How do you keep your hooks from getting tangled up when storing trotlines.
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How do you keep your hooks from getting tangled up when storing trotlines.
I'm no expert on it, but if you can get a commercial fisherman to show
ya how to build "jumper boxes", then you will be set.
I have a couple I built years ago after looking at some - you can put
a 100 hook line in each one, already baited, then stack them on top of
each other. Put them out at fast idle too, but watch them hooks ;)
Take the hooks off and stick them in something like a piece of styrofoam and then just roll up the main line.
First, buy a roll of aluminum foil. Then, cut strips slightly wider than the hook about 6" long. Then, simply wrap them around the hooks to the main line and roll them onto your trotline reel. They will hold the hooks to the line and prevent them from becoming tangled. I have had good success with this method, but you may or may not be able to reuse the strips.
I have also seen folks use snap swivels and simply remove the hooks until the trotline is actually placed in the water. Me, I prefer the tinfoil.
jump box, definitely. take four pieces of cypress 1 x 4 and a square piece of plywood and make a box with a plywood bottom. then take a handsaw and make small notches around the edge for the hooks to wedge in.
rushcreekoutdoor
This takes some time, but will last for years:
Get some electrical tape, and some 1/4 in clear soft plastic tubing (like you might use installing an ice maker).
Cut the tubing into pieces approx 1.5 in long.
Using a piece of scrap wood as a base, and a drill bit approx the same size as your hook (slightly larger doensn't hurt), drill a hole through the side about 1/4 in from one end of the 1.5 in pieces of tube. It doesn't matter if you drill through one side of the tube, or all the way through. This only needs to be done on one end of each 1.5 in piece.
Cut a straight line from the hole you just drilled to the closest end (approx 1/4 in). Whether you drilled one hole, or all the way through to create two holes, this cut only happens on one side/hole. <--This is your hook holder.
Use electrical tape on the end WITHOUT the hole(s). Tape each of the pieces of tubing to the trot line FACING THE SAME DIRECTION (ie: if it's on the left side of the swivel, the hook holder should face away from the swivel, and all other hook holders will need to be to the left of their swivel). Use "normal" tension when taping to the trot line, NOT TOO TIGHT. The tape will stick perfectly to the tubing and loosely to the trot line, allowing it to slide up and down the trot line between swivels.
You simply hook each hook into its holder, slide the holder out parallel to the trot line (if you taped it too loosely to the trot line, it will not keep the leader parallel), and roll it up like it's all one line. Never take the hooks off again! And if you ever get it tangled, it's as easy to untangle as your anchor rope.
I know it may sound complicated 'cause I've given so many details, but it's not hard to do or very expensive (<$5). I've done this to all of my trot lines and jug lines; it sure does make it quick/easy to get them out/put them up. And they take up WAY less space than a jump box.
If you need some pics, let me know and I'll take some to post.
Any pics of a "jumper box"
It is kinda bulky, but a Styrofoam cooler is what I use. just stick the points of the hook in the top edge of the cooler, and let the line fall in the cooler. just don't turn it over and you are set for the next time you want to use it. Just be sure to mark what end you start with or you will have a mess.
Not sure what you mean by jumper box but this is what I do.Quote:
Originally Posted by J White
I use a #3 wash tube and put an inner ring screwed to the tub with about an inch gap then tie the tag end to the handle of the tub. Then hang the hooks on the inner ring and you shouldn't have to worry about them getting tangled. Sure makes it easy to put out the line the next time.
Also like J White said, I put my line out at an idle and bait as I put the line out and throw the hook as far as I can. My hooks are spaced out at 15' so when the hook is thrown, the next hook is ready without having to pull all that extra line off the tub. I stob a pole every 5-7 hooks, depending on how many hooks I am setting. The only draw back to this is if you are not used to doing this you can get hooked very easily.
Warren
I'll see if I can get a picture - mine were built when I dabbled in
commercial fishing long time ago. Figured out it was too much like
work for me :D The man, Ernie, who sort of showed me the ropes,
would have probably 1500-2000 hooks worth sitting in his boat in boxes
at one time. Had a sort of turntable on a swivel the box sat on as he
motored along putting them out. They put out baited, then took them up -
no "running and rebaiting" like I was used to. Last time I went to see him,
he was cleaning probably a 100 pounds, and was disgusted - said he
wouldn't even have put out if he'd known he'd catch no more than that :)
But then, he did this for a living. He used tiny little hooks, #4 Mustads,
not a 4/0, a #4, and baited with pieces of skipjack no bigger than your
fingernail. He let these "age" for several days in closed five gallon buckets
in the backyard - took me out there and showed me one day, WHEW!
what a smell. Oh, and he weighted his lines with spikes and "curly Q's"
he picked up walking the RR tracks - which btw I think is illegal to do now.