My leaders are 12 feet, i.e., two fathoms. I use big gun jugs. They are like noodle jugs with a plank of wood on he bottom. The fish cannot pull these under. It acts like a parachute.
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Part of jug fishing is chasing the jug around unless you go with anchored jugs. You have to spend time jug fishing just like any fishing to learn ropes. All the same principles of fishing apply. People think jug fishing is easy, they try it, and find out there's a lot more to it that randomly throwing jugs out. Jug fishing is work.
Cut bluegill is my favorite, but I can't always get fresh, so I often cure them in a 3:2:1 cure of Borax, sugar and salt. It's the same thing they use out west for salmon egg cures.
Second favorite bait is chicken gizzard. Birds don't have intestines. They have a second stomach. That gizzard is the best bait in my area. Third on the list is livers of any kind.
I generally cure all my baits in that 3:2:1 cure mentioned above. That way I can keep bait fresh for about a year.
You'll have to try different areas, depths and baits for find what works best for you. It's just like fishing any other method. There is a learning curve. I wish more people understood that.