# Your Trotline - My Prop!



## KingTut (May 19, 2005)

If I'm idling thru an eight foot deep cut off the main lake, trimmed-up 70% or more and peacefully enjoying the scenery there should be NO way I should snag your trotline! As you read this feel free to insert a few imaginary expletives because I'm holding them all back, believe me! There is a cut that connects the West Fork to Atascocita Point just east of the West Lake Houston Pkwy bridge. It's about twenty-five feet wide and as I said earlier, 8 FEET DEEP! If you can't hide your trotline in those conditions, you need to go back to trotline school or give-up the sport all together! 

All my fishing years, and that's a bunch, I listened to stories about trotline fisherman finding their lines all cut-up and fish missing. And I always sided with the trotline fisherman thinking poor Dude, some sorry lowlife just tore his stuff up to be mean. Well now I have a whole new perspective! My prop found a brand new line, clean and shiny, no rust on any hooks and no algae on the tar line yet. It was still completely baited as if the owner had just started his career in the field of trotline-must be watching too much Discovery Channel! The previous owner of this trotline, I have it now, tied it off between two tree limbs just below the surface. I say just below, but who knows how far, suffice to say just far enough for my Yamaha to find it! I didn't know I was caught on anything until I reached the end of the slack in the line and my boat, moving forward at slow idle, came to a stop and went into the strangest and most unusual reverse motion! About ten or twelve feet in reverse! I was at first completely flabbergasted! What in the world(again, I'm REALLY holding back on the four letter words here!) could slowly slingshot a nineteen foot boat into reverse ten or twelve feet!? And then I saw the trotline as it came to the surface and revealed its anchoring from either side of this public water way! At first I thought no problem. I'll just move it off my lower unit and be on my merry way. I trimmed-up my outboard all the way outa the water and instantly became a not so happy camper! Wrapped around my prop was a tangle of green 200lb test gator line with stainless steel clips, big black heavy duty hooks and swivels all caught up and jammed into the crevice of the prop and prop shaft housing of my lower unit. I reached as far over as I could and cut the line with my knife. Dead in the water and very little power left in my trolling motor battery, I was left to paddle power of which I am not a big fan of! I managed to move to a shallower portion of this snake infested canal and found a spot where I could get out and commence emergency propeller surgery! The leaders, clips and hooks required removal with a trusty Gerber super tool-MacGyver style. I got out of the boat and found myself in soft mud clean up to my knee caps! Of course being a diabetic, I can't afford a foot injury so I completely ruined a pair of shoes! After a half hour, the surgery proved successful, the patient will recover and I was on my way. On the casting deck is what remains of the trotline. Cut into a thousand pieces and all the hooks, clips and swivels bent and/or cut-up. 

So whoever belongs to this fishing equipment, I'll trade you. Your trotline for a new pair of $70 Nikes-size 11EE!


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## bueyescowboy (Apr 10, 2005)

well it looks like you kinda won the battle. I have a feeling the guy will learn not to put a trotline there. sounds like the trotline guy kinda knew what he was doing with that gear..i d have to inspect it. so maybe his weight to keep the line down broke. I ve had that happen...but then again i ve seen experienced fisherman put their trot line in the wrong place..( i have done the same) and usually that will only happen once. 3 summers ago....i was out at the 190 rd bed as a commerical fishman was checking his line he had strung close to the rd bed. I told him that I didn't expect the line to stay there long. Not that I was going to touch it..but it was just a matter of time before some troller snagged it. Sure enough later that day I watched a boat run right over his buoy. Needless to say it was gone two days after. I know the commerical fisherman...and he's like me....it takes to much time and effort to drop a line only to find it tore up the next day. He moved it quick and haven't seen another back out there.....so


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## markbrumbaugh (Jul 13, 2010)

There's a commercial dude that is starting to get real close to one of my favorite trolling points. But he has his weighted pretty good so far. I sure hate trolling up a trotline. But better than winding it on a prop.


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## dan_wrider (Jun 21, 2011)

Tut, did I have any fish on it? 

LOL Just kidding man. Sounds like a nightmare.


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## Sunbeam (Feb 24, 2009)

Like you I normally side with the trot liner when it comes to folks deliberately cutting lines. I have seen trollers pull up a line out in open water and cut it instead of just freeing their lure. That is a blatant disregard for other peoples property.
But in your case it seems more than justified. To place any unattended fishing device in a restricted channel in just an out and out NO NO.
By the description of the gear, the owner was not a rookie. Using tarred line and clips would indicate an experienced fisherman.
Glads you got free with not lasting damage. I hope the trot liner sees the error of his ways. If he puts another line in that area it will be cut again.
As they say....you just can't fix stupid.


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## Danny O (Apr 14, 2010)

KingTut said:


> you need to go back to trotline school ...


LOL


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## Plant guy (Apr 22, 2012)

Frustrating indeed. I'm assuming the trot liner didn't have his info attached to his gear? There's plenty of irresponsible fisherman out there. Sorry this one cost you.


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## pYr8 (Apr 17, 2012)

I've run into many up on the river, unmarked, untagged, no jug... I'm guessing they are either thinking they are going stealth to avoid poachers or just not thinking at all. Sure is frustrating getting untangled from the mess, regardless...


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

Hooking a trot line while trolling or slabbing is not in the same ball park as your engine getting wound in one. No matter what a trot liner does, it would be possible to catch it trolling or slabbing. To have a trotline so near the surface as to catch an engine is pure disrepect for everyone else on the lake. The line can ruin your lower unit seal!


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

[email protected]^%!


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## tbone2374 (Feb 27, 2010)

You're the one Dammit!!!


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## markbrumbaugh (Jul 13, 2010)

Whitebassfisher said:


> Hooking a trot line while trolling or slabbing is not in the same ball park as your engine getting wound in one. No matter what a trot liner does, it would be possible to catch it trolling or slabbing. To have a trotline so near the surface as to catch an engine is pure disrepect for everyone else on the lake. The line can ruin your lower unit seal!


Man I sure agree. No tag or name? I might be inclined to call and let them know their weight came off.


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