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Tried a trotline. I think I'll stick with jugs, lol

Posted By: WillieRip

Tried a trotline. I think I'll stick with jugs, lol - 10/21/17 01:13 AM

I tried the trotline I made last week. Caught nothing. The jugs caught everything:

Posted By: RespectTheFish

Re: Tried a trotline. I think I'll stick with jugs, lol - 10/21/17 01:19 AM

I agree with ya! I'll stick with juglines! Trotlines are awesome but they are not only a lot of work to set out but much more dangerous than juglines as you could get tangled or hooked and drown.
Posted By: WillieRip

Re: Tried a trotline. I think I'll stick with jugs, lol - 10/21/17 11:07 AM

See that's what I'm saying. I mean the current and wind just kept moving the boat, way more tension on the line than I wanted. A 14 hook trotline was way more work than a setting out 30 jugs, and I didn't catch anything! 30 jugs was a lot easier to work, caught lots more fish, and it a lot safer.
Posted By: Fishin' Nut

Re: Tried a trotline. I think I'll stick with jugs, lol - 10/21/17 01:05 PM

I bought a hat just like yours at the Shrimp Festival last week. Maybe I can catch fish like you now. grin

I like to use jugs and drift along with them in the boat. No trotlines for me.
Posted By: Nickbyrd

Re: Tried a trotline. I think I'll stick with jugs, lol - 10/21/17 07:22 PM

To each his own willie
Posted By: Catfish Lynn

Re: Tried a trotline. I think I'll stick with jugs, lol - 10/21/17 09:14 PM

There are advantages & disadvantages to all sorts of methods. But you are correct, winds or fast current can mess up the ease of running a trotline or throwline.

Strong or fair winds, or a fast current, can strain your hands & even cut them. Believe me, I have been in both situations, many times. However, in moderate to nice conditions, a trotline is easily run, and by far gives you a steady way to run your line (if you know how to do it properly). If conditions are right, as to surroundings (that you can run the line from either side), it is best to run it against the wind (meaning pulling towards the wind) as you have more control. If the wind is blowing acroos the line, then you get on the downside of the wind, so that you can keep the main line up slightly out of the water, instead of running over it, as the wind is trying to shove you over the line (to put it under the boat.

For my Deep Water trotlines (called "The Planter"), there are no objects around to interfere (as to the boat getting stuck on stumps & such), and you can start on either end according to the direction of the wind. And as to which side to run, again, the boat needs to be on the down side of the line as rthe wind is blowing at you.

The same goes for juglines, for better control, come up to them on the down side of the wind. If you head for them with the wind, if you miss, you will run over it if not caught correctly. Plus the forward movement could jerk the hook out of a Cat easily. But coming from downwind allows better control.

As to Throwlines, they are only attached on one end & are fixed. The only other option is as to which side to come up, to run it on.

Always take into account wind, current, or other factors, as to knowing which way to approach your lines, as to being the safest & easist to run. The same goes for whitecaps & larger waves. Know what you are up against & always be prepared! One friend (Bruce), caught the record 36# BlueCat back in February 2002 at Lake Limestone on a jugline. Currently, the record BlueCat on Limestone was caught on 3-13-2015 weighed 61.13# on a rod-n-reel (featured in my 2017 Lynn's Catfish Calendar for the Month of September). Anyways, Bruce hung a bigger BlueCat on another jug shortly thereafter (in 2002). If I recall, he estimated it might have been about 60 pounds. But the problem was, he was not prepared. He was running the jug & felt nothing. So he had already piled the jug & main line with a few leaders on the front deck & was standing as he was pulling in the rest of the hooks. It woke up. It jerked the main line out of his hands and took off. Guess what? His pile of line & leaders still on the deck was behind him. One of the leaders as it was headed out past him, slung the hook into his leg just above his ankle & luckily it did not take him out of the boat (and I am sure he did not have his jacket on). The hook ripped open flesh as the Big Blue continued out away from the boat. I saw his leg a day or two later. Man, that had to have hurt really bad, including even then. So the lesson is always be prepared, for you never know. But you can always prepare as best as you can, which includes working your lines according to wind or current.
Posted By: Catfish Lynn

Re: Tried a trotline. I think I'll stick with jugs, lol - 10/21/17 09:25 PM

Oh, when I set my anchors out on my "Planter" trotlines, they weigh about 60 to 72 pounds each. As they sail to the bottom & "plant" themselves, I make durn sure the anchor line will not be anywhere near my legs or feet or such. Plus I make sure my hunting knife is in my belt sheath, and a spare pocket knife is in my jean's pocket. I don't plan to just hang around at 38 to 40 feet down under, but plan to get back up top ASAP, if a mishap should ever occur.

I have been yanked across the seat to the point of my arm was in the water heading up to my left shoulder while running a 5 hook throwline. I, like Bruce, felt nothing, and was not prepared for a waking Op. But in that split second, I had a chance to let go & fight another day. I made that decision. I let go not a second to soon. That was August 1983. I finally caught her (always prepared after that first encounter, which she would have won) in July 1985. In this case, the throwline was very similar to running a jugline, as it was either on the 5th or 4th hook.
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