How deep do you set a trotline?
If cooked down, the catfish will fall apart and blend perfectly with the crabmeat. So try these methods before throwing that tasty fish back in the water. The first step for a trotline is cutting your pickets. I like to have one around 10 to 12 feet and another around 15 to 18 feet depending on the depth of the water.
What is the best trotline bait?
When targeting blue catfish or channel catfish, freshly cut parts of dead fish work best, followed by any types of
dead bait
or “stink catfish baits.”.
How much weight do you need for a trotline?
As a general rule, you’ll need a weight 2 pounds or larger First, tie a
short line
on the end of your jug opposite the hook line and make a small loop in it with an overhand knot. Use heavier line similar to the size you use for a main line on a trotline. Small concrete weights work well as anchors.
How often should you check a trotline?
To really run trotlines right you should check them every two hours throughout the night That way you’ll catch a lot more fish by keeping the hooks rebaited. If you only check it in the morning you may have two fish and 20 empty hooks.
How long should trotline drops be?
The backbone of the trotline is now complete. The short segments of line that will run between the swivels and hooks, called drops, can be attached now, along with the hooks. Ideally the drops should be 12 to 18 inches long.
Are Circle Hooks good for trotlines?
per run (even if you don’t use the new trotline model) is to switch to circle hooks. A 6/0 straight hook won’t give you half the holding power that a 6/0 circle hook will provide. They’re that good … and definitely worth the extra cost.
Why do catfish like Kool Aid?
The Kool-Aid will soak into the chunks and some of the liquid will come out of the meat to form a marinade that helps the flavor soak into the meat This makes the flavor and sweet smell permeate the chunk and means the bait will keep its flavor and smell for a long time in the water.
Do hot dogs work for catfish?
Hot dogs are a common food taken along on fishing excursions and double as
excellent catfish
bait Points to remember when using hot dogs as catfish bait include: Cheaper hot dogs seem to catch more fish.
Where do you put weights on a trotline?
Weights are attached to the trotline in the middle (depending on the length of the line you might need to weight it at quarter lengths) to keep it underwater and to prevent larger catfish from dragging the line all over the place [source: Eggertson]. Once the line is set, you can start baiting the line.
How far apart are hooks on a trotline?
A trotline consists of a 25- to 150-foot-long main line with up to 25 baited hooks on 2- to 3-foot dropper lines. To minimize tangles, attach these via swivels spaced 6 feet apart A split shot above each hook will help keep the bait near the bottom.
How many hooks does a trotline have?
A typical trotline consists of a strong nylon cord with hooks every three or four feet and weight every 15 or 20 feet to keep the line down. Missouri fishing regulations state that hooks should be no closer than two feet apart, and one line can’t have more than 33 hooks.
Where should I set my lake trotline?
Trotlines should be set where there is some kind of current A gentle lake current, such as an
inlet stream
, the fork where two streams or rivers come together, and gentle river eddies are all perfect trotline areas.
What are catfish attracted to?
Catfish are bottom feeders and are attracted to food by both sight and smell They like bright colors such as orange or red. One of the
best lures
are Cheetos puffs. The bright orange color attracts their attention and the cheesy corn smell encourages them to bite.
How many hooks can you have on a trot line in Texas?
For a trotline to be legal in Texas public freshwater, it has to meet a handful of requirements. It can’t hold more than 50 hooks , can’t have hooks closer than 3 feet apart, can’t be more than 600 feet in length and can’t have any portion (mainline, stagings, hooks) above the water’s surface.
What is the best month to catch catfish?
Late March, April, and early May are some of the best blue catfish fishing of the year for numbers of fish and also offers excellent opportunities for trophy class catfish as well. Channel catfish action is typically excellent and very consistent also.
Do catfish like deep or shallow water?
Catfish will hold on any kind of bottom, from rocks to mud, but seem to have a preference for hard bottoms, including those of clay or gravel. The depth of water can be critical. In winter and summer, catfish hold in the deepest water that has enough oxygen to support them , searching for temperatures in the mid-70s.
Do catfish bite better when the river is rising or falling?
Valued Member. Hands down falling , unless u can catch it on the rise before it moves up a foot almost right after a short rain fall, the slowly rising water will have them feeding up until its to much then they will take cover until the water recedes.
What do you soak hot dogs in for catfish?
Hot dogs soaked in a mix of cherry Kool-Aid and garlic powder have proven to be an effective catfish bait.
Does garlic attract catfish?
What is this? Garlic is a potent scent and when added to hot dogs, chicken liver, and some other baits, it can add a tremendous scent to draw in catfish and a flavor that makes catfish bite and hold on longer than they may otherwise do.
Citations
https://www.catfishconnection.com/Store/TROTLNA/TROTLINES/TROTLINES/TROTLINE-ACCESSORIES/
https://www.amazon.com/trotline/s?k=trotline