Jugs

[OzarkFishman]

I plan on putting jugs out this weekend. What are good depths for jug lines? What are good baits? I plan on using bluegill (live and dead), chicken liver, cut shad, and stink bait. Am I missing any secret jug line baits ?

[OzarkFishman]

Maybe I didn't ask the correct questions to get a response. I am mainly a bass and crappie fisherman, but I would really like to get into jug fishing. I don't keep bass to eat (unless out of a private pond due to harvest) and only keep average sized crappie (I throw back trophies to grow bigger). I plan on throwing back catfish bigger than 10 pounds, so I am really looking to catch a lot of 3 - 9 pounders (they tend to eat better anyways).

Here are some new questions.

1) There are 4 types of hooks that people generally use when jug fishing (treble, circle, Kahle, straight shanked). Which is the best?

2) How many hooks per jug?

If anyone has any information that could help me become a better jug fisher, it would be greatly appreciated.

OzarkFishman

[Bird Watcher]

Maybe I didn't ask the correct questions to get a response. I am mainly a bass and crappie fisherman, but I would really like to get into jug fishing. I don't keep bass to eat (unless out of a private pond due to harvest) and only keep average sized crappie (I throw back trophies to grow bigger). I plan on throwing back catfish bigger than 10 pounds, so I am really looking to catch a lot of 3 - 9 pounders (they tend to eat better anyways).

Here are some new questions.

1) There are 4 types of hooks that people generally use when jug fishing (treble, circle, Kahle, straight shanked). Which is the best?

2) How many hooks per jug?

If anyone has any information that could help me become a better jug fisher, it would be greatly appreciated.

OzarkFishman

OF,

Here's what works for me,

I make the jugs out of water noodles.

1. Cut the noodles into 3 equal pieces.

2.run some 150# or 200# nylon through the center of the noodle. put about 30-50' of line on each noodle, depending on how deep your lake is. you are going to want to be able to adjust your depth depending on where you are fishing(flat, channel, etc..)

3. put a 4-6 ounce weight on the end of each one. i find that duck decoy weights work well because you can wrap them around the noodle when you are storing them.

4. put a stainless circle hook about every five foot starting from 3' under the noodle to about 25". Check your regs though. there are limits to how many you can put on a line. I tie them on with a loop knot so that I can adjust them if need be.

when you know how deep you want to fish, let out that much line, adjust your hooks and half hitch your line off to the end of the noodle. the neat thing about rigging them like this is that when you get a hit, the noodle will stand up on end as a strike indicator. (i think it is cool to see them get nailed and then dissapear..that's when you know you have a good one.)

It's very important to catching the fish that your weight doesn't rest on the bottom, so set your depth accordingly. If the weight rests on the bottom, it creates a sag in the line and the hooks won't stick the fish when they hit the bait.

I like to bait with either whole or cut shad.

Have fun.

[ozarkgunner]

I plan on putting jugs out this weekend. What are good depths for jug lines? What are good baits? I plan on using bluegill (live and dead), chicken liver, cut shad, and stink bait. Am I missing any secret jug line baits ?

What lake are you going to fish on?

[OzarkFishman]

"What lake are you going to fish on?"

I will be jug fishing on Lake of the Ozarks and private ponds/pits.

Chris,

Thanks for the info. That sounds like a pretty good set-up, looks like I will be going to Wally World tomorrow.

OzarkFishman

[ozarkgunner]

"What lake are you going to fish on?"

I will be jug fishing on Lake of the Ozarks and private ponds/pits.

Chris,

Thanks for the info. That sounds like a pretty good set-up, looks like I will be going to Wally World tomorrow.

OzarkFishman

For LOZ I would catch shad below Bagnell and then go up and throw the jugs out on LOZ with lines from 2 -20 feet. It's amazing how many times the shallow lines over deep water catch the cats. Also, Wal-Mart sells jug lines prerigged. Remember to write your name on them and they have to be personally attended if not anchored.

[oneshot]

For LOZ I would catch shad below Bagnell and then go up and throw the jugs out on LOZ with lines from 2 -20 feet. It's amazing how many times the shallow lines over deep water catch the cats.

I agree a friend of mine says he catches his Cats in 8 foot of water.I only have 6 foot of Line on mine.

oneshot

[OzarkFishman]

I went to Lake of the Ozarks and was finally ready to try out my jugs. I was located on the Osage arm (34 mile marker). Baited up with live bluegill and green sunfish on most hooks, but put dead gills and stink bait on a few hooks. I tried a lot of different combinations with hooks (Kahle, Circle, Treble). From the fish I caught, I found that live bait works well on Kahle hooks and stink bait on treble. I didn't catch anything on my circle hooks (that could of been chance, but fishing is all about confidence).

My highlight was an 11-pound Blue (caught in 12 feet of water, 3 feet deep, live bluegill). I also had one leader broken of. My leaders are 50 pound test, so my guess is it was a really pissed of 20 - 30 pound flathead or a toothy critter (walleye, gar, etc).

It was fun, thank you all for the advice.

OzarkFishman

[ozarkgunner]

I went to Lake of the Ozarks and was finally ready to try out my jugs. I was located on the Osage arm (34 mile marker). Baited up with live bluegill and green sunfish on most hooks, but put dead gills and stink bait on a few hooks. I tried a lot of different combinations with hooks (Kahle, Circle, Treble). From the fish I caught, I found that live bait works well on Kahle hooks and stink bait on treble. I didn't catch anything on my circle hooks (that could of been chance, but fishing is all about confidence).

My highlight was an 11-pound Blue (caught in 12 feet of water, 3 feet deep, live bluegill). I also had one leader broken of. My leaders are 50 pound test, so my guess is it was a really pissed of 20 - 30 pound flathead or a toothy critter (walleye, gar, etc).

It was fun, thank you all for the advice.

OzarkFishman

Nice cat.

Glad to help. Make sure you use swivels to prevent breaks from line twist.

[troutman11]

Do u think I can catch shad below bagnell dam on a sibiki rig or do I have to go buy a throw net. I have a sibiki rig but have never used it and I don't really want to buy a throw net cause I probably wont use it that much but I might have to. Please help any suggestions are greatly appreciated.