Now that you’ve made or purchased a trotline, it’s time to get it in the water and do some trotline
There are many different ways of setting a trotline, but we’ll focus on two specific methods, one for catching catfish and the other for catching crabs.
In this article, you’ll learn how to set a trotline, how to make a crab trotline, how to make a catfish trotline, and the best trotline baits to use.
This guide details everything from constructing your trotline to proven setting methods for catching catfish (including blue catfish, channel catfish, and flathead catfish) and crabs. We’ll cover the best baits, essential gear like hooks and swivels, and crucial regulations.
Let’s get trotline
Building Your Trotline: The Essentials
A well-built trotline is key to success. Here’s what you need:
Main Line: Heavy-duty nylon (tarred or braided is common, 1/8″ to 3/16″ diameter) is preferred for its strength and abrasion resistance. Length varies by regulations and
Drop Lines (Staging or Trots): Shorter lines (6-24 inches) made of lighter nylon or similar material, spaced along the main line. Spacing (e.g., 3-6 feet apart) depends on regulations and target density.
Hooks:
- Circle Hooks: Highly recommended, especially for catfish trotlines. They promote mouth-hooking, reducing gut-hooked fish and making release easier if targeting game fish or undersized fish. Are circle hooks good for trotlines? Yes, excellent.
- J-Hooks: Traditional, but can lead to more deep-hooked fish.
- Size: Match hook size to your target species and bait (e.g., 4/0 to 8/0 for catfish).
- Material: Stainless steel or corrosion-resistant.
Swivels: Crucial! Attach swivels between the main line and drop lines, or between drop lines and hooks. This prevents twisting from struggling fish or current, which can weaken the line or cause baits to spin unnaturally.
Clips (Optional): Some anglers use heavy-duty
Anchors & Floats: As discussed in setting methods.
Tying It Together:
Storing Your Trotline: Coil it neatly in a bucket or on a winder to prevent tangles. Soaking the main line in water briefly before deployment can sometimes help it lay better, though modern nylon lines are quite manageable.
Knots: Use strong, reliable knots (e.g., Palomar, improved clinch for attaching hooks to drop lines; rolling hitch or specialized trotline knots for attaching drop lines to the main line if not using clips).
Mastering Trotline Setup: Key Methods & Locations
Where to Set Your Trotline for Catfish:
Rivers:
- Bends & Eddies: Current breaks where food accumulates.
- Near Structure: Submerged logs, rock piles, drop-offs, or near a dam (obeying legal distance restrictions).
- Channels vs. Flats: Blue catfish and flathead catfish may hold in deeper water channels during the day and move to shallower water or shallow flats to feed at night. Channel catfish are often found in moderate depths.
Lakes (Open Water):
- Points & Humps: Underwater structures that attract baitfish.
- Old River Channels: Submerged channels in reservoirs.
- Transition Zones: Where deeper water meets shallower water.
How often to check trotlines? Depends on water temperature and target. In warmer months (e.g., July, April through summer), check every 4-12 hours to prevent spoilage or loss of catch. In cooler water, 12-24 hours might be acceptable. Follow local regulations.Crab Trotline Setup:
Trotline Crabs Bait
- Raw chicken works excellent as it’s durable and will stick on a hook nicely.
Best Trotline Baits: Tailoring to Your Target
For Catfish (What bait is irresistible? It depends!):
- Blue Catfish: Prefer fresh cut bait – shad, herring, carp, or other oily fish. Live baitfish can also be excellent.
- Channel Catfish: More opportunistic. Will take cut bait, live bait, chicken livers, shrimp, commercial stink baits, dough balls. Some anglers swear by baits soaked in unusual attractants (like Kool-Aid), but fresh, natural baits are generally more consistent.
- Flathead Catfish: Primarily target live bait. Small sunfish (bluegill, green sunfish), bullheads, or large shad are top choices. They are less likely to take cut or prepared baits.
- Best Bait for Trotlines (General Catfish): Fresh cut shad or skipjack often produces well for multiple catfish species. Match bait size to your target species and hook size.
For Crabs (What attracts crabs most? Oily, smelly baits):
Tip for Handlining/Hand Line Crabbing: Similar baits work, often tied to a weighted line.
Chicken Necks/Backs: Classic, durable, and affordable.
Fish Heads/Parts: Oily fish like menhaden (bunker) or mullet are excellent.
Bull Lips/Salted Eel: Traditional and effective, very tough.
Trotline Regulations: A Critical Overview
Understanding local
Licenses & Permits: You’ll likely need a valid
Gear Specifications:
- Number of Hooks: Limits on total hooks per trotline and per angler.
- Line Length & Spacing: Restrictions on main line length and spacing between set hooks.
- Marking: Requirements for floats/buoys (size, color, information displayed like name/address/date).
Species Restrictions:
- Game Fish vs. Nongame Fish: Many states prohibit targeting or retaining game fish (like bass, crappie, walleye) on trotlines. Lines must often be set to target nongame fish (like most catfish species, carp, buffalo).
- Possession Limits: Standard daily and possession limits apply.
Bait Restrictions: Some areas restrict the use of live bait or specific types of cut bait to prevent the spread of invasive species.
Location Restrictions: Prohibitions on setting lines near dams, boat ramps, swimming areas, or within certain distances of other gear.
Method Restrictions: States often list specific legal methods for taking fish (e.g., rod and reel, trotline, jug line) and may prohibit others (e.g., spear, gig, nets like cast nets or seines for certain species or waters, use of hands – except perhaps for crayfish or noodling where legal). Bow nets or gaffs might be restricted or regulated for landing fish.
Time Restrictions: Some areas may have seasonal closures or time-of-day restrictions for setting/checking lines (e.g., no lines allowed during certain months like April to July spawning seasons for specific fish).
Always consult your state’s official Fish & Game (or DNR) website or handbook for the most current and specific trotline regulations before
Insider Advice
Trotlining is a lot of fun and nothing beats taking out the boat, setting your traps and coming back to see what you’ve caught. Trotlines can also be a bit dangerous for those who are unsuspecting that they’ve been set. Be sure to properly mark your lines so it’s easy for people and other boaters to see.
When in doubt, ask an experienced trotline angler to help you out.
