Howdy,

I am thinking of buying a commercially made trotline just because I have never used one I want to try it out before I try to make my own.

Is it worth it or would I be better off just trying to make one?

What's the best bait to use? I have only really had luck using shrimp. I have tried cut shad, livers, "magic" dough baits and got nothing. Maybe it was just where I was fishing.

Thanks.

It depends are you going after eating size, or the big hogs?

Eating size would be good with an outside chance at some monsters.

Its up to you really. I started out with the premade ones, then worked up to making my own. The homemade ones are better quality, but time consuming.

Where are you going to be fishing at?

It looks like Belton or Stillhouse Hollow in Bell country.

thanks for youre service

I'd say start off with a pre made one, try a few different baits on it. Shad and sunfish usually work, maybe try a few goldfish.
Buchanan is a much better catfish lake if you don't mind the drive.

Live goldfish? Is that legal?

When ya'll use live sunfish how big are they?

yes you can use golfish in TX...I thought the same when I came here..lol

I use whatever size sunfish I catch, hooked through the back. You might want to buy a pack of 6/0 or so circle hooks to use on the trotline, they are way better the the regular hooks the come with them.

I would like to put in a plug for Kamagatsu hooks. Hope I spelled it right. Their circle hooks out perform any others I know of. Those hummers are SHARP! They are hard to find, but Cabellas has them.

100% with ya on the circle hooks. That's all I use.

I think I'll try a few bluegill and a few goldfish and see what I like.

Will a set up like that exculsively catch Flatheads? I love Channel cats for eating so I wouldn't want exclude them.

I plan on setting up a trotline just before dark and checking it every 3-4 hours. Meanwhile I will be bank fishing and drinking beer.

Wow... that sounds so close to heaven right now..

You will also catch channels and blues on live bait. I usually get flatheads on my larger baits and channels on my smaller ones. Personally I think a 10lb flathead tastes better than any channel cat. When are you getting back to ft hood?

Good deal. I think I'll give it the old college try and get serious about it after I return from deployment so I'll have time to experiment.

I'll be home on leave in September and our whole unit is going back sometime in early 2010.

What size circle hooks do ya'll recommend for trotlines? I have some 3/0, but they look a little small to me.