There was a jug circling around in my cove Sunday and Monday. We finally pulled it up on Monday afternoon and it had a 15+ blue cat on it. It was pretty much exhausted from swimming the jug for two days. There was barely any weight maybe 8 oz on the line. The fish could swim the jug and the fisherman who placed the jug had no way of knowing where it went. So please anchor your jugs and keep track of them. It makes us fisherman look bad when we lose their jugs, especially with fish on them.

We released the fish, hopefully it survived.

Honestly, I've tried different weights on my jugs. I find that old railroad spikes work the best. On deep water, I use 2.
But with real heavy weight, I believe I lose more fish. All my lines have circle hooks. I also like running free floating jugs when I'm out for the day and drifting. The kids enjoy fishing out the jug lines. Especially when a fish takes it unde as they are reaching for it.

Saying that, I'm pretty diligent about counting (I even have numbers on my jugs) and making sure I get all my jugs in each day. Or if I let them soak over night, I'm up and out early after them. A day or two in the water isn't good in my opinion, if your not checking them regularly

I agree. I am totally new to jugging, but I use a common house brick on each of mine. I only put out about a dozen at a time and only right before dark. I make sure that I am on the lake before first light to take them up as well. I might not be giving myself the best chance at fish, but I sure want to lessen the odds of lost jugs or a boat running into them.

I thought that by law ,they are not to be weighted.

We are exempt from any catfishing laws....

I didn't know that they couldn't be anchored. Guess I will change my approach. Thanks for the heads up!

I use 7 lb weights and plenty of times I've had to search far and wide to retrieve them. A 20 lb cat can pull them often unbelievable distances.

TPWD regulations.

Jugline

For use in FRESH WATER only. A fishing line with five or less hooks tied to a free-floating device.

May be used to take NONGAME fish, channel catfish, blue catfish and flathead catfish only.

Placement and Location Restrictions

Juglines may not be used in:

Community Fishing Lakes
Reservoirs or sections of rivers lying totally within the boundaries of a state park
Bellwood Lake in Smith County
Boerne City Lake in Kendall County
Canyon Lake Project #6 in Lubbock County
Dixieland Reservoir in Cameron County
Gibbons Creek Reservoir in Grimes County
Lake Bastrop in Bastrop County
Lake Bryan in Brazos County
Lakes Coffee Mill and Davy Crockett in Fannin County
Lake Pflugerville in Travis County
Lake Naconiche in Nacogdoches County
North Concho River from O.C. Fisher dam to the Bell Street dam
South Concho River from Lone Wolf dam to Bell Street dam
Tankersley Reservoir in Titus County
Wheeler Branch Reservoir in Somervell County

Tagging and Marking Requirements

Must be used with a valid GEAR TAG (see Definitions) attached within 6 inches of the free-floating device; gear tag is valid for 10 days after the date set out and must include the number of the permit to sell nongame fish taken from fresh water, if applicable. Properly marked buoys or floats qualify as valid gear tags.
For non-commercial purposes, a jugline must be marked with a free-floating device of any color other than orange.
For commercial purposes, a jugline must be marked with an orange, free-floating device.

Like many of our laws the regs may be subject to the interpretation of the Game Warden doing the checking.

Jugs are free floating you can't tie them up to something. You do not have to have a weight on them but you can have a weight on them.

I only use a 2 or 3 ounce weight on my jug lines when I put them out. Of course I am always fishing right next to them and they never leave my site. I also count them about every 5 minutes. I like seeing the first hit when it stands up part of the fun for me. Putting railroad spikes bricks and other heavy things just makes me tired when I am pulling them in. Jugging by yourself is a lot of work so I minimize the strain to my arms when I can. I have never lost a jug plus my address name phone number etc. are on all of my jugs so if one ever does get lost with a DD catfish on it and you come across it feel free to contact me and give me the what for while returning my jug to me. :-)

Oh and can you enlighten me on the type of hooks that were on that jug. Any hook that can keep a fish hooked for two days is a must have.

You're COVE?
ALso. Was there a name and date. On the Jug. You removed the 15+ Blue off of?
If there was a name an date. On the Jug in :your cove". you were breaking the law.
Tresspassing and theft.
In this day an age. Local Game-Wardens phone number is only a dial away.

nothing worse then having to get in the water in cold weather to cut jug and trout lines off your prop i had to do it once its part of the reasons i wont fish belton to may limb lines that were never collected when the fishermen was done i had to get in the water in october it want that cold but it was cool

As weights for my jug lines I take a solo cup, fill it with cement and as it's drying I put a wire in it to fasten the line to. I have only lost two jugs ion this system in the 3 years I've been doing it.

That's the way mine are made up also and haven't lost one yet.