Thread: Longlining Questions?

When you rig the jig don't go thru the center but try to go thru the edge and bring the point out sooner than you normally would. That will give more hook exposed. Hope this helps. 1/32 is usually used for 6 ft or less water.

Thanks guys for your help. I'll be doing a test run in a few days to see if I can handle the lines. I'll be doing the test run on my home lake here in the Ozarks which has clear water. I be fishing at Enid Lake, Ms. in about a week, which very dingy. I will be surprised if I catch any here on the clear water lake, but I'll get a little experience before I go Ms. I got a feeling pulling jigs will be addictive ....lol At lease I got a ton of jigs to fish with....thanks guys.

Originally Posted by crappie cowboy

Thanks guys for your help. I'll be doing a test run in a few days to see if I can handle the lines. I'll be doing the test run on my home lake here in the Ozarks which has clear water. I be fishing at Enid Lake, Ms. in about a week, which very dingy. I will be surprised if I catch any here on the clear water lake, but I'll get a little experience before I go Ms. I got a feeling pulling jigs will be addictive ....lol At lease I got a ton of jigs to fish with....thanks guys.

Others may disagree, but I'd suggest starting with only 4 rods. IMO, less is more/quality over quantity. I posted earlier in this thread about that. I used to fish with 6-8 rods, drive trolling motor, watch the graph, changing jigs, reeling in fish, etc. and it can become quite a chore keeping all lines in the water when getting snagged or fish are really biting. I've since dropped back to 4 rods and catch more fish and tangle less. You gotta keep lines in the water to catch them.
What good is 6-10 rods if half of them aren't producing because of tangles and break offs? I've fished with guys who are so caught up with fishing more rods than they can handle that they lose focus on the important things. They tangle up more, so they're retying jigs more. They lose focus of boat control, miss bites because they're untangling lines, etc. You have to be a multi-tasker and a little bit OCD to longline.
Beware: Longlining can be extremely addicting!!

Originally Posted by skintback

Others may disagree, but I'd suggest starting with only 4 rods. IMO, less is more/quality over quantity. I posted earlier in this thread about that. I used to fish with 6-8 rods, drive trolling motor, watch the graph, changing jigs, reeling in fish, etc. and it can become quite a chore keeping all lines in the water when getting snagged or fish are really biting. I've since dropped back to 4 rods and catch more fish and tangle less. You gotta keep lines in the water to catch them.
What good is 6-10 rods if half of them aren't producing because of tangles and break offs? I've fished with guys who are so caught up with fishing more rods than they can handle that they lose focus on the important things. They tangle up more, so they're retying jigs more. They lose focus of boat control, miss bites because they're untangling lines, etc. You have to be a multi-tasker and a little bit OCD to longline.
Beware: Longlining can be extremely addicting!!

But.........without all those rods and all the hectic problems they occur youre missing all the fun!

Originally Posted by skintback

Others may disagree, but I'd suggest starting with only 4 rods. IMO, less is more/quality over quantity. I posted earlier in this thread about that. I used to fish with 6-8 rods, drive trolling motor, watch the graph, changing jigs, reeling in fish, etc. and it can become quite a chore keeping all lines in the water when getting snagged or fish are really biting. I've since dropped back to 4 rods and catch more fish and tangle less. You gotta keep lines in the water to catch them.
What good is 6-10 rods if half of them aren't producing because of tangles and break offs? I've fished with guys who are so caught up with fishing more rods than they can handle that they lose focus on the important things. They tangle up more, so they're retying jigs more. They lose focus of boat control, miss bites because they're untangling lines, etc. You have to be a multi-tasker and a little bit OCD to longline.
Beware: Longlining can be extremely addicting!!

I'm a newb and only pull 4. Only really bad tangle I've had was from a ginormous kitty. 4 rods keep me plenty busy. I don't think I'm catching only half what I could do with 8 rods.

Thanks, Gabowman ans Sinkermaker! I appreciate that. Another question...dove into longlining yesterday with very limited results. I had a terrible time with line twist as I think my jigs were spinning in the water. Is it a good idea to use a snap swivel on the end of the main line, then tie your rigs on a two-way barrel swivel, and snap the other end to the main line? Twist was so bad, that the reels would hardly throw, and they were newly lined. Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks.

Shoot I can see already I'll have to keep a sharp knife open and ready to a line or two...lol. I hate those white bass, I've had them tangle all my lines spider rigging before. I forgot to mention after all this that in Ms. they only allow 3 poles I believe unless they've changed. So I shouldn't have a problem getting tangled up...hopefully. Here in Ar. you can use as many as you want.

I use a snap swivel at the end of #6 line. I attach a pre tied rig to the end made from #4. If I break off I just snap another pre tied right on. I'm just getting into longlining but it works for me so far.


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You can try a swivel but it sounds more to me that you lined your reels from the bottom of the spool vrs the top of the spool which would give it ALOT of line twist. JMO...

Secret to longlining is you never stop or slow the boat while the lines are out. If you do you'll have all of them fouled on the bottom, so you reel the fish in while underway and most times you can work the fish in a straight line and avoid tangles. A long handled net helps too.

Note: Stripers, Gar, Catfish, and some other ignorant species have not read this and refuse to abide by the rules.