trotline obsession

seems like some have an obsession with trotlines ... i understand gettin' an old line tangled in a prop ain't no fun ... & now it seems that catfish that have gotten themselves hooked on a trotline are fair game to the first person that gets to them and puts them in the boat

sometimes it's a pain in the neck to motivate about in a boat, keeping in mind that you are not the only turtle in the tank (old saying) ... everybody else has as much right to be on the lake & fishing in what ever legal manner they see fit to fish

i do my best to respect other folks stuff & if i see a line i avoid it without a second thought ... it's none of my business nor my job to see if it is legal or not

to me it is just as unethical to go about meddleing with folks private property & business as it would be to set illegal lines or abandon legal lines to they point they become illegal

or God forbid some feller leaves his line out and a few fish hang on there a few days ... then some bleedin' heart busibody starts cryin' about it "OH THOSE POOR FISH ARE GONNA DIE" ... the fact that the busibody knows the fish are on the line is far more unethical than the fish being left on the line

makes me wonder how some of ya'lls folks raised you

Mine taught me to respect wildlife and leaving fish on a hook for a few days is NOT right. Is the way you were raised to just leave um there till the wind dies down or you FEEL like runnin them ?? Were you raised by wolves??

agreed, and i am tired of the trotline obsesions also. but do not question how people are raised. you sound like a liberal, maybe you or the govt should get involved in in parenting classes, since you know so much about fishing

I was raised old school. I run my trotlines or juglines every two hours. When I finished my trip, they go home with me. I was also taught this is a good family time. In between running lines, we would play horse shoes, 42, barbeque, baseball and just be a family. If I ever find out my kids left a trotline or jugline, I'll spank their butts! That's how my dad raised me. I hate seeing a trotline or jugline left behind. We share the lake or rivers. It's not a question of how you were raised, it's just good sportsmanship. Respect the other fisherman. Plan and simple.

***Voice of Burt Lancaster in "Valdez is Coming"***

"We have a drink of whiskey.....we talk awhile. What you think about something like that?"

***Voice of Hector Elizondo****

"I think I see a very yellow handled Barlow pocket knife, seeen-yhore!"

Burt....."What? Theese little thing? I use it to hunt rabbits!"

Hector...."So that is why you pull up my trotline feeeshing apparatus....to hunt rabbits?"

Burt......"No, I pull them up to see if you use Khale or circle hooks."

Hector......"You sure of that? You bet your life on it?"

Burt......."No.......ON YOURS!"

Hector......."What kind of talk is this between friends! I will go fetch the game warden, then I will tell him what you say. Don't move!"

Burt......"I be here."

******With proper negotiation, any problem can be worked out!****

Well said Zee a lot of people need their butts spanked!!I catch all the fish my family needs without leaving anything on the lake. I guess people that leave their stuff are either LAZY,selling fish, or need to learn how to fish. If theres another reason PLEASE tell me??

it sure don't take much to sort out the wind bag do-gooders

anyone else tired of this guy bashing people in his posts?
makes me wonder if the moderators are watching?

this is the last i will reply to this post, lest this turn into another four pages of bs

As long as the person changes the date every 30 days, then he/she is legal and can keep them there indefinitely. If you are checking a trotline for a tag and it aint yours, you are messing with personal property. I was raised to not mess with someone elses stuff. Most people I know will get physical, if need be, with nosey people. If you want to be nosey, legally, then apply to become a game warden. Until then, mind your own business.

I guess those are the reasons. I do respect other peoples stuff I have NEVER been close enough to tell if a trot line is leagal or not if I see one I go somewhere else period. on the other hand I HAVE ROLLED UP SOME CLEAR PLASTIC JUGS ON wHITNEY AND LAKE WACO AND WILL AGAIN WHENEVER I SEE THEM THEY ARE DANGEROUS AND HARD TO SEE.I HAVE NEVER BEEN CLOSE ENOUGH TO A WHITE JUG TO SEE IF IT EVEN HAD A NAME ON IT. CALL ME A DO GOODER OR WHATEVER. FOR THE LIFE OF ME JUST CANT SEE ANY REASON TO LEAVE A FISH ON A LINE FOR 2 OR 3 OR MORE DAYS.GUESS I WAS JUST TAUGHT A DIFFERENT TYPE OF RESPECT

what he said

until the last couple of years (on this board) i never heard of anybody advocating "YOU MUST TAKE YOUR LINES WITH YOU WHEN YOU GO" ... & if you don't take'um with you you are a lazy low life

i started trotlining with my dad when i was just a pup ... EVERYBODY set their lines to be almost permanant ... these lines were checked & rebaited as often as possible but most times not everyday ... that is just trotlining & was the way everybody did it that i knew ... opus you calling these folks lazy is a little far fetched & kinda makes me wonder if you hate trotliners cuz like i said "this is just trotlining"

I dont hate anyone. well you tell me why leave a line in the water baited or not that your not goin to check for a few days besides being too LAZY to take it with you. WHAT IS THE REASONING FOR IT. IM JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND TELL ME WHY?? AND WHAT IS ETHICAL ABOUT LEAVING FISH ON A LINE FOR 3 OR 4 DAYS. GUESS YOUR SENCE OF ETHICS IS A LOT DIFFERENT THAN MINE

The problem with trotlines as personal property is often they are strung across rivers where they can affect other people as they are enjoying the river, too. When they are caught in props, snagging on kayaks and catching other people's lines as they fish, your trotlines become public property, whether you like it or not. That's my opinion. I haven't set a trotline in years, and I haven't checked one since the last time my friends and I put one out, but I see them all of the time in the Brazos and can easily see situations where your "private" property becomes someone else's problem. That's when it becomes public property, once again my opinion.

If you want a trotline to be private property, you're going to have to set it in a tank in your back pasture.

Kinda funny. I pull all my lines just before I get ready to leave a lake, I don't set them in high traffic areas either and it's been years since I tied one off to anything preferring to have weights and floats at both ends to make them easier to see and figure their direction. I have however tied off some throwlines, which can be any length as long as they only have 5 hooks and are not required to be tagged. These are still my lines and I tag them just to identify them as such. As to the leaving of fish on a line for 2-3 days most likely that fish will release itself in that time so go do good somewhere else like protesting bass tourneys and jetskiers.

Whats the big deal ? This is getting old if you don't like to use trotlines then dont . For all of us that do then leave us alone . To each is own . Just sick and tired of this same old debate . Oh yes , buy the way i do leave mine out all week long checked and baited everyday , and no i dont sell fish . I happen to know a lot of older people that can't get out and fish anymore so i clean'em and give thim some . What do i get in return nothing but a smile and a big thank you . So if that pisses anyone off then ya i'm real LAZY right .

I dont have a bit of problem with you or anyone else that checks their lines at least once a day sorry if I offended you. thank you for taking those people fish Im sure it makes them happier than you know.But people like Albert that leaves lines for years because thats the way they were raised and then gripe when people dont like it. YES I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE LIKE THAT. AND THEY QUESTION THE WAY I WAS RAISED

get use to it fishinnb, albertking always portrays himself as a victom and that everyone is out to get him. It's a position he always takes no matter what the subject. He has some serious insecurity issues just look at his past posts.

you had your chance to say anything you wanted to, to my face ... what happened to ya?

nunna my beeswax how you trotline ... but you don't have the gumption to extend the same courtesy

You don't run your MOUTH in person which says you are Out-Spoken only when you are on the keyboard. You try and have a pissing match anytime someone disagrees w/ you on here and you know that wouldn't work in person. I wish you would have started your "KEEP BIG FISH" campaign within the group at Tawakoni - seems you were a little timid there.

you or anyone else at tawakoni could have tried to shove BS down my throat ... just like on here ... i would have stood my ground ... same as i do here

That's just it, no one is trying to shove BS down your throat, it's all in your wacked out mind. People state their opinion and you become irrationable as though people are out to get you to conform. Do you hear voices also? You might want to get this checked on before we read about you driving into a Luby's or climbing atop a tower to express yourself.

This is really getting good...can't believe it has gone this long without a MOD coming into play.

It's kinda funny how people fish , who are we to judge anyone . Just remember The Good Load fished with a net . I don't hear anyone judging him . So Mr. King fish how you want,,, we'll do the same . Just because you dont see something the way other people see it , sometime it helps to just sit back in the corner and keep mouth closed . I've dont it and I'm bet'en you can too. It's a fishen form , Man get over it .

it takes hours to set up a proper trotline. Nobody who has set out a proper line is going to remove it everyday. They set them out and leave them. I personally take the hook off my line when i'm not using it and drop the mainline to the bottom. And as far as not checking it for a few days...well what if i set it out and then my boat has problems...am i lazy because my boat wont start to go check my line..??

I have a question for Albert. Not being a smart-A or anything like that. Actually it's four questions.
1.) When was the last time you actually set a "trotline" out?
2.) Is it still out with hooks on it?
3.) When was the last time you've set a trotline in a heavily fished/boated lake like Lake Lewisville or Tawakoni???
4.) Where would you say you've done the majority of your line fishing whether it be trotline, throwline or jug?

Well to answer a DUMB question YES your lazy if your motor wont crank once a WEEK and too LAZY to fix it

ok...say i'm not a boat mechanic and cant fix myself and cant afford to pay somebody to fix it. does that make me lazy?

i would just like to say thanks to whomever left thier line tied around a stump at CYpress SPrings! cost me an expensive crankbait and almost put the stump into the hull trying to get the line cut to remove the bait!!! i finally had to break it off!!! Rant over! if it had been marked, I wouldnt have even thrown a bait around it!!!!! ARRRRRGGGHHHH!!!!

Explain what a proper line is please has never taken me over 30min to set mine and caught all the fish I wanted. bet people would like to know how to set a PROPER line PLEASE EXPLAIN?

Yeah... I wanna know how to do that! This is getting good.

me too. I'm rookie, and i dont think i spend enough time either. it only takes me over 20 mins to set a line if the current is real bad and im by myself and and the motor keeps stalling out. i need to know how to set up a proper line too.

You know these "discussions" are the same thing time after time. At first, it bothered me a little, the arguements and fighting back and forth, but now, I'm used to it, so I just sit back, read and shake my head. Sometimes its the same folks, and other times, its newer people who haven't been around her enough to see does what to whom.

Its like a little catfishin' soap opera on a computer screen.

LETSSSSSS GEETTTTTT REAAADDDYYYY TO RUUUUUUUMMBBLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1. 2 years ago (been fishing with jugs)
2. no
3. never
4. Stamford Lake, Hubbard Creek Lake, Clear Fork of the Brazos

Thanks Albert. I knew the answer to some of them already but if folks will pay a little attention they'll get the point.
Albert doesn't trotline much anymore and if he did it wouldn't be in the metroplex or any place like that. I wouldn't either. Danny does but he's got his spots figured out.
The thing that I feel eats Albert up is the ignorance that people from big or bigger cites in heavily populated areas is this....country folks don't want you telling them what to do. Period. Your home owners association would have a fit at what "some" country folks have laying in their yard...but that's why they don't live there and never would.
Ya'll have got to remember that it takes all kinds.
Here is where the problem lies. When all this retoric goes flying around it ends up in state and national publications. This pressures law makers into thinking that the "entire" public would benefit and that is completely wrong. By making statewide reg changes it puts the squeeze on the little man from the sticks. When things like that start to rear their ugly head these people( who have seen it time and again with their lifstyle) see it changing and they get furious inside. Back a rattle snake into a corner and see what happens.
It gets ugly and you get what we have here....a word war between guys that really love the same thing. Now I know that some of you hold a huge grudge for Albert. It shows in both sides comments for each other.
I challenge you to see where the other guy is coming from whether it be country or city and cut this nonsense out.
I heard a great comment one time that goes like this " You have to make a decision on how you react to something,,, you have to choose to be mad and let it eat on you or choose not to be and go on with your life". It's not ducking your head. Its choosing to be content in the things that you do.
I know some of you will bash me for saying this and guess what...thats the choice you've made. Hopefully some of you will see it and move on to whatever makes you happy.

Well said ScooterG!! Some of these people's words are as stupid as I've ever read anywhere!!I live on the Brazos river, I can have my boat in the water in 15 minutes or less, depends on the traffic at the ramp by cityslickers that dont know sheep$h17 from cottonseed about what they are doing! LOL! I try to keep a line in the water all spring, when it gets hot & humid, I cannot breathe without oxygen, so I take it up! I have had lines cut, stolen fish off them & lines completely stolen, all because I choose to have them marked with jugs, so hopefully some idiot with more money than brains in his $50,000.00 bass boat will not throw his high dollar baits across it & get hung up on my well marked line & the rich idiot gets pissed off because a lowly trotliner has violated his space & cuts my line that I spent several bucks & hours to handmake! I do not fish the main parts of the river, I like the holes that I've found several years ago to set my lines & most of them have treestumps to tie the lines to & are surrounded by shallow water, so if a knucklehead gets my line wrapped up in his prop, he ain't got no business getting out in a boat, he is a hazard to himself & others as well! I catch my best yellowcats in 3-8 feet of water with the channel within 20 foot of the shallows! I've roamed up & down the Brazos river most of my life with my grandpa & old family friends! Most of the good holes of water have been there for years, unchanged by the different floods that have occured, that is where the best fishing is for trotliners, these old holes of water were discovered before all the fancy electronics of today too! I'm gonna shut up now, I'm rambling, butwhat it all boils down to is that there is different strokes for different folks! Us old country boys just like to mind our own business & take care of our own interest, I'd suggest the rest doing the same & there will be less hate & discontent about what we all have in common, CATFISHING!!!

damn, another trotline thread whatever happened to people posting up fishing reports or tips that can help out a new fisherman

i'ma have to agree with Big Zee on this one though, I don't think you could sum it up any better than that

because it is all about good sportsmanship, but at the same time its also about common sense...and there's a lot of people on this site that post a bunch of [censored] that just doesn't make any sense

***Voice of "The Captain" in Cool Hand Luke"***

"Line 'em up Mr. Hunnicut!"

"It seems you men have been having some problems with trotlining! We gonna get your mind RIGHT! and I mean.....RIGHT!"

"Luke! Fetch the yellow-handled Barlow!"

"Yes sir, Boss Paul!"

***Voice of Strother Martin***

"Now men....I don't like it, any more than you do. Take a good look at Luke.........Cool Hand Luke?"

***Luke***

"Hey Hey Boss! Look at that! Cut in twenty pieces and still wrapped around the lower unit of a 200 hp Merc!"

***Strother***

"You come on up outta there Luke....go on and get you some rest. Cause we gonna get your mind.......RIGHT!!

scooter g you should run for president!! well said especially from us country bumbkins

HOA's are stupid. They are for the "Snootyville" people that have to have everything perfect....in other words, grass blades no higher than X amount of height. What is ridiculous is the fact that most of these neighborhoods have no trees. You can also reach out of your bathroom window to grab your neighbors shampoo if you run out. La De Da! You have umpteen hundred square feet. Look at your backyard! You don't have squat! I live on an acre, and it's a skinny acre that runs up a hill, but at least I don't have to worry about turning my surround sound system up full blast without bothering anyone. My boat sits in my "front" yard. The HOA for the subdivision up the road collects fees for keeping up the park, swimming pool, and boat ramp. People in the "subdivision" have their project sailboats in full glory out in their front yards. THAT'S a HOA! Suburbia is such a totallitarian society. Put some TREES in your neighborhood to call it a neighborhood, you pompus elites! Bunch of stiffs, if you ask me. God forbid, if they would loosen up, drink a beer, get a line wet, and enjoy the true pleasures of life like fishing! That might just be enough persuasion to pull that stick out of their
Steven

i like fishing.
i like catfishing
i like catfishing with trotlines.
i like bass fishing
i dont like snagging lines while i'm bass fishing.
i like duck hunting
i dont like getting my legs caught in trot lines while hunting
i like reading this forum
i like debating all these issues
it gets me through the day.

1st rule of life; Watch where you put your feet
2nd rule of life, if you must duck hunt get a boat.
3rd rule of life make yourself a good example when you bass fish, respect other peoples property and space but don't expect much as the damage has already been done.

rickt300
3rd rule of life make yourself a good example when you bass fish, respect other peoples property and space but don't expect much as the damage has already been done

That in its self sums it up.

those are stupid rules. for one, you cant see through knee deep water full of hydrilla, and for two i have a boat, but don't hunt out of it all the time. just like you dont fish the exact same way everytime.

Wow, almost two whole days without hate being spread! MAybe someone got the point!
It just does no good. Folks are gong to do what they see fit reguardless of what other people think. I trotlined long enough to figure this out myself. That's why I learned to sink mine like some of the other guys have said.
Good advice Rict and HC.
Good luck to ya'll!
Me, I'm getting excited about my 3 day offshore trip in two weeks. I'm melting 6-10 oz weights right now!!!

I'm not taking sides but I was raised running lines.
First they should be set deep enough that no prop would ever get your line. If the lake falls, you lower your line.
No good liner would ever mark his. That is asking for it to be ran by a poacher or cut out by someone that doesn't like them.
We ran them every evening. Sometimes weather kept us off the lake for a couple days. A Catfish will usually survive a few days on a line or they will twist off. Either way it happens if you run lines.
Once we were through we pulled up our lines or took off the hooks.
We lost several lines a year to other folks, another hazard of fishing with lines.

Now days, I don't run lines but would never put someone down that does.
I release all the big fish I catch but if you want to keep your legal limit please do.

No one should say those that mark their lines aren't good liners, but when the catfish are feeding shallow, there are quite a few folks that will fish a line in 2-4' of water and will either place jugs all along the line or several pieces of styrafoam to mark it so others will not either run across it or cast over it. On some lakes, liners will bring in cut switch cane or small saplings and stick them in the lake bottom for their tying points. Will those get cut run by others, probably if they aren't being run regularly, but it doesn't make them any less a liner than those that can sink a line, out of sight, out of mind.

There's different situations in all water bodies and with all liners, at least those that take it seriously and have put time and effort into their equipment, bait-catching, locations and hope for the reward that the night or day brings to them when they check their lines.

I wish all the liners great luck and have fun at it!

You don't duck hunt out of a boat every time? You mean you actually lug your decoys hundreds of yards to the lake along with the weights, your gun and you do this in waders? Wow you must have forgot your boat. Knee deep water full of hydrilla in the winter time when the water is pretty clear? Re-read rule #1. I have never set a line out in water less than three feet deep yet but tend to keep em in water less than 6 feet deep as they are easier to run in shallow water. Also rule #1 is a brilliant rule that covers all aspects of life.

If changes were made to the regs and that put "the squeeze" on you or anyone else here then maybe you should give up fishin and take up basket weaving. Are you saying you can't pack your freezer with filets without runnin lines? To each his own, live and let live and all that...just don't try to pass that b/s off. Are fixed lines necessary to take home a mess of fish? NO. Are they "sporting"? NO. Should you leave em out for an extended time? NO. Do you have the right and should it be protected? I guess so but they are NOT necessary.

freakin' basser mentality

***Voice of Ape Commander in "Planet of The Apes"***


"The only GOOD yellow-handled Barlow line cutter.....is a
WORKING yellow-handled Barlow line cutter!"

***Masses of Ape Followers cheering in the background!***

Lets not turn this into a huntong thread
but to answer your question, sometimes i park the truck and walk in, floating the decoys in the water. sometimes i bring the boat to the location, then stash it somewhere down the shore. sometimes i hunt out of a canoe (you cant shoot out of a canoe,so you stand in the water.) sometimes i dont bring the dog, meaning i walk out to every downed duck. EVERYTIME i walk out to set and pick up decoys. if you think people that duck hunt never leave a boat you have never been duck hunting.
and you dont think there is hydrilla in the winter? you need to get out more. and if you think people dont abondon lines in shallow water, you need to get out more too.

Nope...born a country boy and have no use for bass other than for bait. I do, however, care about the future of our sport and have an interest in seeing tournament catfishing grow and cats being treated with the same respect as some of the other gamefish like bass. Just don't whip out that b/s about putting the squeeze on the common man or that you run lines because you were brought up doing it. I did a lot of things when I was younger and have since learned better. It's not my place or anyone else's to regulate how you fish. That being said our sport will never grow to the levels we'd like to see it at and will never get the respect we'd like it to as long as we continue to deefend "the way its always been done". If that's a basser's mentality then so be it...I'd love to see the sport of catfishing approach the level bass fishing has been at for years. And by the way, I can go out and pack my freezer using rods and reels any freakin day of the week.

HMMMMMMM......tournaments......Dallas....I see where your coming from.
I don't fish your lakes and won't. If you want to fish tournaments and with rod and reel then go get it!
I fish rivers that I guarantee you can't get your boat in or out. All I'm saying is leave me alone.
I do however have a question....why the heck does one more species have to be competitive? I tried the bass tournaments in the mid 90's and hated it. Took the fun of personal challege right out of it. If you want to raise big fish...build your own personal lake, manage it and have your own tournaments.

One thing I have never understood is how folks can call trotlines not sporting.Now this is just my opinion but I would figure that a person who says those things has never caught a monster on a line...or lost one.

Caught plenty when I was younger on lines and PLENTY of big cats too.. Where's the "sport" when you set a line and leave it? A monkey could do that. That's not you against the fish. You get up in the timber, identify a spot, and pull a 50lb cat through the brush and land him or identify fish in 40 ft of water, set up, and bring a double digit fish in the boat...now you're talkin. I know it's a matter of opinion and that's all I'm doing, stating my OPINION. If tournaments for you "took all the personal challenge out of it" don't know what to tell ya. When you're on Tawakoni in Feb and you know you've 7 hours to boat 5 fish 150 lbs + to have a shot I'd call that a challenge.

Tournaments are cool. I fish a lot of bass tournaments, enjoy the challenge and the competition. I caught some doubles on rod and reel. I just think nothing's a givin. I have never broken a sweat fishing with rod and reel. Trotlining on the other hand has worked me to death. You can't just put out a line and catch fish. Well I guess you can, but to do it on a consistent basis with good fish takes some planning and know how. The monkey comparison is not really valid. Monkeys can use sign language..thats impressive. I guess that could be more of a compliment. ANybody ever watch rogue apes? Monkeys are scary.

why do you hafta make it sound like you look down on setliners? ... the way you talk about it it would be easy to assume you look at set liners as if they are some kinda knuckle draggin' neanderthals

you have stated where you would like to see catfish go as a sport & that's just your idea ... first place i ain't a sportsman as you would define it ... i take skillet shots on quail & even prefer them

and your analysis about setlining not being me against the fish up beside you with your rod & reels & all the newest electronic bells & whistles supposedly makes it you against the fish is like one skunk tellin' another one he stinks

how do you feel about grabblin' (noodlein' for some)?

It takes a lot of skill and balls to noodle, just not my thing. As far as "the latest electronics" I've got a $199 graph and some rod holders, that's it. There are times when the lakes are low I go out in my 14ft flat bottom and rod holders, that's it.I don't necesarily look down on setliners, just wouldn't hurt my feelings if they were banned. More folks get their boats damaged by old lines than the number of setliners out there. My point was don't try and pass off that the "little guy from the sticks" would be hurt if they changed the regs. That's a load of @#$%! And I do stand by that it takes much more skill and shows more sportsmanship to take a big cat by rod and reel than with a setline. That being said pursuing game in a sporting manner is more important to some than others...to each his own.

and the debate keeps going and going

Yea ish, it's like a rank fart in a small room.....it lingers around just stinks!!!

LOL!

And here I was.....feeling "all hurt" with my 40 foot killer mesh seine!!!

Stop a minute, there are um-teem folks out there can are unable to purchase rods, reels, boats, trailer, etc., but can get a little role of line, a few hooks, a rock/brick or chunk of iron for a weight and bait it to catch some fish to feed their family....there's plenty of individuals out there that are struggling to 'make ends meet' with what job they may have and family to take care. And you're saying they wouldn't be hurt if the rules/regs changed? Go ahead and try to sell and try to push that 'beachfront property in Arizona' on us. Nope, not saying all of us are that way or close to it, but many of us DO enjoy lining and like Scooter said, you have to do a whole lot more than throw a line in the water to catch a fish or big fish for that matter.

I won't even go into the issue of making catfishing into a tournament/regulated species, like they have with our black bass, and God help us if they do. Matter of fact, why don't we all just push for making our bluegills, bullheads, minnows, shiners, gar, buffalo, carp and ALL the fish species into a great big huge tournament demanding, strict regulations with slot sizes on different lakes and water bodies with all having exceptions to their size limit, and on & on...

I can't believe I got roped into this one again...

I'm done...see yall!

It's a sharp hook Chris. What's so funny about it is the line fishing done by guys I know is only done from March till Mid May.
Me and my buds do other things outside that time. To try and take away line fishing in the Brazos river would be unbelieveable. Sounds like a Democrat idea to me....tell me what I need to know!

There lies the problem! Some of us do not think of catfishing as a "sport" in as such "sport" means tournament. Personally, I do not care for anyone calling my recreation fishing a "sport". Sport conjures up a feat of competition and I do not compete with anyone. I fish and I fish for the fun of it and for the meat. Sport??? Not me. I disdain tournament bass fishing nowadays because of what it has done to pleasure bassfishermen and him wanting to keep his legal catch to eat. Keeping bass nowadays is almost gotten to the point of being sacriligious. I don't want that to happen to catfishing. I do still use a worm now and again to catch some of those green-lipped trash fish just so I can load the boat and "show-off" what I am going to eat. Boy you can just see the hate in a lot of bass fishermens eyes when that happens. This is my opinion and some may here may agree with it, I know a lot of people around my county do.

Change of subject here, but how many of you guy's are fishing this weekend? Any good reports? We caught 12 channel and blue cats today on Lake Granger. Due to the wind, we fished up in the river channel. A buddy of mine fishing throwlines caught a 22lb yellow cat on perch just above Commanche Bluff. We both were fishing out of our 14' flatbottom boats. By the way, trotline is not a sport, it's a art. I've seen alot of people set trotlines and never catch a thing, and someone else catch a boat load. Bass fisherman, they are a different breed, just like coastal fishermen. They love their sport, but it also a art. Alot of guys go out and throw plugs and softbaits and catch nothing, then others go out and load the boat. So the poor old trotliner gets the bad rap. Just like the bass fisherman in winter that floats right up into your decoy spread and starts to chunk his lures. That ain't to bright, guy's, these hunters have shotguns, and you have a rod and reel. So, you are either from the country or the city. Myself, I'm from the country. Raised on a farm. No matter what, we share the waterways of this great state. We need to learn to live together on these waters. Bass fishermen, they make a great thing called lure retrievers. They work! Even on trotlines getting that expensive lure back. I've saved a few bucks with them. To both cat and bass fisherman, good luck and be safe on the water this weekend. It's all about respect. Everybody is out just to have a good time.

hahaha ... what a load of extraneous carp ... you disaffirm yourself all in the same post more than once ... you clearly stand on the far negative side of all this but then try to clear yourself by saying things like ... to be honest you come off as a bit of a softhead ... just my opinion of course

Freaking basser tourny mentality. The last thing I want is more tournaments fouling boat ramps. making a competition with monetary prizes out of fishing is the main cause bass fisherman get such a bad rap and you want to extend this to catfishing as well! Catfish seem to be doing pretty well even with trotlines, throw lines and juglines. Bass fishing seems to weather them pretty well also. A lot of people go to the lakes for some relaxing fishing and don't want to be disturbed by the disturbed. What next, no live minnows for crappie fishing? You think those that use the above mentioned methods of fishing don't also use rods to fish with? What makes you so special that you should impose your twisted thoughts on the rest of us. Kinda funny how you can defend hooking, wearing out and throwing back bass in the name of sport. I would like to see less regulation, bring fishing back into the family tradition instead of the hotshot "my bass is bigger than yours" mentality.

J. Steve, I agree with you hole heartily! Very well said. I am in the same boat with you. I love to clean leagal bass when I rarely go for them. I will clean them right there and watch the jaws drop. In fact I ate what I call my first 10 lb bass this spring. (it was actually 9.8 lbs but it was spawned out and 25.5 inches long)
It was delicious. I'm serious, I kept it separate from the 3.11 and we did a taste test. Just as good.
WHat is wrong with that???? That fish has likely spawned in excess of 7 times. I'd rather send it out the way god intended our creatures that were put on this earth for our sustinance than see it floating of old age in the lake.

Scooterg, did you fry it or bake it? I like my bass baked in butter. Love my catfish fried and my crappie fried also. If it's legal, "Catch and release to the grease." As Hank Williams Jr said to Bill Dance, "I'm a meat man Bill."

***Voice of Ape Commander in "Planet of the Apes"***

"The only GOOD bass......is a SIZZLING bass!!!"

***Cheering uproar from hundreds of Ape minions!***

Chuck you are confusing me! All these quotes hurt my head sometimes.LOL

I fried it all. Never bake too many fish. I grill or fry typically. Bout the only ones I bake are flounder.

i like 'lil ole tender bass fillets fried up normal with some meal for breakfast, with eggs ... and toast ... and some honey ... oh yeah & a big ole tall glass of cold milk

I don't bass to fish number one...I keep HUNDREDS of cats to eat each year number two and share them with friends and family.. GET IT STRAIGHT...go back in this post GUY and you'll see my main point was that if you NEED set lines to feed your family or if they were regulated you would suffer is total B/S! As quoted from my earlier post, if you need set lines to feed your family maybe you should take up basket weaving...and you certainly shouldn't call yourself a fisherman. Periord...end of story. Go set your lines and I'll out fish you with rod and reel any day of the week.
And I'll take ANYONE here up on that offer-you pick the lake. As for wearing out and throwing back "bass"..I catch cats ONLY and you're damn right, I throw back anything over 5-6 lbs and I still turn back most eaters because ny freeezer is chalk FULL of eaters. Like I said, if you have trouble with feedin your family and you call yourself a fisherman you're in the wrong sport. OPINION ONLY- trotlines have no sport invloved with them and too many of you guys leave them in the lake crossing this boat lane and that one, trashing the lake and making it look like a dump, fouling up lowert units, and defending it because "you might not be able to feed the family" or "that's the way it's always been done". Get a real job and feed your family, or better yet, learn to FISH! And rickt300-you've obviously never fished a cat tournament..and as to your statement, cats were being caught up to 200-300lbs in the early 1900's in this country...where are they now? Commercial fisherman and setliners have taken all these fish.

[quote=breambuster
Stop a minute, there are um-teem folks out there can are unable to purchase rods, reels, boats, trailer, etc., but can get a little role of line, a few hooks, a rock/brick or chunk of iron for a weight and bait it to catch some fish to feed their family....there's plenty of individuals out there that are struggling to 'make ends meet' with what job they may have and family to take care. And you're saying they wouldn't be hurt if the rules/regs changed? I won't even go into the issue of making catfishing into a tournament/regulated species, like they have with our black bass, and God help us if they do. Matter of fact, why don't we all just push for making our bluegills, bullheads, minnows, shiners, gar, buffalo, carp and ALL the fish species into a great big huge tournament demanding, strict regulations with slot sizes on different lakes and water bodies with all having exceptions to their size limit, and on & on...

Dude get real.. a Tournament Choice rod at Academy costs less that 2 gallons of gas and shad are free. Good lord, a trotline set up costs MORE, and how are you gonna set it across most lakes and rivers without a boat? Most abandoned lines I see criss crossing the lakes are set by BOATS! And last time I looked you could keep 25 cats by rod and reel and I'm fine with that. Just don't tell me you NEED setlines to feed your family. If that's the case learn to FISH or get a real job because you're doing a lousy job of being the provider.

I can't believe I got roped into this one again...

I'm done...see yall! [/quote]

[quote=breambusterI won't even go into the issue of making catfishing into a tournament/regulated species, [/quote]

catfish ARE regulated guy.

And besides...trotlines are fun!!

When I was younger I had an ego. Life itself has helped calm that. I should not post on this thread because I really don't care what many people think about it. JImmy BUffet has a line in one of his songs about a man losing his hearing but he don't care what most people say anyway. I love that line.

This whole thread is about BS macho bravado that I don't really care about anymore. Yeah, most of you on here are better R&R fishermen than me, I am OK with that. I just don't have the time or energy to defend it or worry about it. I get mine with jugs. Used to set trotlines but its just to much work for me now. Cathing cats is fun... I work my Arse off each day and everyday...worrying about carp like this and getting into arguments about a HOBBY is kind of counter-productive.

I had an uncle that was an @$$hole too, but he thankfully he died before his venom spewed out to affect the rest of us in the fishing camp!!LOL! All of these opinionated nimrods sure takes the fun outa the catfishing section where we used to show pictures of fish we catch & help out a fellow cat man with tips on where they are biting on what lake! That has gone to hell in a "weaved basket"!!!I could not giove a hairy hoot in hell about who keeps what fish or how he caught the damn thing, as long as it was legally done, because I have to obey the game laws, so I expect others to follow suit as well! Good Goddlemightydamn people, what the hell happened to a man & his family going fishing & setting out a few lines or rods & catch a few fish to eat & maybe give a few to a neighbor that is no longer able to go fishing! People need to mind their own damn business & quit sticking their nose into other's affairs before the 'ole snozzola gets the cornbread dookie knocked out of it!! !! Dammit, some of you people make me sick, not to mention royally piss me off with all your high & mighty crappola!!

I have fished in both bass and catfish tournaments. As to the missing 200-300 pound catfish are they truly missing? the methods used to catch them like nets aren't legal anymore. I would far rather have 20-30 ten pound fish anyway. All these types of lines are regulated and you have the same limits on fish as everyone else. I would like to say that those that set lines in boat lanes are no worse than those who fish thru people, blast around the lakes and under bridges where people are tied up or thru no wake areas (bass fisherman and jetskiers). I also throw most fish back under 10 pounds unless they are hurt by the hook so that doesn't make you special either. I don't see the basket weaving correlation either, as you can't eat baskets, if your so big on it maybe you should try it or even better take up golfing. Attitudes like yours have no place in fishing and are far worse than the worst example of abandoned line.

***Voice of Ape Commander in "Planet of the Apes"***

"The only GOOD trotline fisherman.......is a HUNGRY trotline fisherman!"

***Cheering chants of hundreds of Ape followers!***

Those 300 pound cats are alive and well! I haddah uncle...uhhhhh, Uncle Clem that was a...uhhhhhhh diver/welder for the United Power Company Dam Works. He was fixing the uhhhhhhhhh...intake grates on a BIG dam and dove down uhhhhhhhhh, about 100 feet or so and ....uhhhhhh all of the sudden!....he saw this huge catfish! Big as a Army transport plane! Well, my Uncle never got over it...uhhh his hair turned ...SNOW WHITE! And he woke up nights, screaming about that airplane size catfish. My Aunt Gertie tole me about it.

So those big cats are still out there! You can take my word for it!

albertking, bass in the morning. That's sounds pretty good. I miss that milk straight from the cow. That with the fish would make a great breakfast!

hey i don't get bass for breakfast very often ... but back when we was doin' a lot of camping.........

You are truly delusional, you don't set a trotline acrosse a river channel you set it parallel to the channel or bank. So your emphasis is sniveling about commercial fisherman catching and selling over 100 pound catfish? Thats a crock as you can't hardly sell a fish over 4 pounds and you just want one to make you look good in front of your tourney chronies. You think if all setlining is done away with you might catch a bigger catfish, pretty selfish don't you think? This is about choice and your Nazi attitude is about making choices for other people. Fascist zealot!

Well said rick, well said! Where the hell does guys like this come from, sure glad we don't have any left down here in the country!!

Hey spoony take a couple of rods with you when duck hunting, it helps pass the time when there's lull in the action. You get the best of both worlds,Ducks and catfish.

***Voice of Ape Commander in PLANET OF THE APES***

"The only GOOD trotliner......is a DELUSIONAL trotliner!"

***Cheering and huzzahs from hundreds of Ape minions!***

We've done that. Had the decoys set and it was a slow day. Saw some shad and needed some bait, threw the cast net at the shad and looked up and we had about 20 teal landing out of nowhere. That's a real cast and blast.