Jug fishing for catfish
#6565913
07/01/19 10:03 AM
07/01/19 10:03 AM
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,311 NC
Carolina Foxer
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trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,311
NC
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Never done it, want to do it. Have several large lakes close to home that are of varying depth. I have seen and read enough to know how to make the noodle/pvc style "jugs, so that's what I plan on doing.
I know that it depends, but if you could pick one depth to fish at, where would that be? I don't have a depth finder to determine where the thermocline is, so would like to build these at as good of an all-purpose length as possible. My thoughts were somewhere in the 6-8 foot depth range?
School me on anything catchfish jugging.
Thanks
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Re: Jug fishing for catfish
[Re: Carolina Foxer]
#6565923
07/01/19 10:21 AM
07/01/19 10:21 AM
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,311 NC
Carolina Foxer
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trapper
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OP
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,311
NC
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Mostly blues and channels are what the lakes hold, might be some flatheads but I don't know. Basically in a nutshell I want to get a bunch to cook and eat, so whatever cats are biting, I'm chasing.
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Re: Jug fishing for catfish
[Re: Carolina Foxer]
#6565935
07/01/19 11:11 AM
07/01/19 11:11 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,097 Lufkin, Tx.
Lufkin Trapper
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,097
Lufkin, Tx.
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Cut your lines about 5 ft. You will lose a little length when you tie it on the float, but that will be plenty of depth. Blues are mostly a top feeder, despite rumors to the contrary. Keep your bait fresh--blues don't like rotten or stinky bait. I fish waters of all depths--15 ft all the way into the bank, and catch at all depths. If fishing in shallower water, I will shorten the line to around 2 ft. The best bait I've found is cut bullhead. Fillet the bullhead and leave the skin on. Cut the fillet into 3\4 inch by 3\4 inch pieces and hook through the skin side first, to make for easier removal later.
Billy Member # 16.
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Re: Jug fishing for catfish
[Re: Carolina Foxer]
#6565958
07/01/19 12:17 PM
07/01/19 12:17 PM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 402 NW Montana
BigD
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 402
NW Montana
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Pvc noodle 24' line first swivel 4' up from weight, second swivel 4 above that, third swivel 4' above that, 1' drop on each swivel with a 3/0 circle hook. I use a 2 oz. Sinker we use these in the river and chase them. Check your laws on how many hooks you can run. If we take them to the lake we just add a quick Crete weight to them.
Foundation For Exceptional Warriors exceptionalwarriors.org 2012/13 catch
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Re: Jug fishing for catfish
[Re: Carolina Foxer]
#6566025
07/01/19 02:14 PM
07/01/19 02:14 PM
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 8,294 Louisiana
Aix sponsa
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 8,294
Louisiana
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Most of mine are setup with 3-4 ft rigs. Maybe half are just 2-3 ft line and a hook, other half are 3 ft of line with a slip sinker/swivel/12” of line and a hook. I do have some rigged up with longer lines (12-15 feet). I use them when I’ve run jugs during daylight, which isn’t often. I don’t fool with deep ones at night. Don’t need to, and I don’t want to fight tangles....you’re mileage may vary
Tip:Ive run jugs without these additions, and I’ve run them with. I don’t see myself running jugs without them again.... reflective tape cut into quarter or nickel sized pieces and placed on the pvc that sticks out of the top of the noodle makes finding them with a spotlight so much easier, and it’s permanent when noodles are built to take em....also, buy a pack of heavy rubberbands and bulk glow sticks. They can be purchased online dirt cheap, and I consider them invaluable when running jugs at night. 2 rubber bands and 1-2 glow sticks mounted like antennas on the noodles and you don’t even have to turn on your light to see what all of the jugs within a reasonable distance are doing. Absolutely worth adding to jugs run at night in my opinion. If someone builds actual jugs (clear), the glow sticks can just be dropped in...
On a side note, I really like using heavy mono and crimps, heavy as in the heaviest or second heaviest size I could get my hands on. The biggest reason why I like the heavy mono is because it really doesn’t tangle.
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Re: Jug fishing for catfish
[Re: Carolina Foxer]
#6566584
07/02/19 12:59 PM
07/02/19 12:59 PM
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,311 NC
Carolina Foxer
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,311
NC
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Good info, thanks fellas. Any more tidbits that could be useful?
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Re: Jug fishing for catfish
[Re: Carolina Foxer]
#6566621
07/02/19 02:07 PM
07/02/19 02:07 PM
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,311 NC
Carolina Foxer
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,311
NC
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10 -4. My plan is to head upstream to where the creek and watershed run off into the northwest end of the lake. Go to about the 8-10 feet deep marks, and lay jugs every so often heading downstream, then park below to keep em from floating off into the main lake body. Anchor up and fish with a pole while I wait. And just generally relax and check the jugs as needed.
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