Wow! 200' deep & 50' in the coves!!! I used to make main lines up with 5 leaders with hooks (the max for a jugline), but have tapered out to 4 hooks each, in order to spread them out over the "range" (so to speak). Of course they are/were being used without thermocline (depletion of oxygen) being active which should be about to start of not already.

Even though we have put jugs out in deeper & shallower waters at Lake Limestone, we tend to have two clumps (areas we set up to 6 at a time). I call this area the Near Corner coming out of the Running Branch fork as it hits the base end of the lake on the side of the Pump station. We set some inside the corner & some just outside the corner. If the lake was full, it would be 24' down to 21' inside & 28' down to 24' on the outside. However the lake is 3 to 4' low. I still kept my main line length original to 24' & 28', so they are a tad bit slack, even though I normally like them tight. Each have between a 0.70 & 1 quart weight fillet with concrete to hold them where they are set out so the wind won't take them everywhere. We use basically the 96 oz. white bleach jugs or 1 gallon white antifreeze jugs, or something similar.

I use size 36 green 3 strand twist nylon cord for main & leaders (4), but braid would be much better for the leaders. The leaders are between 22" & 24" long. Hooks vary, but the larger ones are usually on the two lower leaders.

Without thermocline active, coming up from the weight, I have the leaders set at these markings:

28" from bottom weight heading up-
4'/11'/18'/25' (spacing of 4'/7'/7'/3')

24'-
4'/9'14'/19' (spacing of 4'/5'/5'/5'/5')

There are many ways to set your leaders. I use 3/0 brass barrel swivels (long ones without the clasp as 30+ pounders open the clasp & go bye-bye). I may put double knots on both side & plastic barrels on each side of the swivel between the knots to allow it to swivel tight. Or I may use a brass trotline brad on each side of swivel with 1 to 2" to give slack. I am thinking of double brads as some having been moving the brads way too easily lately, yet I still want them to be able to have a little give.

From experience, thae standard nickel type seem to corrode inside the barrel & break off after awhile. I have not had that problem with the brass ones. I have only had one of the 3/0 brass barrel swivels break on me on a trotline. It left the top portion of the eyelet, so I decided to just do a hitch knot (no swivel). One YellowCat teacher taught me how to do that on trotlines & then a single knot (with the leader) on each side to prevent easy sliding, which eliminates the need for brads or knots on the main line. The swivel that got broke noted above seems to have been hit by the "Giant", an 80+ to 100+ pound Op which several of us have encountered in the past 2 years. Thank goodness I am not trying to catch it with a jugline.

I try to use SS (stainless steel) hooks, but not always possible. Lately have been leaning towards Tru-Turn hooks (PermaSteel, not SS) as they seem to catch more. Ranging from 6/0 to 9/0. Mustad SS stump hooks (Triple strength) of 7/0 & 9/0. Eagle Claw O'Shaunessy or Trotline SS hooks ranging from 6/0 to 9/0. Mustad 6/0 SS. A few Eagle Claw Lazer Sharp circle hooks 5/0 to 7/0 but not SS.

Everybody has a different preference, as they try several variants & find one that works with them. For me, the foam noodles are hard to spot in rough waters with the sun out, plus a big Op can make them disappear forever. So I stick to larger more visible jugs. Some prefer to run jugs by drifing beside them & staying with them. I use mostly perch & goldfish on ours. Biggest on jugs this past weekend was a 33# Op. Some like only 1 or 2 leaders.

With thermocline, I used to think it was in moving pockets & flunctuated. But a few years back 2001-2002, I read an article about a guy drift R&R fishing for Big Blues using goldfish & circle hooks. He explained the themocline is usually set around mid level tyo the bottom. And due to this, the Big Blues suspend themselves just above the half depth of an area. So if you are in 30' of water, the target area for big Blues would be 14 to 15' from the surface. If you are in 50' coves & the thermocline is active, target from 24 to 25' down from the surface. When the thermocline gets active, I simply remove the bottom 2 leaders & hooks to eliminate the chance of catching one & it dying.

If you are not sure, test your live bait for about 30 minutes & pull it up to see how it is fairing. If very sluggish, thermocline could be in early stages. If dead, thermocline is active. Therefore do not use the lower leaders, unless you will be right there to constantly pull ones off before dying. In this heat, best to have an ice chest handy with ice to pitch in those that died to keep from going bad.

Chad (Redneck) has some info on making juglines as well online. Somebody hopefully can post that for you to check out. He also makes catfish soap.

Wow! 200' deep & 50' in the coves!!! I used to make main lines up with 5 leaders with hooks (the max for a jugline), but have tapered out to 4 hooks each, in order to spread them out over the "range" (so to speak). Of course they are/were being used without thermocline (depletion of oxygen) being active which should be about to start of not already.

Even though we have put jugs out in deeper & shallower waters at Lake Limestone, we tend to have two clumps (areas we set up to 6 at a time). I call this area the Near Corner coming out of the Running Branch fork as it hits the base end of the lake on the side of the Pump station. We set some inside the corner & some just outside the corner. If the lake was full, it would be 24' down to 21' inside & 28' down to 24' on the outside. However the lake is 3 to 4' low. I still kept my main line length original to 24' & 28', so they are a tad bit slack, even though I normally like them tight. Each have between a 0.70 & 1 quart weight fillet with concrete to hold them where they are set out so the wind won't take them everywhere. We use basically the 96 oz. white bleach jugs or 1 gallon white antifreeze jugs, or something similar.

I use size 36 green 3 strand twist nylon cord for main & leaders (4), but braid would be much better for the leaders. The leaders are between 22" & 24" long. Hooks vary, but the larger ones are usually on the two lower leaders.

Without thermocline active, coming up from the weight, I have the leaders set at these markings:

28" from bottom weight heading up-
4'/11'/18'/25' (spacing of 4'/7'/7'/3')

24'-
4'/9'14'/19' (spacing of 4'/5'/5'/5'/5')

There are many ways to set your leaders. I use 3/0 brass barrel swivels (long ones without the clasp as 30+ pounders open the clasp & go bye-bye). I may put double knots on both side & plastic barrels on each side of the swivel between the knots to allow it to swivel tight. Or I may use a brass trotline brad on each side of swivel with 1 to 2" to give slack. I am thinking of double brads as some having been moving the brads way too easily lately, yet I still want them to be able to have a little give.

From experience, thae standard nickel type seem to corrode inside the barrel & break off after awhile. I have not had that problem with the brass ones. I have only had one of the 3/0 brass barrel swivels break on me on a trotline. It left the top portion of the eyelet, so I decided to just do a hitch knot (no swivel). One YellowCat teacher taught me how to do that on trotlines & then a single knot (with the leader) on each side to prevent easy sliding, which eliminates the need for brads or knots on the main line. The swivel that got broke noted above seems to have been hit by the "Giant", an 80+ to 100+ pound Op which several of us have encountered in the past 2 years. Thank goodness I am not trying to catch it with a jugline.

I try to use SS (stainless steel) hooks, but not always possible. Lately have been leaning towards Tru-Turn hooks (PermaSteel, not SS) as they seem to catch more. Ranging from 6/0 to 9/0. Mustad SS stump hooks (Triple strength) of 7/0 & 9/0. Eagle Claw O'Shaunessy or Trotline SS hooks ranging from 6/0 to 9/0. Mustad 6/0 SS. A few Eagle Claw Lazer Sharp circle hooks 5/0 to 7/0 but not SS.

Everybody has a different preference, as they try several variants & find one that works with them. For me, the foam noodles are hard to spot in rough waters with the sun out, plus a big Op can make them disappear forever. So I stick to larger more visible jugs. Some prefer to run jugs by drifing beside them & staying with them. I use mostly perch & goldfish on ours. Biggest on jugs this past weekend was a 33# Op. Some like only 1 or 2 leaders.

With thermocline, I used to think it was in moving pockets & flunctuated. But a few years back 2001-2002, I read an article about a guy drift R&R fishing for Big Blues using goldfish & circle hooks. He explained the themocline is usually set around mid level tyo the bottom. And due to this, the Big Blues suspend themselves just above the half depth of an area. So if you are in 30' of water, the target area for big Blues would be 14 to 15' from the surface. If you are in 50' coves & the thermocline is active, target from 24 to 25' down from the surface. When the thermocline gets active, I simply remove the bottom 2 leaders & hooks to eliminate the chance of catching one & it dying.

If you are not sure, test your live bait for about 30 minutes & pull it up to see how it is fairing. If very sluggish, thermocline could be in early stages. If dead, thermocline is active. Therefore do not use the lower leaders, unless you will be right there to constantly pull ones off before dying. In this heat, best to have an ice chest handy with ice to pitch in those that died to keep from going bad.

Chad (Redneck) has some info on making juglines as well online. Somebody hopefully can post that for you to check out. He also makes catfish soap.