Also, you did not tell us what kind of boat or length.

Where do you get chicken breast cheap enough to use for bait?

First off, not familiar with your lake or area you put the trotline out in, but here a few trotline tips...

1) Utilize my Catfish Calendar (see the thread of Lynn's Catfish Calendar, as to what to target on the days you are running it). Also use Bleedover to increase your odds, which is about a 12 hour max ahead & beyond the calendar "sigs" (greatest pull that particular day). As well as my PYC days.

2) In shallow or deep water, I use a 36 hook trotline. This allows me the 2 trotline limit. It totals 72 hooks, leaving me 28 hooks still to use in other methods. Such as juglines or throwlines, which I can have 6 or 7 at 4 hooks each, or 5 at 5 hooks each. If you go 6 at 4 hooks each, that allows you 4 extra for perhaps R-n-R, or single set hooks (or even 1 hook floating jugs). At 5 hooks each, you would have 5 available for that. So you see, a little diversity is allowed if you don't max out on 50 hooks per trotline. With jugs, or throwlines, you can set them in other various spots, increasing your chances of catches. With trotlines, you have to depend on dropping them right into an area of fish, or their usual paths, or entice them with your baits.

3) Catfish feed by three main ways- sight, smell, and their instincts instilled (what I refer to, as their roam-feed circuit switch). It is nature's way of kicking them out the door to "go fish" for their food. This item is what my Catfish Calendar & PYC days are geared for.

4) It seems that Tru-Turn hooks keyed in on several themes or findings. Fish tend to choose the color red, because perhaps it is the colors of gills & blood. So red hooks and red baits may be to your advantage, be it live bait, fixed bait, and such. Tru-Turn also found that by placing a specific bend in their hook created a twist & turn which helps to set the hook better compared to a standard "J" hook (short or long shank).

5) Circle hooks provide a different method of angle, which allows the hook to pierce as they try to expel it, as they might suck the bait off the hook, but feel something odd & decide to get rid of it. On circle hooks, you do not yank it to set the hook, as the fish sets it for you.

6) Standard "J" hooks need a boost sometimes to catch the fish, therefore you give the line a jerk. In a sense, it will grab the lip or sides of the mouth on its way out, by expulsion or your tug. However, with a trotline, it will have to be done the natural way, as mainly you will not be able to hold your line & tug it for every bite.

7) If fishing for YellowCats, definitely use my Calendar and also my separate PYC days. Try to set the trotline out in a known path or region that they congregate, or move in their paths as they roam-feed.

8) Back to trotline design. You want to have your leaders at between 18" to 15" long. This allows a sort of "give" (slack) once they have hooked themselves. It is best to have brass brads to place your leaders with, as the brads can give if you have a big one. Oddly enough, "The Giant" has moved brads only once in my encounters with it. It seemed to be because I had the line set out in its direct path, so as it grabbed the perch, it just never stopped until the leader hit the loop for a weight. Other than that, it has not moved my brads. And I use large barrel swivels. I use 4/0 or 3/0 SS or 3/0 Brass barrel swivels only. Do not use the three ways, as they will snap out. "The Giant" has snapped one out on me. So for big ones, don't use them. The same goes for clips that come with barrel swivels. DO not use them either, as it will lose cats over 30 pounds as they stretch the clip out. If you can only find the barrel swivels with clips, they cost more, but you can remove the clips. If you do not want swivels, Newt (one of my YellowCat teachers did not like them) taught me another method that works quite well. A hitch knot as you put it on the main line, then run the hook to add another knot on each side. This secures the leader, but the extra knot on each side helps to lock it in, to prevent easily sliding. Plus he was the one to teach me to use longer leaders, as well as hooking perch in the center bone before the tails, so they could churn the waters better.

9) Further as to trotline design. The 36 hookers are slightly different as to my SW (Shallow Water) & DW (Deep Water) trotlines. But basically in the SW design, I incorporate 4 main sections of 9 each. However, the outer section on each end has been subsectioned into two. It goes something like this ... end section, loop, 3, loop, 6, loop, 9, center loop, 9, loop, 6, loop, 3, loop, end section. As you tie the line, you want 4 to 6 feet before the first loop. But you also have to allow what you are tying around, be it a small stump, branch, or whatnot, as well as a huge stump or log. Be sure & figure that amount nto your end section, or add it on, if needed. The loops are for smaller weights or bottles, or both. The center loops will have a slightly larger weight (usually no bottle unless you feel the need).

10) Going further, the first & second weights have to do with pulling the line down, to keep them out of boat propellers (main motor or trolling). So that, in a sense, the line goes down like one side of a "V". This will save you the headache of a cut or busted line, or another boater cussing your line snaggled up in their prop. I also use a single knot, then a half bow for tying the main lines to each end, also known as a slip knot. This enables you to untie your line easily without cutting it.

11) Depending upon your preference, the law says the leaders must be 3 feet apart. I utilize just a hair more, maybe 3' and an inch or so, up to 40" in my SW trotlines. Out in the deep water, my DW may be at 4', 5' or 6' apart as to the leader settings (placing your brads).

12) When making up my trotlines, I figure out which I am making, and jot down the figures. I sit in my recliner with my Sears 3' Tri-Level. I count out my swivels, and put them on a full new roll of green size 36 3-strand twist nylon. I tie a double knot at the end I start, then slide the swivels over to the far side or in a certain manner (I'll let you figure that out). Then I place & crimp brads as I go, as well as add the loops. Be sure & space the loops out just like you are doing for the leaders. This helps to keep from fish getting tangled with your weight cords. You want about 2 fingers width between brads. You can also add plastic beads (such as from Wal-Mart) in between brads. Naturally, what color- red, of course. Hopefully they won't bite the beads but get drawn to the bait by it. This helps in swiveling the barrel swivel, which of course cuts down on rolling Cats that will tend to twist and get off.

13) If using 16.9 ounce or so small bottles on the loops, you are using them to pull the line up to keep the leaders (hooks) off the actual bottom of the lake or river. First off, you want to make sure the cord for weights is longer than your leaders length. I usually go 18" on leaders & about 36" on the weight cords. You can go about 12" for the bottles cord. Be sure to go around the neck twice & tighten very good.

14) When I set my trotlines out, I run the main cord & tie it off, as long as you are not blocking anyone. Then next step is add the weights to get the line down & out of everybody's way. From that run, then I reverse & add leaders with hooks, and the bottles as I see fit. You can put bait on this run or reverse it once again to do that. As per your bottles, set in the water & allow to fill up completely. Then empty out just a slight bit. Just enough to set the bottle in the water & see that it stays afloat. Once you figure out the minimum, then do so with the others. This helps to pull the main line up & keep the hooks off the bottom. As to how much slack you want on he main line, it depends on what you are fishing for, small or big, or both. You do want it tight enough to let the center weight to pull it down. You do not want to be too tight or too slack.

15) Also, you may need to count into play the new floating object regulation at each end, that was implemented recently (this year), as to your loops. I was hoping to finally see it in writing in the new booklet, but they may or may not have that available anymore. I'll have to read up again about specifics online.

16) As to baits, it depends as to what you are fishing for, as well as what my calendar says to try for. But have at least 3 or more for variety. You never want to depend on just one or two. You can even have treble hooks with sponges for stink/dough/punch baits on your trotline. Or even try the sour gummy worms (candy), as some have tried it recently & it works.

There ya go, Better Luck!!!