Why You Should Try Trot Line Fishing

Trot line Fishing is a method of fishing that has been used for many years. It is basically a set line that crosses a river, stream or pond that is anchored to both sides of the waterway. It is a method used for deep water fishing. Many sportsmen like to use it for Catfish fishing.

The line itself consists of weights, and hooks. They are spaced out depending on the area you going to cross. The line is first attached to one side of the waterway. It is then strung across to the other side. It is not very tight. You have to allow for it to go below the surface of the water. Once it is attached to both sides, you start making your way across the waterway with the line. As you go, you place weights on it to help hold it under water. In between each weight you place 3 to 5 hooks on separate lines. These lines should be about 24 to 30 inches in length. They have to spaced enough so as not to tangle with each other or the weights. If they are 24 inches in length, then the space between the weights and other hooks should be about 3 to 4 feet apart.

Fish that are caught have a tendency to tangle with the other lines if they aren't tied right. Some people will place small metal weights on the line on each side of a hook location to keep the hook lines from sliding against each other. Some will tie loops into the original line before it is set out. Many people though will just try to tie the hook lines tight enough to the original one itself. If your line is 100 feet long, it might be possible to put up to 25 hook lines on it. Although, I find that number too excessive myself.

Depending on the depth of the river, you may want to make a hook line longer in some areas. The current of the stream or river will also dictate how long the hook line is, too. If the current is strong, it will have a tendency to lift the hook line up towards the surface. If the current is real strong, you may have to place a weight on the hook line itself. This will keep it from being pushed up and keep it in deep water. Many States have regulations on the size of a trot line and how many you can place out plus the number of hooks allowed as well as distance between the hooks. There are even rules on the type of hooks to be used. So make sure you check with your Game Warden or State Fishing Association before placing a trot line out. Follow their guidelines.

Many sporting good stores sell the entire trot line. However, I have found it cheaper to make them from scratch. First find out how long a line you will need. Add at least 50 feet to it. This is just for the base line itself. Be sure that the line is strong enough to hold up to 300 pounds of fish, weights, and hook lines. Now you will need the same size of line for the hook lines. Again this will depend on how many weight lines and hook lines you are putting on your main line. It is better to have more than enough than not enough. There are many types of weights that can be used. I have found that old antique window weights are great for trot lines. They are metal and have the hole already in them. There is less chance for them to tangle and can be used over and over. Some people like to use cinder blocks. These are very heave and cumbersome. They have a tendency to cut on the lines over time. Others have used milk jugs filled with sand. They tie great to the lines because of their handles. They are inexpensive and the weight can be adjusted by the use of the sand. Still others will just use heavy rocks.

It is best to use a boat when setting out a trot line and running it. You can place the line over the front of the boat and slowly lift the line as you go along it. This method is used for taking the fish off the hook lines, too. By having a longer hook line, you have the space needed it for handling the fish that may be on the line. Lift the hook line up and place the fish into the bottom of the boat. Then you can remove it from the hook line and re-bait the hook line for the next round. If the current is swift, you may want to have a solid attachment to stabilize the trot line to the boat as you run your line. If the trot line falls off the boat, you have to go to the bank, find the line and start all over. this can be very time consuming. Have your bait and equipment in the boat for running the line. Some like to run the line first and take off the fish and then start over with re-baiting the line. It depends on what you prefer to do. I always like to do it on one trip. One important thing to remember for safety is never get out of the boat and into the water by a trot line. You can get hooked or better yet, tangled in it with your body. This is very dangerous.

Some people like to run a trot line every few hours over a 12 to 24 hour time limit. It really doesn't matter as long as you give the line time to work. As I said earlier, this type of fishing is especially good for catfish. Catfish like to bite at night. They are scavengers. They like to eat close to the bottom of a river or pond. There are many different types of bait that you can use. You can use liver or chicken hearts, gizzards, or anything that has a taste of blood. You can use worm, dough bait, and even cottonseed. Some people like to experiment to see what works best. Just make sure the bait is secure to your hooks. Every time you run your line, you should put fresh bait on the hooks. One tool you should always have in your boat is a pair of needle nose pliers. You will find this helpful when removing a hook from a fishes mouth. Many times fish will swallow a hook and it can be hard to get out. If the needle nose pliers can't do the job, simply cut the hook line as close to the fish as possible. Then you can replace the hook.

Trot line fishing can be a lot of fun and you catch a good deal of fish in a short time. However, obey the rules and think safety first.