Trot line and Jug fishing from the Pirogue

[crkdltr]

Just curious if any of you experienced fisherman have tried running trot lines and catfish jugging from your pirouge. I rigged up about 7 catfish jugs weighted at 10 feet and baited 2 feet from the bottom and a 25' casting trot line (whatever you want to call it) and will run these the next time I'm out in the bayou.

Having never done it before (and only hearing stories of my father and grandfather doing these things back in their youth) I drew upon the knowledge of the internet to get an idea as to what I needed to do but there was limited information about it. Most of it was advertisement to buy someone's pre-made rig or product.

Am I asking for trouble trying to do this out of the pirogue? Such as being too close to the water in the event I have a alligator on the line or a large garfish? I would love to hear some advise and or any other surprises I may be in for.

Thanks

 

[jdupre']

Your pirogue should be perfect for that kind of fishing. You can get into areas people in big boats can't. You're close to the water, so it's easy to handle the lines. If you catch a really big gar, DO NOT put him the boat alive. Trust me on this one. :shock: He will tear you and everything in your boat to pieces. If you catch a big alligator, let him have the jug. :lol:

 

[bluegrasslover]

Your pirogue should be perfect for that kind of fishing. You can get into areas people in big boats can't. You're close to the water, so it's easy to handle the lines. If you catch a really big gar, DO NOT put him the boat alive. Trust me on this one. :shock: He will tear you and everything in your boat to pieces. If you catch a big alligator, let him have the jug. :lol:

I need to get down to Louisiana...you guys have too much fun. The only gar we have here is the long nose, bottle nose, whatever it's called.

 

[Kayak Jack]

Bluegrass Guy,
Go fishing with Joey in the swamps. You'll enjoy it and learn a lot. Piper San, Keith, and Seedtick will show you a fair amount too. All of those guys are knowledgeable and friendly (unless you're trying to take a nap).

 

[seedtick]

what's a casting trot line?

bring yourself a pistol and pass a bullet thru the head of anything big before you bring it on board

 

[Kayak Jack]

Man! Seedtick - I'll make sure not to fall in next time I'm in a boat with you!

 

[crkdltr]

what's a casting trot line?

bring yourself a pistol and pass a bullet thru the head of anything big before you bring it on board

Like I said, the internet had limited information. Instead of a trot line that attaches between two cypress knees or trees, I made one where I can attach it to a tree or cypress knee and attach the other end to a weight and sink it out away from the bank. Or if I did not have a boat I could attach it near the shore and throw the weight out away from the shore.

Does that make any sense?

Using the pirogue has me feeling nostalgic and I am exploring old techniques and practices.

 

[Steve]

crkd,
If you haven't already, you may wanna check with your local fish and game on the use of the throw line type trot line. . . Some states require BOTH ends to be securely fastened and tagged with your name and address info. . .

 

[crkdltr]

crkd,
If you haven't already, you may wanna check with your local fish and game on the use of the throw line type trot line. . . Some states require BOTH ends to be securely fastened and tagged with your name and address info. . .

Thanks for the concern. The Louisiana regs for residential fishing are:

1. Must be marked, tagged and dated with user's name, address, phone and date of placement and marked on eacch end.
2. No more than three with a max of 50 hooks.
3. remove when not in use.
4. Must have an eight foot cotton leader to insure if abandoned the cotton will deteriorate and line will sink.
5. All trot lines must be attended daily while in service.

Not sure how that will apply to me since I'm not using a traditional trot line.

 

[mike]

Reminds me of the first time I set a salt-water trot-line. :shock:

Having been around and used trot-lines as long as I can remember, I was really looking forward to seeing what I could catch on a saltwater trot-line in a bay on the Gulf of Mexico. Got that puppy all set and baited late one evening and came back early the next morning planning to fill the boat with fish. 8)

As we got near the area of trot-line, I could see a line of white specks in the distance. I asked my fishing buddy what the hell those white things were. He had no more of an idea than me. :?

Turns out, we forgot to plan on the tide. The tide was in when we set the line. When the tide went out, it left the trot-line about two feet in the air, kinda like a really low clothesline. Seagulls had taken the bait and were hanging from the hooks. I felt real bad about that and it was the first and last saltwater trot-line for me.

Mike

 

[crkdltr]

Reminds me of the first time I set a salt-water trot-line. :shock:

Having been around and used trot-lines as long as I can remember, I was really looking forward to seeing what I could catch on a saltwater trot-line in a bay on the Gulf of Mexico. Got that puppy all set and baited late one evening and came back early the next morning planning to fill the boat with fish. 8)



As we got near the area of trot-line, I could see a line of white specks in the distance. I asked my fishing buddy what the hell those white things were. He had no more of an idea than me. :?

Turns out, we forgot to plan on the tide. The tide was in when we set the line. When the tide went out, it left the trot-line about two feet in the air, kinda like a really low clothesline. Seagulls had taken the bait and were hanging from the hooks. I felt real bad about that and it was the first and last saltwater trot-line for me.

Ouch! . Good thing a game warden wasn't around to see that or waiting for you to retrieve it.

 

[Wannabe]

When I was a kid my Grampa would take me fishing in the rice canals. We would drive a stob in the bank and unroll a lengeh of line, depending on the width of the canal and tie a brick on one ind and tie the other end to the stob. We would put hooks on the line like a trotline. After baiting the hooks we tould throw the line out and go do another. We would spend the day walking up and down the bank checking our throw lines.Throw lines is all we ever called em.
Bob

 

[jdupre']

crkd,
If you haven't already, you may wanna check with your local fish and game on the use of the throw line type trot line. . . Some states require BOTH ends to be securely fastened and tagged with your name and address info. . .

Thanks for the concern. The Louisiana regs for residential fishing are:

1. Must be marked, tagged and dated with user's name, address, phone and date of placement and marked on eacch end.
2. No more than three with a max of 50 hooks.
3. remove when not in use.
4. Must have an eight foot cotton leader to insure if abandoned the cotton will deteriorate and line will sink.
5. All trot lines must be attended daily while in service.

Not sure how that will apply to me since I'm not using a traditional trot line.

I've seen hundreds of trot lines and I don't think I've seen ANY of them that followed even two of those rules. Wildlife agents could have a field day writing tickets around here. :roll:

Seedtick, you DID follow all of those rules when y'all ran that trot line in front of the campsite? :lol:

 

[seedtick]

mais no cher

i didn't even know those rules existed, that's what happens when you get too curious and start looking for information

to me the only one that really makes sense is putting the cotton line on the ends so it's not so permanent

it ain't worth putting out a line if all you can have is 50 hooks