People make jugs out of all kinds of materials
and put usually anywhere from one to five hooks on them. The first time
I ever used a jugline I built them with five hooks on each jug and quickly
learned that five hooks was NOT the way to go. I recommend using two hooks
per jug , not only is more than two hooks on a jugline difficult to deal
with in the boat, baiting and get in the water, but it is flat out dangerous
(I have heard horror stories about people taking a jugline hook in the forearm
and having it ripped down their arm by a fish).
Juglines are basically a plastic jug with a line,
weight and a hook attatched to them. The jug floats the line in the water
and all you have to do is sit back and watch the jugs. It is like having
a whole mess of fishing rods in the water.
MATERIALS NEEDED
(Obviously you will need to adjust the quantities
to the number of jugs you want to build.)
Empty Plastic 2 Liter Bottle (Coke Bottle)
Roll Of Braided Nylon Twine
Hook Of Choice
Silicone Caulk
White Spray Paint
Permanent Marker
Knife
Sand, Gravel or Lead Shot
Reflective Tape
Jugline Weights (half a brick or 20 oz container
of concrete with a loop in it)
BUILDING THE JUGLINES
Plastic 2 liter bottles are traditionally clear
or green and Texas
Law states juglines must be white in color. I use the 2 liter bottles
because they are much more accessible than other bottles (like bleach bottles)
and the shape seems to work a little better. DO NOT ATEMPT TO USE PLASTIC
MILK JUGS, THEY DO NOT WORK.
1. Paint the plastic 2 liter bottles with the white
spray paint.
2. Once the white paint is dry add a few small
pieces of reflective tape to the bottom of the jugline (the opposite end
from the cap)
3. Once the paint is dry full the 2 liter with
about a cup of the sand or gravel.
4. Take the silicone caulk and fill the cap to
the 2 liter with silicone. Then screw the lid on the 2 liter. This will
help to seal from any water getting in the jug and keep a tight seal on
it.
5. Take a long length of your nylon twine (preferable
braided) and cut it off (20-25 feet works well). Tie the twine around the
neck of the 2 liter and reinforce it several times so it will not come off.
6. Go to the far end of the line and tie on your
hooks, tie one hook at 3 feet from the bottom and one hook at six feet from
the bottom. Use a barrel swivel and a 12 inch leader for the hooks.
7. Tie your weight to the very bottom of the line.
8. Roll the line around the neck and then the body
of the bottle for storage.
9. Write your name and address on the jugline with
the permanent marker (Texas Law)
Tips On Building and Fishing Juglines
1. Adding shot or gravel to the jugline helps you
indentify which jugs have been hit. When you set your juglines shake them
side to side so the gravel or shot disperses in the jig and then lay it
in the water. Once hit, the jug will tilt and all the weight will shift
to the end with the cap. This way the jug will stand upright and you will
know that you need to check your jugline.
2. The reflective tape makes it much easier to
find your juglines and detect movement if you hit them with a spotlight
at night.
3. You can fish with free floating juglines. To
do this eliminate the weight and put the hook at the bottom. It is best
to only do this if you are going to stay on the water and watch the juglines.
Free floating juglines have a tendency to be pulled off by fish.
4. If you are fishing multiple juglines, always
number them, so you can keep track of your juglines and know you need to
keep looking if you have one missing.
5. If you have too much line, just roll the line
around the neck of the bottle and then secure it with a rubber band.
6. Kahle hooks and circles hooks seem to work best
for juglines.
7. If you want cheap weights to weight your juglines,
use half a brick or fill a 20 oz coke bottle with concrete and then add
a wire loop to it before the concrete sets.
8. Always make sure you have a pair of heavy gloves
with you when running juglines. Remember you may be hoisting a 75 lb fish
up from the bottom with your hands and a piece of twine. This can get ugly
if you are not careful.
9. NEVER EVER wrap a line around your arm when
you are pulling fish in. One slip or and engry fish can put you in the water
or with hooks in your arm. If you need leverage, use the 2 liter bottle
to wrap the line around or use a small piece of pipe.
