Wow that was alot of reading just to find out the real seceret was not told !! The hook trick is o k but realy make sure you can check your line Everyday cause floater's aint cool . Anyway's when you drop your weight you need a 6 foot Rubber Band then a Ring then your line . The rubber band will keep everything tight and the fish will pull and thrash but will where out and never loosen your line . I set my line somewhat like the other dude but i think he has a few unnesecary parts and peices. Good luck

Horns,
paddling up to a stretched limbline that is moving in angry circles is like seeing wrapped presents on Christmas morning, sheer hope and anticipation. Then feeling the weight and pull of the unseen fish and trying to get it up and on the stringer without the option of 'playing' it until it's worn out is almost more joy than a heart patient can handle. Finally, the reward of stocking the freezer, or sitting down to parmesan-crusted catfish garnished with sun-dried tomatos caps the effort with sheer delight. I always take a pole when I harvest and rebait my lines, but limblining has changed my life for the better. I don't want to be a sportsman, it's overrated; I have a productive hobby.

So enlighten us... Whats the 'REAL' secret?

Your staging is not a single line, it is the line doubled. Tie the two loose ends to the main line.

At the bottom of the staging will be a "loop" that the doubled line maked. Fee the entire loop through your hook from the HOOK side of the hook (front of the hook).

Open the loop and wrap the hook back through 4 or 5 times. Then pull tight.

YOu have tied the hook in the manner that it will hook anything that swims through it. Baied or not.

Make sure your hooks are at least at or beyond the 3' minimum. If they are closer it is considered a snag line and it is ILLEGAL.

This also is on Tiny's page.

http://www.catfishing.tv/trotline/snagline.html

Its not really a "secret" but is a guarded thing the linemen keep to themselves.

i can appreciate that...just tried it once or twice and was bored by it so I always wondered what some folks get out of it.....thanks!

Tying the stagging this way is done to SNAG the fish whenever one may swim by since it is tied to snag them instead of them biting it baited. This is prohibited and ILLEGAL in Texas!!

I guess I didnt consider that much of a secret. We use circle hooks wich arent much good for snaging. However somehow... and this is behond me we have snagged a soft shell turtle through the tail and a banded watersnake in the side.

matt

Your picking a good place to set out your trotline. Only problem, so does everyone else. During certain times of the year, that spot looks like a spider web. End of Feb. you got every boat heading up the river channel to chase crappie and white bass. Those boys are chunking and cutting. I never chase cats in the river during the white bass run. To much boat traffic. There is better spots on the main lake.

x2

Its been many many years since I set a line. I am only telling how I was taught by old linemen. Legal or illegal its how I was taught. Thanks for pointing out it is illegal. Very much noted.

The question I have is what if I baited those hooks with a tiny shad? Just wondering. Not trying to cause an issue.

Quite frankly I didn't know that method was illegal.

I was raised on set lines. My Dad was a Trotliner & also set Limblines, as well as Throwlines. My Granddad would set poles all the way down the bank for a good stretch (we are talking about 15 or so), which we also called set hooks. Sometimes his poles were simply branches cut from a tree. Dad & my best friend's dad were also P&G soap catfishermen. They mainly fished the Navasota River (which is nothing compared to the Brazos, Colorado, or Trinity Rivers, as to width & depth). I was raised on the river & back sleughs. We always had a July 4th trip up on Water Lake (the old Navasota River bed before it moved over a 1/4 mile to the east), which is now part of Lake Limestone at the top end according to my uncle. My Mom was born & raised up near the top of Lake Limestone before it was created.

I just don't seem to have the finesse for rod-n-reeling, but am known for baiting one, setting it in a rod-n-reel holder, go out & run lines, then come back & pull one in on the rod-n-reel.

As for trotlines, as mentioned, minimum staging/leader drop from the main lines, must be spaced at 3' or more to be legal in Texas. I use 3' (ranging from 38" to 42") for shallow water (SW) trotlines, as I need the main line to be a certain length, not too short, not too long, as to tie the ends.

In BW (Big Water/ Deep Water), I use basically 4' (48"), as I have experimented with 3'/4'/5'/6' & determined that 4' is the best separation point of leader stagings. I use brass trotline brads, one on each side of a 3/0 Brass Barrel Swivel, set about 1" to 2" apart to allow a little slide, but less getting hung (as the 3/0 swivels can get hung on the brad. The main reason I use the brads, is because if I decide to alter the line, I can manipulate them to where I wish. Also, to make for easy removal & reuse. I started off with L&H pre-fab trotlines in the 1970s, because my initials are HLH, but found that they were not as beefy as needed for me nowadays, especially the hooks & swivels. They had plastic beads fastened, which rarely gave. One reason I use the brass brads, was in the event of a bigger Cat, they can slide the staging before being able to tug off if totally fixed. In my younger days, I tried tying loops to set leaders, but we know that wreaks havoc for a long line. I also did 2 trotlines one year using double knots in place of the brads. That takes a lot of time, plus is fixed once done. If you wish to adjust them later, even more time than before.

Now Newt (one of my YellowCat teachers) did not like swivels & had a few choice words as to describing them. He set his leaders attached directly to the main line about 4' (between 3' & 4'), and leaders were about 24" long. He used a hitch knot, then looped thru one side for another knot (running the hook end thru to make it), then the same for the other side. He explained the hitch knot secures them the qwikkest & best way to the main line, and the knot on each side cuts down on sliding by a big cat. In a sense, like brads, as a big Cat could slide it over some. However, unlike a swivel, the leader can wrap/roll around the main line

As you can see, there are positives & negatives (pros & cons/ checks & balances) to choices as to trotline set-ups. For instance, my "Planter" design trotline can't be used in SW, as it was designed for BW usage, where there is nothing to tie to. It is adjustable, and I can set just off the bottom, or raise either side to certain levels, as well as make the main line set at a diagonal. I thought I had finally aced the problem as to running them in rough waters, by going to 3.5 gallon anchors instead of 2 gallon anchors. However, last weekend (6th) just before lunch, we had winds from 15 MPH or so. Because the lines & floats were set out while very low, the lake has risen a foot to 2 feet since then. With constant waves, the floats have enough buoyancy to slowly loosen the anchors (72 pounds worth) from being planted in the bottom of the lake. As I ran it, almost 2/3rds across, my hands were hurting from the wind & waves (some coming over the front) pushing the boat. I notyiced the main line I had just passed, was now towards my side & facing towards the front. My first thought was the line broke. Until I looked to my left & saw we were passing the end floats I had started running it on. Then I knew we had a "bobbing" anchor. So James fired up the motor & we stretched it out, facing another way. I can tell, as I have the floats set up in a manner to tell me which way the line is facing on each end & if there is too much slack.

I also have special loops set in strategic spots on my main line, be it for BW or SW. These are for bottles (filled with water, but just a tad of air) to help suspend the main line slightly or extra weights as needed. A few other reasons also, serve purposes such as a marker to help me know where I am at while running the line, and to hook count.

In SW, there me one stump or so that prevents you from running your trotline straight without getting hung or snagged on. So I use a tie line to pull at that spot, which makes the line angle around the problem obstacle. I try to tie below the surface & weight them just off the tree/stump to prevent getting cut by motors (including ours). This helps to prevent getting cut, as well to cut down on others running your lines for you.

Another thing I used to use, is what I called loop stakes. This is a 3' piece of rebar, with a loop bent around on one end. It is now illegal to use metal stakes to attach trotlines to, due to the rebar sticks poking holes into fiberglass boats. I used the loop stakes on the river to tie to & stick in the mud where nothing else was available. I would leave a small portion of the top of the loop out of the mud or clay. This was in the event the river was up when I was to pull my lines. I have a 12 foot 1" PVC gaff that has a "J" hook piece of 3/8" rebar hose clamped on one end. I could lower the gaff, swish it around. When it hit the rebar loop stake, it would clang easily (you can hear it), then run the hook right thru the loop & yank the loop & line straight up. In other words, loop stake & the full line was salvaged & removed, leaving nothing behind.

I guess I need to present my case before TPW for allowing loop stakes, but not rebar sticks. However, if not mistaken, the metal stakes rule does not apply to throwlines. I used them on the river for throwlines as well. Not only that, they work well for staking out a big fish that is too big for the camp fish box (with a rope connecting the 2) & for tying the boat too, whether at camp or at a temporary stop place near the bank.

Also, due to problems last year, I can advise those who jugline in open waters that big boasts, skiers, and jet skiers can run in, to not use hard PVC for your jug. It becomes a safety issue as to injuring someone including boats. And safety issues are becoming more & more important as more traffic is found on the lakes. In shallower waters that are marked as a No Wake Zone, they probably won't be an issue with them as nobody is zooming thru. If someone gets hurt or major damage is incurred, you can get sued. Just thought you might want to know that. We were experimenting with hard PVC floats to make the "Planters" spotted easier, by us & others. Of course we were only looking at one facet.

I use size 36 green trotline cord (mostly 3 strand twist) for main line & leaders, but sometimes make the leaders out of braided (which costy a little more). I make up new trotlines every year. The old trotlines, I use for making juglines. Except in the line of hooks. Of course some are SS & can be used for several years.

I use a diverse set up of hooks, because I usually know where I am fishing & what type & sizes to utilize. Plus by keeping them this way, a big one may hit one or 2, getting off, only to get caught finally on a 7/0 to 9/0. I just got some 9/0 Tru-Turn "J" style hooks in (Perma-Steel, not SS) & hope to give them a whirl.

Last weekend we lost a very good sized one just inside the Near Corner at the bottom of Limestone on a 4 hook jugline. It got caught on the first hook (a 6/0 Tru-Turn). It twisted & straightened it out to look like a "Y" with one of the upper forks removed. But it somehow also got hung on a 5/0 to 7/0 Eagle Claw lazer sharp circle hook and stretched it out to look like a wide "J" hook. And it got the line all tangled in a branch. We have caught a 33.6# Blue & a 40# Op in this area, but I would have to say this was a 60+ pounder that did this. The 40# Op was caught on a 7/0 TruTurn with no problem at all. So I guess this will be a good area to try the 9/0 out.

Well, gotta get going, too many chores to catch up on.

Thanks,
pyleofcats and Catfish Lynn theres alot of good info here if you over look all the Malarky

Thanx everyone for all the great info, will put it all to use when the weather warms up!

Pyle: Can you post a picture of the right way to pull the loop through the eye of the hook. I am a little dense and want to make sure I get it right!

Just pinch the end of the bottom of the loop together and pull it through the eye of the hook.