# How to make a trotline



## Flyingvranch

Folks I have added a new posting to my fishing blog about how to make and set out a trotline. I hope you find my blog and website useful!
Have a great Saturday!
Bud


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## ChuChu

Good write up. When I made my trotlines, I cut 1/4" copper tubing a 1/4" long and slide one on the line, then a swivel, and another copper sleeve, and crimp the sleeves in place,` and continued till I had 52 swivels. Two of the swivels are for attaching weights. I made three of these about 20 years ago and still use them today. After taking the lines up, I string them along my chainlink fence and let them dry before storing.


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## whsalum

Great blog !! Lots of different ways to do this and this one will definitely work. Over the years I started dropping a car rim and attaching a 50-100ft piece of mule tape to it, tie my lead line to a loop in the eye of the mule tape and adjust the depth of the line strictly by length of the line on the jugs used to float it. I tied the initial jug on it, stretch my line and tie the rim to the far end, pull the line until the lone jug almost goes under. I then go back and put my stagings , bait and the rest of my floats.This eliminates the need for additional weights. I store mine on plastic wire spool so when I get ready to put them back out I put a screwdriver in the center hole and they unwind just like coming off a reel. Most of my methods were developed from doing it by myself( my wife doesn't catfish) over the years. In Texas we are allowed 100 total hooks and no more than 50 per line. I always make mine with 33 hooks per line, that gives me 3 sets and I'm still legal.


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## ChuChu

I believe in a tight trotline, I tie to a stump on each end, add two 1 pound weights about 20 ft. from each end. Then I stretch the line, picking the weights off bottom and then feel just as the weights to touch bottom and tie it off there. I do not "mark" where my lines are, I don't like others "looking at them. I run them every four hours.


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## whsalum

I set mine many times over open water ridges where there is nothing to tie to, that's why I started dropping my rims for weights. I to like mine fiddle string tight. When I stretch them I drop the second rim just as my first jug goes under the water. The line will be straight as an arrow and as tight as Dick's hat band lol. I have to say the parts of Lake Livingston I've fished I've never had a problem with people running my lines.


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## Flyingvranch

Great tips guys! Thanks and let's keep them coming!


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## whsalum

Great thread, thanks for starting it, we never get to old learn.


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## ChuChu

I failed to mention I set my lines out in the river. Lot different from a lake.


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## whsalum

Absolutely ChuChu. When I fished the river I tied mine underneath the surface LOL. Here are a couple of snap shots of my lead lines when I take them up or put them out. I put the coffee cup in the pic for size comparison and the screwdriver to show how I put them out. There are 33 loops on each one of these spools. They will store in my 1 gallon shad bucket. Not a lot of wasted space for my 100 hooks


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## Flyingvranch

whsalum said:


> Great thread, thanks for starting it, we never get to old learn.


I agree! There are many ways that my ancestors fished on the Trinity in years past that are highly questionable nowadays. I remember my Dad teaching me how to build a trotline in the early 60's.


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## ChuChu

Showing my age, I use wire spools also. But mine are metal. I use a styrofoam ice chest to keep my weights and stagings in. Stick the hooks in the top edge, keeps them from getting tangled.


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## ChuChu




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## whsalum

Please excuse the detailed graphics LOL. I put loops in my lead line every 18 ft for stagings. This allows me to bait a hook without getting the next one in the boat. It's a life saver when you have a big fish or when the lake is rough.The length on the float lines and jug lines control my depth. I stretch the lead line on my initial pass and place stagings , bait and floats on the second pass down the line. When I drop it the second time I'm fishing. On Livingston I make my jug and float lines just long enough for a boat to cross them, usually 24" which puts me fishing 36" deep. If I want to go deeper I simply put longer lines on my floats and jugs.


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## Flounder7783

*Any help would be great*

Just wanted to clarify, are you wanting your bait to be suspended in the water? I thought the bait was to be on the bottom. But looking at the pictures above it seems that yall put em where they are not on the bottom. Planning to go to texana in may and have built a few trot lines using the clips for it. Never used the clips before but seems like it will work well. Caught a few hundred green slick n guggli pearch for bait. Was gonna get some crawfish n nightcrawlers and alternate em on the hooks. Never had much luck with doe stink bait. Anything else yall would recomend to use for bait? Thanks for any help.


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## whsalum

I always suspend my trot lines. Just a personal preference but I fish closer to the surface than I do to the bottom. You can adjust the depth by making your jug lines shorter or longer. I like goggle eyes if I'm fishing for Flatheads but prefer string on pumpkin seed perch, shad or cut bait for blues.Good luck.


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## ChuChu

I have always suspended my baits.


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## Category6

I like a lot of this info, but I won't use J hooks due to safety concerns in the river. If you get caught in the current and your boat gets swept up while the line is in your hand then you have a better chance of not going over with a hook in your hand with circle hooks.


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## whsalum

Bump !!!!


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## ChuChu

I'll throw one more safety hint, do not ever bring a set trot line into the boat while running it! I start at one end and pull the boat along with the line outside the boat. If you have caught a larger fish, he may not show any life till he is brought to the surface and tem can make a run. When that happens, I can let go of the line and go get it again. Play it down, then net him. As long as the line and hooks stay outside the boat, there is little chance of being hooked yourself.


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## whsalum

Great point ChuChu, The floats that I put on mine makes it where you don't have far to go pick it up again. The bigger Ops can pull it through your hands pretty quick if you can't turn it loose.


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## ChuChu

And this is what I use to pick my lines up so I don't have to lean over the side of the boat.


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## sm000

Lots of great methods here. Thanks for everyone's input.


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## cva34

ChuChu said:


> And this is what I use to pick my lines up so I don't have to lean over the side of the boat.


Got one and its also great for snagging a JUG line too..even removed a snake or 2 out of boat that fell off limbs


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## whsalum

Mine is the same principle but is made out of 1/2 inch PVC pipe with caps on each end with a hook drilled and bolted in the middle :smile:


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## McSpoon

Whsalum , thanks for posting those pics. I like the idea of no wasted space, those are compact for sure.


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## whsalum

McSpoon said:


> Whsalum , thanks for posting those pics. I like the idea of no wasted space, those are compact for sure.


No Problem, those 3 spools will hold 99 hooks and fit in a small shad bucket.


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