Trotlines and jugs

[whiskerfish]

Wanted to know if anyone is planning to trotline or jug fish with the change in regulations this year? I grew up in the South, and I quite often ran trotlines/jugs.

[eyedaddy]

Trotline up here folks think you are talking about crabbing. I don't know of anyone that uses a trotline for fish up here. Check the DNR website before you go. Good Luck with it and keep us up to speed on how you do.

eyedaddy

[whiskerfish]

Trotline up here folks think you are talking about crabbing. I don't know of anyone that uses a trotline for fish up here. Check the DNR website before you go. Good Luck with it and keep us up to speed on how you do.

eyedaddy

eyedaddy, this year is the first year is has been legal to trotline for fish in Maryland (tidal and nontidal). Just curious to see if anyone was going to get in on the fish trotline action now that the regs have changed. I know I plan on it! On thing about it though is that you can't use "scaled bait" on the hooks... I figure I'll just use shrimp or soap for cats when I can eventually get around to it.

[Cowpokey]

I was thinking trotlining for crabs also. Catching fish on a trotline doesn't appeal to me; I enjoy fishing with a rod/reel for critters with fins/gills/tails. I may try trot lining for crab though...if I can get someone to show me how or figure it out on my own. I've never been crabbing, but did get a crab stamp.

[whiskerfish]

I was thinking trotlining for crabs also. Catching fish on a trotline doesn't appeal to me; I enjoy fishing with a rod/reel for critters with fins/gills/tails. I may try trot lining for crab though...if I can get someone to show me how or figure it out on my own. I've never been crabbing, but did get a crab stamp.

Yeah, I understand. Catfish trotlining and jugging is a much bigger thing down south. When I first moved to MD a few years ago, I was a bit shocked to see that trotlines for cats weren't legal.

I went crabbing with a buddy for the first time last year and we used a trotline. It was a lot different that trotlining for cats because pretty much as soon as you put the lines down for crabs you are picking them up. For cats, I've always left them several hours or overnight before checking. it was a lot of fun though!

[Cowpokey]

The only crabbing I've done was in Alaska with pots, we had two of them (recreational license) for our (dad's) charter boat. Best thing I've eaten out of salt water was fresh snow crab that was alive less than an hour before it hit the pot of boiling water. After getting spoiled on fresh crab up there, I can't hardly stomach Alaskan crab in the lower 48, since it's been cooked and flash frozen... :P

People used to set trot lines for catfish back home (South Dakota), I guess if the goal is substance fishing that's cool. I fish for sport, and don't take that many home for eating.

[whiskerfish]

I can only imagine how good those crabs were... You're also spot on about it being substance fishing. When I do put some lines or jugs out, it will probably not be in the Potomac, as I'll be doing it for the freezer. I, too, really enjoy stick fishing, and can't wait to try it out for the first time in my kayak...I'm still a noob when it comes to that.

[MOHAWK135]

I'm definately going to do some jugging this year, I think it is going to be a blast to watch my son chase down the fish! Haven't run a line since I was a kid with my Pop and I might wait till next year to teach my son how. I found a simple design using pool noodles for jugs that I thimk I will use.

[moc]

I was thinking trotlining for crabs also. Catching fish on a trotline doesn't appeal to me; I enjoy fishing with a rod/reel for critters with fins/gills/tails. I may try trot lining for crab though...if I can get someone to show me how or figure it out on my own. I've never been crabbing, but did get a crab stamp.

I run a trotline on my Hobie Revo. Here are two videos that might help you out...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-6szLs91ns

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJc4gfMzVGU

[whiskerfish]

Mohawk, jugs should be a lot of fun in a kayak for sure! That's one of the first things I'm doing.

Moc, great videos. I think there will definitely be some different dynamics on trotlining for cats with all the hooks and potentially 20-30+ pound fish on the end of the line...

[echo5oscar]

I would run jug lines from a kayak, not sure I would attempt running a trot line for catfish though. Can be too much action if you have a few fish on at the same time. Then mix in any current or wind, and just complicates things even more. Just my thoughts...

[whiskerfish]

I would run jug lines from a kayak, not sure I would attempt running a trot line for catfish though. Can be too much action if you have a few fish on at the same time. Then mix in any current or wind, and just complicates things even more. Just my thoughts...

I agree that if done, it would need to be done with caution. I would think one of the best things ever for this scenario would be to use trotline clips. Pull up to a hook and remove it from the line before moving on. Same thing for baiting one out. Still, I bet it could be pretty tricky if there are multiple fish on, and even more so if there are some big ones...

I have seen several kayak trotline setups for crabs with the pvc keeping the line out of the water. Possibly could be an application for cats too, but I would then wonder if a fish could roll a yak on that side if it was big enough...hhhmmm