Im new to this forum, but not to trotlining. Thought I would add my 2 cents worth to building trotline. I live on the Brazos River. There are a few spots I like to set out my lines. All varying lengths. To keep things simple, I build 10 hook sections which are clipped together. The clips are the clip/swivel combination. Always use the big stuff. That way, I can connect several together to stretch across a bigger area or set out several short lines. Every section, I tie an old gatorade bottle that i have wrapped a strip of reflective tape to. Get a piece of line and tie a clip/swivel to it. I generally make it about 6 foot being I only set lines in water that I can walk them. Depending on how far off the bottom you want to fish, stuff extra line in bottle,clip it to the end of your 10 hook section, tighten down the cap over the string, let it go. Makes it easy to see your entire trotline from the bank, plus controls the depth of line. Building the main line, I make a mark every 4foot on my line. Secure a swivel every 4 foot bt tying a knot on each side of swivel. I generally leave about an 1 or 2 fro the swivel to slide back and forth. For the hook drops, I will tie a swivel/clip combination to my doubled line. That way you can always remove the hooks for whatever reason. The clip makes putting it in and taking out a snap also. This is very nice when I'm fishing for both yellows and channels. If I want to use liver or stink bait, I clip on a treble for that section of line. Sidenote: If fishing slow running water, if you use a treble hook with some Mr. Whiskers, my favorite stink bait, if you will wrao a layer of saran wrap aroung the bait, it will stay longer. Put the bait on the treble, take a piece of saran wrap maybe 2"x2" square, apply it to the bottom and pull up over the barbs. Dont try to seal it, just protect it from the current. You will need to make some tie off lines. I make these about 25 foot long with a clip/swivel cobo so i can clip on to my 10 hook section, then tie off to whatever. For yellowcat bait. Short and sweet. PERCH. Bigger the better. End of story.

Welcome to TFF sir! I,too live on the Brazos river at Kimball Bend, I also love trotlining, been doing it since I was a small boy, learned from my granpa! You have some great ideas here, thank you for them, maybe we'll meet on the water one day! TLP

"I generally make it about 6 foot being I only set lines in water that I can walk them"

Are you saying you wade the river to check the lines? If so, my hat's off to you. I don't want to be in the water with one of them big critters twisting on that line.

Where do you get the "clip-swivel" combinations? Thanks.

I get the clip/swivels at Bass pro shop. Bigger the better. As far as "walking the lines" thats the way my grandfather, my father did it, so its no big deal to me. I have run limb lines with a johnboat a couple of times. I prefer to be on my feet with a firm bottom versus in a shaky boat. It does get exciting when a 50 lb plus is on the line. I have a 4 ft diameter hoop net to put them in to help get them back to shore when they are too big to handle. When I was a boy, I would go grappeling with my father and his friends. When they would bring one up from under the rocks, it was my job to carry it to shore. It only took dropping one 25 lb cat to learn to hold on to them. 4 or 5 men giving you the "look" for dropping a fish was not fun. I'm not very small, 6'-3" and 300 lbs. 50 pounders are too much of a problem...

Chief - Better leave that HOOP NET at home while on public waters, even though you're just using it to put your fish in. That would be a tough one to explain to a game warden...I'd find something else to use.

Chris

Chief, Thanks for posting this. Good ideas, based on experience.

Alan

i can't place these clip swivels unless it's what i call swivel snaps like this