Jug Lines

[JettyJumper]

Do y'all jug line? I have for a while now but only in tanks. I need a good rig for this... I ususally just use a Prestone Anti-freeze jug (thouroly cleaned and then cleaned again) with a section of 15' of 350 lbs test nylon line or carpenters line from Wally-Mart. with 8/0 circle hooks and a chunk of lead (5lbs) to wieght it down. Is that soundin right to y'all?

[Hawkeye]

I'm thinking that jug-fishing is about as much a personal choice as the rest of the fishing you can do. People will pick and choose "tackle" for all manner of fishing based on our own likes and dislikes. I think the bottom line here is, do you catch fish with your set-up? If so, then I believe it's perfect. If not, then it probably needs a little adjustment....

[JettyJumper]

Well yes I have cought fish with it but most times the bait (bluegill or mudcat) is just nibbled at. and most of the cats that I catch are tangled up in the line by the time I get to them. Since I only jug-fish in tanks, I usually just set the line in the evenin and the go back teh next mornin to run it. I just want to see what y'all use so maybe I can spin off that with my own rig.....JJ

[Lobo Jim]

I believe regs require a white jug we use clorox jugs with name and date jug was put in water wrote on jugs with mark a lot. We have picked up 30lb blues and yellows up to 40 lbs, two hook drop, first hook down from jug 3 ft and 2nd hook 6 ft dowm from 1st. Live bait works best for us if we want Yellows.
Lobo Jim

[JettyJumper]

"I believe regs require a white jug"by lobo jim.

Yes they do requier white jugs however I am fishin private waters so I don't mind the rules...haha. thanx for the input y'all...JJ

[NightTrain]

Jumper,

There's jugline fishin' and there's jug fishin' ... jugline bein' stationary.To prevent as many tangles,check it more often.

[fishomaniac]

I ain't sure Jetty Jumper, but 5# of lead seems like an awful lot for a jugline. That sounds more like a throwline weight. the beauty of a jugline is the flotation provides the resistance. of course you have to chase down your jug. I've caught plenty of fish on throwlines too. Set the line length fairly shallow for night on your jugs, as they will end up close to the bank from the wind, and that is where the catfish will be prowling at night. If I ain't right be sure to set me straight. I'd rather be embarassed than skunked anyday!

[JettyJumper]

fishomaniac, I have expermted all types of weight and 5# seems to perform the best. i have seen one cat just run completly around the tank for 5 minutes with out the jug even submergin. with all that I would've figured on him gettin hooked, but for some strange reason he didn't: just ripped the bait off. thats why I oupted for a larger wieght. seein that I am only fishin in a tank not a lake, I don't have to chase it anywhere but from one side of the tank to the other, at the most 150 yards.....

nighttrain, I am jug fishin. free floatin with a weight at the bottom. I check it often when I set it durin the day, atleast every other hour or so and then sometimes I leave it over night(thats when the tangles happen)...JJ

[NightTrain]

Fishomaniac,
I fish jugs often,and if Jettyjumper's talkin' 'bout those,you are correct,suh.
However,it's my understanding that a jugline is like a vertical trotline...weighted at one end and float on the other...now,if I'm wrong ya'll feel free to school me.

[NightTrain]

OH, sorry ,jumper,ya posted while I won't lookin'!!

[JettyJumper]

im not usin a 'free flotin line' im usin an 'anchoredline' ...i got schooled at this link, http://members.aol.com/jackfish7/jugline.html#Anchored ...JJ

[JettyJumper]

i like the name of this place...mmmmmmmmmmmmm..LOL http://www.whiskerkitty.com/juglines/main2.html ... my style!!! LOL....JJ

http://www.catfishbaitsoap.com/catfishbaitwebheader.jpg

[fishomaniac]

My sincere apologies for speaking of something I know nothing about. I honestly have never even heard of the concept. Sounds sort of like a weighted throwline with a float to mark it. If your tank fishing why not just use a throwline or limbline? I cut my teeth as a youngster putting throwlines on my grampa's tanks. He really wasn't too interested in catfish, But if I caught him a turtle now and then he was plenty happy.

[fishomaniac]

LOL Jetty Jumper, I would like to catch a catfish that was already "cleaned"!

[JettyJumper]

if I could I would. there is one tree on the tank bank. and a trowline is OK but tangles are even worse than the jugs so just use the jugs. yea and throwin them lines are dangerous. I had a friend that throwin one and he tripped or something and the hook cought him on the right arm in the inside (oppositte of his elbow). almost punctured that vain there. since the line was tied VERY TIGHT to the dock and he couldn't unknott it, he was stuck there. I had to go cut him loose when I got there a few minutes later....JJ

[JettyJumper]

LOL Jetty Jumper, I would like to catch a catfish that was already "cleaned"!
i wonder how clean they get?

[fishomaniac]

Your'e dead-on on the safety factor. I been stuck all kinds of ways on throwlines, trotlines, and crankbaits. Lack of bank structure to tie to is a problem so now I understand this method. I don't see how you can prevent the tangles though, since you have that vertical line right next to the fish. Maybe 2 weights spaced apart to keep the fish away from the float line?

[JettyJumper]

so far I haven't been stuck from a throw line, jug line, etc. yet. thank the good lord. althoogh I have had my unlucky fair share of trebe hooks stuck in my hand. just today I had a bass come unbuttoned and the bait came flyin outa the water and stuck me on the kneee. That hurt bad....:cry:

[NightTrain]

I've read where down in Texas and various other southern places that 2-3 ''hooklines" on one jug is common.Seems even if they're spaced that a world of tangles would be common also.I only do 1 hook/1jug.Ain't worth the trouble for a couple of extra fish.One thing that I DEFINATELY do is stay with my float.I'm there when the jug goes down,or off to the races, or whereever.Cuts down on losin' the fish and people helpin' ya work the jugs...if ya know what I mean.

[JettyJumper]

night train, I have never heard of a 'hook line', please tell me more.. i'm still kinda new to juggin... thats a cool word, juggin. LOL....JJ

[fishomaniac]

If it goes in past the barb I have had good luck using the blade of my pocket knife and running it up the inside of the curve of the hook and pulling the skin over the barb. I discovered this on lake travis one day when I was flyfishing and the white bass started tearing it up in a school. I was having fun till a missed hookset caused a streamer fly to get stuck in the corner of my eye. I went to the truck and tried to pull it out, I definatley didn't want to miss the great fishing and go to a doctor. I tried it and it worked. It has worked since, knock on wood. I must sound like a klutz!

[JettyJumper]

I'll keep that in mind fishomaniac. I just hope I dont hafta use it... just believe me, you aint as big as a klutz as me!

[NightTrain]

Jettyjumper-

By hooklines I meant leaders to hooks stemming from the main line...kinda like a double-drop bottom fishing rig ya use in saltwater.
And,yes,"juggin'"is a very cool word!!:cool:

[TXPalerider]

5 lbs seems like a lot of weight to me. I use 1# weights and lots of people I know use 1/2# railroad spikes. If you are having problems with tangling, your line is probably to long with to much slack for the fish to tangle up. Try to keep the line length within 3-4 ft of the depth of the water. Also, use swivels on your drops. I use 9" drops spaced 3 to 5 ft apart. And I never put more than 3 hooks on a jug. Although, I know people who regularly use 5 hooks. Also, if you are leaving them overnight, try using circle hooks to help prevent twist offs. Good luck!!

[Kutter]

Are you using tarred line? That really helps stop the tangling.

[TXPalerider]

Are you using tarred line? That really helps stop the tangling.
Ditto. Tarred is the way to go and it's available at your local Wally World.

[JettyJumper]

Are you using tarred line? That really helps stop the tangling.
yessir. I just set my new rig out a few minutes ago. I hope I get a goodun!

[BottomedOut]

JJ were did u put it out, In a river, lake, or tank.

[JettyJumper]

reedys back tank! cought some nice 3# blues today on de hoppas!

[mudd_catt]

I don't know if you have any livestock that gets in the tank when you aren't there, but if you don't here is something to try. Try running a trotline from one side of the bank to the other. Anchor one end to the tree that you spoke of, then "walk" the other end of the line around the bank till you get to the spot where you want it to fish. By trial and error you will find the "sweet spot", and put the line there from then on. The beauty of this is that you don't have to chase a jug, rarely have long tangles, and get the fish in fairly easy. One word of caution, if you are prone to snatch a really BIG fish, you might want to have someone helping to pull the line while you net the fish.

BTW, watch out for the hooks!

[JettyJumper]

well i have cattle at one tank, horses at another on another piece of land and exotica animals on the other piece of land.... just might try it though

[NightTrain]

well i have cattle at one tank, horses at another on another piece of land and exotica animals on the other piece of land.... just might try it thoughI don't tink dat be agood idea,JJ.Ever ****** a bull off with a circle hook tied to a tree...might not have to worry 'bout dat tree nomore!

[JettyJumper]

I don't tink dat be agood idea,JJ.Ever ****** a bull off with a circle hook tied to a tree...might not have to worry 'bout dat tree nomore!

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm maybe your right bro...... but i would put the line on the tank with the exotic animlas on it.... not much that would mess with, but i aint fer sure... maybe i should rethink that.........

[TROB]

the best way to keep down on the tangles is using swivels and a rig set up that medula posted earlier.


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[Tiny]

in-fisherman's catfish guide had my jugline rig in their magazine but I can't remember what issue ... think it was 2003 but I used to use them swim noodles to make my jugs ... easy to see and stand up when you have a fish on them... in texas they have a regulation that all of them must be white so I doubt that'd work for texas ... unless a feller could paint um and it stay on the noodle ... never seen any at walmart that were white. ... if you put them in a lake and aren't tending to them constantly you'll need a pretty good weight on bottom cause if they're out there with an 8 ounce sinker or less weight fish will drag them many miles from where you set them. I used to make my weights out of concrete mix and a 32 oz styrofoam cup with a heavy copper wire to tie to but you can buy those red bricks for 30 cents each and they work just as well ... broken in half is just about the right size for juglines. we have a regulation that you can't use metal weights in oklahoma so it's gotta be some kinda rock material

[mudd_catt]

There is a slight difference in what you guys are using and what we use here on the TN river. The jugs we use are free-floating and drift around with the current or wind. I have used and seen examples of what you guys are referring to, but I found the idea in an issue of catfish insider magazine. These are easier than running trotlines, but don't cover as large an area.