[txthumper1691]

has anyone had any really good luck running trotlines this time of year? If so, a lil help would go a long way. bait, water depth, trotline depth, stuff like this would help. I have been running some in a few lil coves here on lake Belton, water temp around 65-70, depth 15-30' trotline depth from 7-15'. baited hook have cut shad and chicken liver, chum is dog food in mesh bag tied to a tree stump in th middle of th cove dropped down 10' ( dog food floats, so I tied a rock to bag) also soured maize in 5 gal bucket w/holes in it. Very little luck, a couple here an there. blues and channels only, which is what I want, just want more. PLEASE HELP

 

[willcat]

I think it all dwepends where ur at first of all. I dont fish here so not familiar, maybe someone else will chime in later. But just cuz u use the chum doesnt mean it will bring them in, they have to be there first, of course u know that already!!:wink: sounds to me like u may have to move a little shallower, maybe even a different spot, the ones u caught might be fish just moving through the area feeding, but not present in significant #'s.....just a thought good luck running ur lines, and be safe if u run them by urself. Make sure u have ur knife real handy just in case(like strapped to ur leg or on ur belt)

 

[catman4926]

THIS IS GETTING CLOST TO THERE SPAN YOU NEED TO FISH THE SHOLLOWS FISH FEED IN THE SHALLOW WATER BECAUSE THATS WHERE THE BAIT IS. AND HAS FOR THE CHUM I THINK YOU ARE WASTEING YOUR TIME THE WATER IS WARMING UP AND THERE IS PLENTY OF BAIT AND THAT IS WHAT THERE AFTER. CRAWFISH IS A REAL GOOD BAIT THIS TIME OF YEAR:smile2:

 

[orion_xxvx]

Most people just anchor them in ideal locations and try a variety of baits. Cut shad or bluegill is a good choice.

 

[txthumper1691]

thanks guys. thats kinda what I was thinkin, but wasnt sure of. my knife stays on my belt whether I'm in th boat or in th field. thats a given. good lookin out tho, thanks. no need for chum tho huh? ok, so just use my cast net and get some fresh shad or bluegill and go from there, thats what you are sayin? will do.

 

[willcat]

nah. i mostly use the chum when fishing over a hole, just bait ur trotline & leave it, see what u get out of it!!!! don't leave it too long, don't klnow bout where u are but ppl check lines here all the time, so if u don't somebody else will, then u'll never know if u had anything or if they just took ur bait:confused2::wink:

 

[jtrew]

NOTE: I'm gonna have to use some bad language here, so please stop here if you're easily offended.

Think bass!
Cats are attracted to the same type of cover as largemouth bass, so let that be your guide. Don't bother with a cove unless it has both stumps and some kind of creek or branch channel out to the main lake. Just like in bass fishing, the channel doesn't have to be deep, but it has to be there. Of course, a deeper channel with a stump row along it would be even better, but we have to take what we can find. Try running a line where a shallow point runs off into fairly deep water. Stump flats can be great; I've caught blues up to 20# in knee-deep water on trotlines this time of year. And don't forget submerged timber in water up to 12'-15' deep, running your lines 6'-10' deep. You'll have to avoid trying to use long trotlines, but if you spend enough time with your recorder, you can almost always fine some pretty clear paths, some long enough to run a 25-hook line; other lines may have to be as short as 5-10 hooks. Using a piece of inner tube or heavy duty bungee cord on each end of the trotline is always a good idea, but with those short lines, it's almost an absolute necessity. And remember, if you don't hang a line up occasionally, you ain't fishin where the fish are.

 

[catfisherman_eky3]

Hey I seen one guy this year running a trot line across the river and he says he sells fish to resturaunts and markets and stuff, well I asked him if he did any good he said he caught about 300 pound of cat fish.

 

[kat in the hat]

has anyone had any really good luck running trotlines this time of year? If so, a lil help would go a long way. bait, water depth, trotline depth, stuff like this would help. I have been running some in a few lil coves here on lake Belton, water temp around 65-70, depth 15-30' trotline depth from 7-15'. baited hook have cut shad and chicken liver, chum is dog food in mesh bag tied to a tree stump in th middle of th cove dropped down 10' ( dog food floats, so I tied a rock to bag) also soured maize in 5 gal bucket w/holes in it. Very little luck, a couple here an there. blues and channels only, which is what I want, just want more. PLEASE HELP

I caught a 48# flat May 6th last spring on a trotline, on a hunk of cut shad. 2 of us caught our daily limit (5 each/day) of blues, and almost limited out on channels (10 each/day) 2 days in a row. The flat was caught in 5' of water or less by a log on a mud flat that was recently flooded. Caught a couple of smaller flats too. The blues were caught in about 10-12' feet of water in a rocky, woody bend in the old river channel. I think that if you know the water you are fishing, and hit it when the conditions are right, spring can be a very productive time to set lines. In this case, a recent warm rain made the fish hungry. I love fishing freshly flooded mud flats this time of year with R&R, or trots!!!

 

[txthumper1691]

thanks guys, all this info is truly appreciated, and will be seriously considered and even put into practice. I just so happen to have a few bungee cords that have lost there "s" hooks, now I know why I kept them,lol. as soon as I finish waterproofing th outside of my lil jon boat, I will be out running trots an maybe a jug or 12, lol. when I grow up, I wanna be a GREAT catfisherman. just like y'all. :wink:

 

[Water Wolf]

Hey I seen one guy this year running a trot line across the river and he says he sells fish to resturaunts and markets and stuff, well I asked him if he did any good he said he caught about 300 pound of cat fish.

I think thats illegal. At least where i live it is. Now i'm not trying to be one of those do-gooders, but letting a guy take 300lbs a fish out fo the water is going to hurt everyone. I mean if he is making money then he will do it as often as possible. I would have called on him. Now if you can fish commerically where you live then disregard this whole post. Ha Ha

 

[catfishjon]

This works right now in Texas. I just got back from a trip and set out trotlines. I set the lines as shallow as 4 feet and as deep as 11 feet. I targeted brush and trees along a creek channel that fed into the lake. I used live perch for bait and caught lots of fish, including some gar that ended up in the grease also. Good luck, Catfishjon

 

[uttatoo]

set my 25 hook trot line today with carp and green sunfish in my friends 10acre sand pit and hope that the flaties are biting tonight crossing my fingers:wink:

 

[txthumper1691]

wel for now I have had to put runnin trots on th back burner, at least until I can get my boats leaks fixed, which should be sometime this next week, cuz th weekend of th 10th I will be off and hope to run some lines. I can get a variety of baits from shad to perch to chicken liver an gizzard and even some blood bait. so fingers crossed next weekend I can get some cats. BTW, uttatoo, how did u do runnin your lines?

 

[uttatoo]

here you go caught a 15 a 10and a 8 lbr
and a large mouth bass all on carp

 

[cdalford]

What size hooks should u use for cut bait or live bream on ur lines

 

[RiverMedic]

What size hooks should u use for cut bait or live bream on ur lines

Some folks believe in hand tying huge line and hooks, but I am a county medic and dont have a lot of cash to blow on big fishing rigs. I usually buy at least two new trotlines at wally world every year and they come with line clips leaders and hooks. I throw away the small leaders they come with and use a little stouter line and get at least 6/0 trotline stainless hooks. Last year I used 8/0 circle hooks and baited with bluegill(legal in Illinois) have had no trouble with losing fish and on average knock out 10 to 30 lb. flatheads and blues. I try to use only 4-6 in. bluegill and when I can get enough I use a whole fish on each hook ensuring a good chance for flatheads , but if the baitfish dies thru the night there is still a chance for a nice blue, they really dont care if thier dinner is alive or dead! And the only real trouble I have with losing anything is someone checking my lines for me and taking clip and all!!!

 

[RiverMedic]

I think thats illegal. At least where i live it is. Now i'm not trying to be one of those do-gooders, but letting a guy take 300lbs a fish out fo the water is going to hurt everyone. I mean if he is making money then he will do it as often as possible. I would have called on him. Now if you can fish commerically where you live then disregard this whole post. Ha Ha

I can fish commercially where I live ,but you under no circumstances can you sell fish that arent farm raised to restaurants, my wife manages one!

 

[ho_shi]

i have run a trot line several times and would run in mornin on way to work and bait if i could then again right after work and several times throught the afternoon and run one last time after dark and could only pull 1-3 fish a day off it

last one i run several weeks ago got tutle robbed every day, tho i did catch 2 or 3 of them bait thievin buggers,


heard you run deeper then 10-12 ft them turtles dont steel your bait, and other suggestions for them buggers??

 

[txthumper1691]

Well I went to Cabelas yesterday, and they didnt have that epoxy boat patch in store, SUCK!!, so I had to order off their website, should be in by this weekend, cross your fingers. I plan to run my lines in 10 ft of water or less, gonna try a variety of baits on 4 lines. chicken livers/gizzards, live/cut shad/perch. will be off wk for 3 whole days so will spend as much time on th water as possible. I have found a good area to run th lines w/a nice level grassy area on th opposite side of th lake so I can keep a good eye on 3 of th lines an a buddy will be bank fishin close to line #4. We will have 2way radios to communicate on status. all I gota do now is wait for th patch kit to come in, patch th boat an run trot lines, wish me luck. will TRY to post pics of any/all fish caught.