Trotline Trouble at Aunts Creek

[Bill Babler]

Just simply cannot understand people at all.  That is just terrible.  You make every effort to really have a great time and harvest fish that are of no consequence to anyone.  Marking your lines and staying out of the way of all traffic, and having someone do that.

I would just about bet someone hung a bass lure in it and got pqed. or really now of days you don't know. 

Sorry this happened to ya.

[Jason Essary]

Vonreed.  Haven't set lines for couple years but I learned I had to sink them a couple feet down where I tie ti the tree and don't use jugs or markers.  Make a long stick with a hook to bring them up when you come back to them.  Sorry to hear the problems.

[vonreed]

Thanks for the condolences guys. I went back today and checked my last line and somebody had run my line, but not cut it this time.  I had zero bait and no fish and my anchor had been drug way away from where I put it originally.  So I just pulled it and quit.  I used a grapple to try to snag the other for another 30 minutes and it was nowhere, so they stole it.  Oh well, I guess.  Next time I will sink them like was suggested(thanks) and just hope nobody gets hung up on them.  I wish I had the time to just sit and watch jugs, but I rarely have half a day off with work and kids involved every day. 

I will try again in a couple weeks after I get some more good circle hooks( I hate having bass swallow regular hooks)and get my new line setup. It seems bass rarely get hooked with a circle hook, even in the corner of the mouth like catfish do. 

[abkeenan]

Vonreed,

We also use circle hooks and rarely if ever hook a bass. I would assume they do hook themselves pretty often but when they struggle I guess they work themselves off when they make the hole in their mouth bigger. Catfish are not so lucky with their tough skin and meaty mouths. Once that barb penetrates and they are stuck they pretty much have sealed their fate for the fryer. Also, we put our lines just across from our dock in our cove and try not to put it in a heavy fished area (on a point or something). Typically we string it horizontal to the bank from tree to tree in the 15-20 feet of water range and sink it with a rock/weight right in the middle of the line. Seems to work for us and we have never really had any issues with jerks. I wouldn't recommend what Jason had posted above as far as not marking them. When I see an unmarked trotline is kinda pisses me off as 1- I probably found it because I snagged it unknowing it was there and 2 - it is illegal to set a line without proper ID attached to it. Game warden could pop you with a ticket if they were so inclined.