Great responses on the trotline question. And to answer for myself I love to run lines and I do it to feed my family. We eat a

[CPT BRAD]

Great responses on the trotline question. And to answer for myself I love to run lines and I do it to feed my family. We eat a lot of fish and its a real producer when you need to fill the freezer. My follow up question is I am fishing about four feet deep and getting my lines stripped daily. Do I need to move to deeper water? I have assorted hooks on them so far none bent or lost. I am using trotline minnows, I'm fishing for Catfish, What do you guys use?

[jay]

you may want to try using cut bait such as shad or skip jack. It seems to stay on the hook better and is less prone to bluegills/perch etc stealing the bait.

[haresear]

I run lines all the time for catfish and the best bait I have found is Bluegills about 2 1/2" is what I always find in their bellies when I clean them so I figure they like those the best. If you are fishing where there are gar, I would bet they are stripping you clean. They will run down the line and take them all. I use a 4/0 circle hook and they are worth the effort to replace what you have now.

[Jim in Mo]

Sounds to me like your having problems with turtles eating your bait. I'd change locations and go into deeper moving water.

[texastriedandtrue]

in my opinion you have a problem with either gar turtles or bluegill/crappie i would use live blugill or fresh cut shad and even worms and see what happens odds are your luck will improve and you may find out the culprit to your bait snatching

[CPT BRAD]

Thanks guys I have caught both Gar and Turtles so I'd say you're right! :P It came a major front through here last night and the creek is up a foot. I'm going out tomorrow to move the lines, its been a pain in the butt today not being able to get on the water due to 20+ MPH winds. I HATE having lines in the water and not being able to get to them!

[texastriedandtrue]

capt brad what are you fishing for cats wise channels flats or blues personally i put lines on ledges where i can go from 4ft of water to about 10+ usually try to go from one side of a creek to another however i usually go after flats for the channels and blues i like to fish creek channels in between brush and other timber good luck out there and let us know what ya catch

[dwaynez]

Not sure what hooks you are using, but I only use circle hooks on my lines, whether it be throw line, trotline, or jug line. I use Eagleclaw Sea Circle hooks 4/0 to 8/0 depending on the average size of the fish.

Good Luck with those lines, I agree they are a great way to put food in the freezer, my family eats fish at least 2 times a week.

[Jim in Mo]

Brad,
That is the problem with trot lines. You know there are fish on them and you can't get to them. I check the weather forcast before I set out a line. No need to work for nothing.

[jbird]

Tie a brick in the middle, then you end up fishing multiple depths. I use livers n stink baits for channels, bluegills for flats and blues.

[rudyglove27]

Agreed with Jim in Mo answer above and A + 1 for you sir!!!