Jug Fishing Questions

JONOV

Old Mossy Horns
I'm thinking I'll try some jug lines to get some eater Channel cats. Mostly fishing Falls Lake on the south end.

My question is, how deep to you like to run the lines? How much weight do you like? Last question, when picking the jugs up (if you have a fish) do you just grab the jug or try and net it?
 

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
Have been thinking about the same thing for Falls.
Just never get into blues fishing rod and reel. Being hot out jugs are fun to run.
I run the time to time for cats at gaston just CPR.

Mine are pool noodles use about 2' with PVC liner and hole drilled to tie off.
Run 10 to 15' line with weight on bottom and hook about 1 to 2 foot up.
Cut bait, chicken, liver from deer......
Sounds like fun for falls.

I use a gaff or boat hook just drive by and hook it then feel for fish. If it pulls much I net if not I just pull line up and pitch them into the boat.

If they are big and you plan CPR, use net and keep them in the water.
It is not hard on the fish that way.

I think the new laws only require you NCWRC number being listed and not full info on past.
Mine were built several years back so I use trapper tags. Need to change to just the number after I check the latest rules if that is still true.
 

JONOV

Old Mossy Horns
Have been thinking about the same thing for Falls.
Just never get into blues fishing rod and reel. Being hot out jugs are fun to run.
I run the time to time for cats at gaston just CPR.

Mine are pool noodles use about 2' with PVC liner and hole drilled to tie off.
Run 10 to 15' line with weight on bottom and hook about 1 to 2 foot up.
Cut bait, chicken, liver from deer......
Sounds like fun for falls.

I use a gaff or boat hook just drive by and hook it then feel for fish. If it pulls much I net if not I just pull line up and pitch them into the boat.

If they are big and you plan CPR, use net and keep them in the water.
It is not hard on the fish that way.

I think the new laws only require you NCWRC number being listed and not full info on past.
Mine were built several years back so I use trapper tags. Need to change to just the number after I check the latest rules if that is still true.
Thanks! I didn't think I'd want that much line so good to know.
 

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
You really need to base it on water.
Some people hit the flats in 6 to 8 feet water and use 5 to 6'

The line is cheap, start longer if you dont have a trarget place and depth.
If you rig it so you can wrap the line around the float you can use zip tie to make a coil or tie to rig.
Under the float just make a coil around your hand and use a small zip tie.

If you get into that monster he will pull the line bunch out of the tie making it easier to keep the float on top of the water if he tries to go to deeper water.
 

Mack in N.C.

Old Mossy Horns
Also if jug fishing Jordan on really hot summers the oxygen level is nil below
14 ' give or take so I never run lines at Jordan deeper than 10' .....Kerr is a different story and yes you can use just your wildlife number now. Mine are pool noodles with 3/4 pvc 18 inches and the pool noodles is 12. I use a magic marker to put my info on them.
 

JONOV

Old Mossy Horns
Also if jug fishing Jordan on really hot summers the oxygen level is nil below
14 ' give or take so I never run lines at Jordan deeper than 10' .....Kerr is a different story and yes you can use just your wildlife number now. Mine are pool noodles with 3/4 pvc 18 inches and the pool noodles is 12. I use a magic marker to put my info on them.
Why is that with Jordan specifically? I'd have thought that the lower you go the darker and cooler it is and more o2.
 

Mack in N.C.

Old Mossy Horns
I will post a link later but in warm weather the lake stratifies and water near the surface is well oxygenated and supports abundant algae. Lower water is oxygen poor and contain levels of dissolved iron manganese and nutrients. It is why stripers die off sometimes there. The lower column is cool enough for them but there is not enough oxygen for them so they are stuck in the warm water upper column which is usually 14 ' or shallower...catfish and all the other fish stay in that upper level...
 
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Mack in N.C.

Old Mossy Horns
Why is that with Jordan specifically? I'd have thought that the lower you go the darker and cooler it is and more o2.
Darker and cooler at Jordan yes ...more oxygen , no ...not during warm or hot summers

Nutrient over-enrichment is the problem.
 
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45/70 hunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Last year was my first year doing this and dang it's fun. We use 60# test line and have 8', 10', and 12' lengths for depending on water depth. If they are fighting hard just drop the jug and let them wear down a little longer then pull them in with a net or gaff hook.
 

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
I have been using the black or brown line like decoy line.
Has worked fine and easier to handle. I do use mono around the hook most the time.
Also need several swivels on it.
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
I wish they would outlaw using the pool noodles and small floats lot of big fish take them down and wrap up on something and then die a slow death. We had a milk jug go down for 22 seconds the other night If that fish had been on a small float it never would have came up
 

Mack in N.C.

Old Mossy Horns

I built a dozen of the these from the video...they are a blast...wouldn't fish jugs any other way now.

pretty much mine are the same except I use the pool noodles with the bigger hole so I use 3/4 inch pvc and mine are a hair shorter. 18 inches for the pvc and 12 inches for the noodle. not hardly any difference in buoyancy and they store much better than 2 ft ones. I also use 7/16 bolts as they are easier to get than the metal but the bolts cost more.

1 thing i do which is a tremendous help is I put reflective tape around the top cap. with a spotlight I can see them from 1/2 mile away.
 

Loganwayne

Ten Pointer
do any of yall put a piece of rebar in the noodle? shake it to the top of the pvc and the noodle will lay flat, as soon as something gives it a good tug it will stand straight up and stay standing up.
 

WolfpackHunter

Six Pointer
Contributor
I wish they would outlaw using the pool noodles and small floats lot of big fish take them down and wrap up on something and then die a slow death. We had a milk jug go down for 22 seconds the other night If that fish had been on a small float it never would have came up

Never had an issue with fish taking them down for extended periods of time...but we don't target big fish. We just set them out to catch 18"-36" eater channels.

Never tried getting into big blues or flatheads cause I ain't interested in eating them.
 

Mack in N.C.

Old Mossy Horns
do any of yall put a piece of rebar in the noodle? shake it to the top of the pvc and the noodle will lay flat, as soon as something gives it a good tug it will stand straight up and stay standing up.
I put 7/16 inch bolts instead of rebar.....either works , I just used to be in hardware and i could get the bolts at a decent price vs having to cut the rebar. The metal in there helps with 2 things. 1 is is makes the noodle stand more upright when hit and I think on lines shorter than 10 ft that it helps the cat set the hook on themselves as when they bite the hook and pull on the noodle the "clunk" of the metal scares them into swimming faster and setting the hook. 20 ft lines and I think that clunk makes no difference on the hookset.
 
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