Trotlines

[izzysfishin]

Just wondering if anyone runs trotlines. I like to put out a few small sets when we go crappie fishing. Two or three sets with 5 hooks each. Bait em in the evening, run em early and crappie fish the rest of the day. We have a few spots that gives up a 20 to 50 lb. flathead or blue most every trip to Truman.

[Barnacle Bill]

Just wondering if anyone runs trotlines. I like to put out a few small sets when we go crappie fishing. Two or three sets with 5 hooks each. Bait em in the evening, run em early and crappie fish the rest of the day. We have a few spots that gives up a 20 to 50 lb. flathead or blue most every trip to Truman.

Be sure to check your state regs on them. Some require they be marked with name or whatever.

[izzysfishin]

Name, address, phone number. in Mo. I even put my fishing license number on my tag.

[westtx]

I used to run trotlines but they were a pain to set,checkand retrieve especially by yourself or in rough water.Now I run juglines with4 or 5 hooks theyre alot easier to handleand also thet dont get tangled up in brush on the bottom of the lake.

[Okccatman]

I used to be a trot line guy.... now I have switched over to jugs. For one they are much safer. Lot less chance of getting caught up on a jug and after a near dip into the lake and my trot line I just dont use them anymore.

[ShilohRed]

I'm with WestTX if you are only going to fish 4 or 5 hooks per line I would take a brick tie to the tottom of the line. Move up 16" tie a hook and keep on moving up 12 to 16" tieing the hooks. Then tie the line off on the jug.
I fish trot lines. But I use 25 hook per line ..
PEte

[izzysfishin]

Shiloh, in Mo. the hooks have to be staged no closer than 2' apart. I only use 5 or 6 hooks because Im targeting a certain spot for a biggun. I usually stage my hooks about 4' apart just for safety sake, if you run lines you know what a 40 lb. fish can do. Alot of times I'm by myself and don't want to get hooked. I tie the main line between two trees with weight in the middle and a jug over the weight to get the depth I want. It's worked pretty well for me and their fairly easy to set, bait and run by myself.

[ShilohRed]

On my trot lines I tie my hooks every 6 ft. Also use to make a living at it. WE fished Jumper lines. There in a sq box and you run them out with the outboard motor. Then the next morning you take them back up in the box. then redo it at home to get ready to put out again that evening.
Use to fish 10 of these with anywhere from 50 hooks to 100 hooker per box.
Every box has 5 full bricks for weights. And a 20 oz coke bottle to mark it with.
I still fish these for fish frys and fun. Will be rigging up some for spring for big fish .. Big blues and Flat heads. 8/0 circle hooks and will be baited with bream and goldfish.
PEte

[westtx]

In Texas you are allowed only 5 hooks per jug.I use small coffe cans filled with concrete for wieght.The lakes we fish are 35to 40 ft at the most so more than 5 hooks may be too much anyway.We (my dad and I) usually run 10 to 12 jugs sometimes more.We catch our share and usually more(mostly blues).Another good thing about juglines is if you have the right size jug (we make them out of 4 in pipe)you can circle the jugs and stir things up and the fish will make the jugs bob like a cork.As far as bait Ive had more luck with blues and flstheads on cut shad for the big yellows it seems like perch does better.

[izzysfishin]

Flatsheads are what im after mainly. From your posts were all using the same bait, gills and goldfish. If i give the guy at the bait shop a week or so notice he saves me some huge goldfish, some of them are gold and white and up to 10 inches long. Caught a 42 pounder two years ago on one of those. I think bluegills are better though. A few years ago Mo. passed a law prohibiting gills over 5 inches for bait, broke my heart.