taterpop I've never used inter tube. I just make sure to tie to green limber limbs although I did have a fish rip the small tree from the bank the line was tied to once

If your setting below Naswothry. On the S.Concho. Above the Ben-Flicklen Bridge.
Those Pecan Limbs, hanging over the bank. Just down from Lone-
Wolf, Dam. On the left side of the Bluff. Hold Some. MONSTER!! Yellows. This time ofyear.
Back current and eddy in there along those couple of privat docks.
Set that line 8'. With 1 ounce Egg-Sinker, above 3/0 barrel swivel. 8/0. Eagle-Claw Circle hook. Under it, with 18'' Leader. Bait with the Biggest Live Perch you can get.
When you run them. Wear a live jacket and hang on.
GoodLuck.