Trotlines James River Arm

[WettinLine]

Location: Less than a mile up river past the Walnut Spring ramp

I went up river on Saturday afternoon and just past where the river narrows, well short of McCord corner I saw a large fish floating, so I did what anyone would do, I stopped to browse but the smell got the best of me quickly. Before I pulled away another boater trolled up to location and stated that the fish was there for days, and said that he sees that allot on the same line. I'm fairly sure the regulations says you have to check your lines every 24 hours, plus if your running lines in this high temp water you should be checking them way more often, otherwise they nearly boil. I really hope that someone outs you on here, just wanted to let you know I'm removing your trotline its not tagged (also a regulation), I checked because I was going to call you!

Yellow rope west side of the river about a hundred or so yards from where the river narrows. If you want your trotline back it will be with the Stone County MDC, D-Bag!

[Quillback]

Sad to see, what a waste.

[Riverwhy]

I just hate too read that. I trotline a couple times a year and I strictly follow the regulations and only harvest 5 or 6 fish a trip. it should not even take regulations for a real fisherman to know you need to check your lines regularly. I check mine every 2 or 3 hours and then pick them up early in the morning. It gives a bad name to the guys that respect the fish.

[merc1997 Bo]

not only are trotlines supposed to be tagged, but also marked. if trotlines were marked as they are supposed to be, others fishing would not be hung up in them and consequently cut them.

i did see a couple of lines the other day that were clearly marked, and just quickly passed them by. there is nothing more frustrating to hang up in an unmarked trot line, and especially one that has obviously been there for quite some time unattended.

bo

[Champ188]

It gives a bad name to the guys that respect the fish.

There's that "R" word again --- respect. Not much of it going around anywhere in this world today.

[WettinLine]

I just hate too read that. I trotline a couple times a year and I strictly follow the regulations and only harvest 5 or 6 fish a trip. it should not even take regulations for a real fisherman to know you need to check your lines regularly. I check mine every 2 or 3 hours and then pick them up early in the morning. It gives a bad name to the guys that respect the fish.

I can't agree with you more on that, most don't have the time or the energy but like to brag about numbers on the line. How many fish does one family really need? Like the guy or girl who is jugging the mouth of point 15 every day for years, I just don't get it. I'm glad to see there is a people out there with Respect for the water and land!

[Bill Babler]

Extremely sad to see. This is however the exception rather than the rule when it comes to jug and trotliners. I have known many and have been one.

Not everyone is a pan fisherman. Thank Goodness. There are plenty of rough fish in this pond and I have the deepest respect for those that put in the effort and it is for sure an effort to catch them.

99% of these liners have their lines marked and identified and check their lines in the time allotted period. I would hazard a guess that there are way more honest and caring trotline fishermen than there are pan fishermen that either keep short fish or are at times over the limit.

This bad apple, take my word for it has really fallen along way from the normal bunch at the base of the apple tree.

Good Luck

[Feathers and Fins]

Bill this is one time I am forced to disagree with you, I've been on the rock 6 times this year and saw this each time some of the lines were very old as the rot to the cord showed. The areas were Big M up and in to the White. I see it on Beaver so often It is sickening limb lines that are years old, Jugs unattended and trots in the same condition or unmonitored and AR has even more defined regulations. It has gotten worse the last three years we just had a thread on it in the Beaver forum even.

As to respecting the game that is something I am all for. I keep enough to see me through duck season as im to busy chasing birds than fish typically and its only enough for my wife and I to have fish once a week for 3 months 2 fillets a week for 12 weeks of Striper, Crappie and Walleye then its back to fresh stuff. If I get a Big striper I typically share the meat with whomever went or call friends who I know will use it fast. I just never have got the big deal about keeping more than you can use or will need in the future.

[JohnF52]

I can't agree with you more on that, most don't have the time or the energy but like to brag about numbers on the line. How many fish does one family really need? Like the guy or girl who is jugging the mouth of point 15 every day for years, I just don't get it. I'm glad to see there is a people out there with Respect for the water and land!

If someone is actively jugging every day, they either have a very large and poor family, or they are selling fish, likely to some independent restaurant. I suspect the selling.

[balsabee]

If I find unmarked trotlines I cut them, roll them up and throw them away. I get tired of hanging cranks on them.