Original Question To Group:

How do ya'll rig your juglines for jug fishing? How many hooks do you put on your juglines? Hook Type? How far apart? Type of line for main and drops on juglines? How do you tie drops onto mainline? Etc?

Response from Bozo:

I rig my juglines much like I was told to do by Jackie Kennedy. I use tarred line. I don't remember the # but it is rated at 120 test.

My drop loops are created with the mainline and I use a dropper loop knot to make them.

I open the eye of a #2/0 Octopus hook and insert a swivel and close the eye back up. I then attach the swiveled hook to the dropper loop. My first dropper is 3 feet from my weight and then I go up 6 feet from the bottom dropper and make another one.

That is it. I use only two hooks per jugline.

Response from Jack Kennedy:

I have used many varied and different setups with juglines, the one Bozo describes is the easiest and most simple one to make and will fish as well as any. I'm sure many people will tell you the benefits of other rigs for jug fishing, but this set up has worked for over forty years as my father used this in the Trinity River, on what he called throw lines, now limb lines. I have seen all kind of swivel&hook set ups, and here again this one works as well as any and better than most.

Why bother making a main line and having to go back and tie droppers, why have the droppers made of lighter test line? I can agree with using a lighter test line to tie a weight on with but other than that why not just make the line up with one piece of line and be done with it.

If you are using over two hooks per jugline, its a proven fact you are asking for trouble. More trouble to run, get fish off of, to bait, and to get out of you when you get one in ya, and I guarantee you will, sooner or later.

I don't claim to be the best jug fisherman around, but have several years experience jug fishing catfish with juglines and every thing I do is the quickest, fastest, and most economical proven way, I have ever found.

Response By Lawki:

I pretty much set my juglines up the same as Bozo has described. I will put a hook 3 ft from the weight and only one other hook on the line at varied depths. When I make my juglines, I put a dropper every three foot or so to give you more options for the second hook setup based on your depth of fishing. I also make the droppers about 1 ft long, but that is a personal preference and some will say that is too long but being a novice at jug fishing I am still learning. I would recommend that you only make your line on each fishing jug about 25 - 30 foot, anything more and it takes forever to pickup the jugs and store that much line, but again that is personal preference.

Response by Medulla762

I recently rerigged some of my juglines with the staging swiveling around the mainline between two oysterman stopper knots, the staging on the swivel with an oysterman stopper knot and the hook on the staging with an oysterman stopper knot.

This setup sure seems to reduce twist offs.

This is the basic setup I use, with two exceptions. I have never used an oystermans knot. I do like the looks of it on your main line. It looks like it would work great on both sides of your barrel swivel.
The one thing that I draw exception to, would be the leader for your hook. You can't change your hook out, if you need to, for some reason. I use a smaller dia. line for my leader. I double it, and tie an overhand knot in the end. I then burn and melt the end of the two ends, behind my knot. This will let you loop it on your barrel swivel, and loop the hook to the leader. I find this works best for me. I do like the knot on both sides of your barrel swivel. It looks like it would make that knot larger. That might prevent the barrel swivel from being pulled over one of the knots, Which has happened when the knot gets drawn down tight from hang ups.

Additional Question

Great info guys. Couple of questions: Swivel size? Hook size? Why tarred nylon?

Anybody else wanna chime in? Also, What types of fishing jugs do you use? Flagging Juglines? Soda bottle juglines? Bleach bottle juglines?

Response from Lawki:

got mine from Redneck. Redneck's Juglines for Jug Fishing Catfish and Redneck's Fish on Flagging Juglines

After making my first dozen, I found it easier and less time consuming to go this route. For Hooks, I use a basic 2/0 or 3/0 Mustad hook.

Response from Bozo

I have found that the tarred line doesn't tangle as easily as the white stuff does. Additionally, being that it is stiffer the hooks don't seem to embed in the line as often. Overall just makes it easier to deal with.

I use 2/0 hooks and I think #3 swivels. I don't use what most folks consider to be large enough stuff. I personally don't keep the bigguns so if the break off, oh well. They would have gone back in the lake anyway. When I set my fishing jugs, I do it with the intention to stock the freezer. I want to catch large numbers of 2-5 pounders. Getting a big one is fun and a novilty but, not my goal. I would rather catch the big ones on rod and reel than on Juglines.

Response By Palerider

I realize I can probably buy juglines cheaper than I can make them. But, with 3 kids at home, I need something to keep me in the game when I don't have time to spend the day fishing. Just want to build the juglines for fun. Evenings or whenever. Trying to decide what type I wanna build and with what components.

Bozo:

Do you use flagging juglines?

Response By Lawki

Then the best jugline design is a fun noodle stuffed inside of a piece of PVC pipe. drill a hole near the bottom and run a bolt or eye hook through it and use a nut to fasten it on. Tie your main line to the bolt and you are set.

Response by Jackie Kennedy

The juglines don't catch the fish, its only a marker to find and support the line. In making juglines remember KISS or Keep It Simple Stupid. Where juglines are placed has a lot more to do with how it works than anything.

Response by Jackie Kennedy

I will give a full explanation of my juglines: This won't suit everyone, but works for me and has for several years. Put your name and address on the jug line in the way you see fit, place tape over it for longer lasting label.

Start with 320 lb. test black nylon, the tar coated line form Wall Mart, tie or attach it to your jugline, measure off the amount of line for the depth you want to fish, I prefer 35 ft. Then add six ft for two droppers and attaching the weight.

After attaching the line to the jug go to the bottom and attach the weight, I prefer a RR spike, they are free. Use a lighter to sear the ends of the line after tying the knots.

Come up three ft above the weight double the line and tie an overhand knot making a dropper about 8-12 inches long, step on this dropper and come up six ft. and make another dropper in the same way as the first one. This is two droppers and all you need, I am very opposed to more than two hooks on a jugline, use more only if you dare.

Start at the jug and roll the line up until you get to the first dropper, take a 1 0 stainless Mustad or Eagle Claw hook and open the eye up just enough to get a swivel into the eye and close it back up, a pair of needle nose work fine for this task. now you have a swivel with a hook attached to it, slide the swivel on the dropper and loop it around the hook and pull it up tight. Place this hook in the jugline and wind it up until you get to the next dropper. Place the hook and swivel into it the same way and hook it to the jug. I use the foam and its just hooked into it and then wind down to the weight and tighten it up with a twisting motion and stick the RR spike in the end of the noodle. Its really a simple task, no use in using a different type dropper or any such thing it only slows the process down and doesn't help in any way that I can see what so ever.

I'm sure some, or lots, will disagree with this method but its the same method a lot of commercial fishermen use, and my father, and family members, used this method for throw lines over forty years ago. Don't fix it if it ain't broke

Response by Old Soldier

Foam, PVC, funnoodles. What is wrong with the good old 1/2 gallon bleach bottle jugline? Carry 4 in a plastic crate. Who needs to put out 25 juglines? Can't eat that much fish at one sitting no how. Put 1/2 of an alkaseltzer in it and a little (1 tbs) of water, cap and let it puff up a little. Then when it hits the cold water it won't squish in. Tie your rope to it and you are ready, after you write your name and address on it with a sharpie. Talk about cheap!

I have my Redneck Juglines and am still using the old bleach bottles until they are gone or unusable. You know you can stop at any laundermat and check the trash cans and get a bunch. Sometimes the attendant will save a few for you.

Sinkers, a brick works real well. Carry a few extra and when one of those lake lice gets too close let him have one. Went fishing Saturday with my friend in CC. Had an idiot in one of those huge monster boats come next to us and shut down real sudden. I has bringing a hybrid on board when the wave hit us. The wave crashed over the bow and flooded the boat. It knocked me to my knees. The horse's patoot never came back to see if we were ok. Fortunatly the bilge pump was able to handle it. I know where he lives, this is not finished. But to end the story, my friend does not have any bricks on board or a shotgun.

I just wanted to tell you that in the beginning you can start off cheap. They will still catch fish. 12 juglines (24 hooks)in 3 plastic crates, a stack of bricks and a bucket of bream or sliced hot dogs soaked in garlic or oil of anise, or Rednecks Catfish Bait Soap. Check every 4 -6 hours, never over night. And carry an old cane to help snag the juglines. Then when you lose one you will not feel so bad. Actually you will and will spend a tank of gas looking for it.

After you get the hang of it and need to tell the spouse what you want for Christmas, Anniversary or B'day. Tell her a mess of Redneck's Juglines for Jug Fishing. Buy a starter set for her, she will love you for them and you will be able to see how to set up a jugline!

Posted by Phillip Parrish

use 3" thin wall PVC pipe for my juglines, capped off at both ends, 18" in length (which is the same cubic inch volume as a 2 liter bottle). It gets a little expensive if you want to make up a bunch of them. But I like them anyway. Of course I've been known to over do everything.

I do know one thing, this jugline with 2lbs of lead on the other end, it takes more than a 20lb fish to move it very far.

Additional Question:

I know Jackie uses a single peice of line to make his entire jug line. But, what type, weight of line do the rest of you use to make your drops? and how do you attach it to your juglines?

Posted by Phillip Parrish

Main line tied around the jugline. (25 ft)
Two 150 lb test coastlock snap swivels threaded onto the line.
A 150 lb test duolock snap tied to the end, for the weight. (If hung up, swivel straitens out first).
Go up to your desired depths and tie a half hitch on each side of the coastlock swivel.
I use "snelled" (made myself) hooks for my droppers. That way I can bait all the hooks before I get to where the jugliness will be placed, snap a weight on and two baited hooks and let it go.
I use Catline Cordage.
490 lb test White Mainline (easy on the hands)
145 lb test Green Droppers
(Different color lines makes it easier to untangle the twists/knots the catfish will put in.)

And a note; Catline does not have any stretch.

I know, the line is too big and the swivels are in the wrong spots, but it catches fish.

Response by Jackie Kennedy

Theres no right or wrong way to rig up juglines. I've fished with several people who make fishing jugs a lot different than I do, and they catch fish very well. The preacher uses .060 weedeater line and jugliner like drifting jugs with a hook at 3-6-9 ft from the jug. Some type of setups work better in some places than others, but as a general rule they all work if set in anywhere near the target area.

If your trying to come up with a absolute 100% trick lick that catch fish every time you put them in the water, Your in trouble. In my opinion the main thing is, decide what kind of fish you want to catch. It will be one of the three, Flathead Catfish, Blues Catfish or Channel Catfish. The next thing is where would you like to go fishing? Is it a lake or a river? There are so many variables and places to fish, you just have to match you technique to the area and water your fishing in. To me, I want a jugline that will stand up to a lot of abuse. I will use a different kind of line on a trotline, than I use on a throw line. I'll use even a different line on my juglines. And even after saying that, I may use a line size larger or smaller than I did the time before. OK, On my juglines as of now, I'm useing a #48 with leaders a lot smaller, and boubled. I put two swivels on my main line 6ft. apart, with a overhand knot tied on both sides of my swivels. My bottom hook will be on a 10inch leader, and about three ft. up from my weight. The way I put my jugliness out, my bottom hook, with bait will end up around 18 inches off the bottom. I've got juglines with 50ft. of main line. I've got juglines with 40ft. of main line. I've got juglines with 30ft. of main line. I've got juglines with only 6ft. of main line. This is what I'm trying to say, unless your going to fish the same place, same depth for the same fish, It's hard to give you an exact size of everything.

The way I rig my hooks to my leaders is very simple, because my leaders are doubled with a knot tied and burned on one end. If I got a fish on that has swallowed hook, leader and all, I just take my knife and cut the leader off of my barrel swivel, and leave it with the fish. I always keep extra leaders and extra hooks, of different sizes. If I start out baiting my lines, I'll use the biggest baits on my bottom hooks. But after a while my selection of baits are not as good. I may not have any large baits left. They may all be used up, and I have to use a small bait. I'll then use hooks that will better match the baits I'm useing.
The truth is, It really doesn't make as much difference, the size of line your useing, as it does to keep it in the water with bait on your hooks.

There was an old commerical fisherman that I used to know, that fished the Sabine river all the time. He could catch more fish than any three people I know. But, if you had seen what a tied together bunch of miss-matched juglines and hooks he was fishing with, you would not beleive he could catch anything. He made his modest living on the river. He taught me one thing I've never forgotten. His big thing was take fish off your lines and rebait your hooks every 3-4 hours with fresh bait. The old man is gone now, but he will never be forgotten by fishermen that knew him.

There is no wrong way to put a jugline out. Line size, makes little difference. Hook size can be an issue, if there too large for the fish your trying to catch. You would be amazed at how big a fish you can catch with an 1/0 hook.

I sure wish I could be of more help on this subject. The way I rig juglines out is just my way. And that don't make it the only way. I'm subject to change the way I rig juglines up, at any time, depending on where i'm fishing, and what i'm fishing for.

Posted By Jugliner

like jackie said i like drifting juglines with 3 hooks, i have used every size bottle or jug you could dream up, i have used different lines and different weights. the only reason i do this is because i am fishing 12-14 foot deep flats at nite and the shad come off the bottom at nite and so do the fish where i am fishing. i also have some different juglines that i use at different lakes that are nothing like those. i just made up a bunch and threw them out to discover what worked where. if one thing holds true about jug fishing day in and day out dont be scared to take chances you might find something that works better than what you had or works for that time of year

Response by Palerider

I think I've determined the design I'm going to use when I build my juglines. But, I have a couple more questions....Some of you have answered these questions, but, I'd like a few more opinions.

1. What type/size hooks do you use?

2. What do you use for weights?

BTW...I really appreciate all of your input. It has definitely saved me a lot of trial and error. And I'm having fun coming up with different ideas.

Response by Old Soldier

Nickle plated 3/0 or 4/0 Kahle Hooks, can order from Redneck.

1/2 bricks, can also throw them at bass fishermen and other lake lice that come too close.

I am about to make a bunch of some that was discussed previously on this site. You cut the top off of 20 OZ plastic drink bottles. Fill with redicrete and top off with some chain or a loop made from coat hanger wire or the chain link fence hooks. These will not rust, or get crap all over the boat. When not fishing I like to give rides to bathing beautys and need a clean boat. I spray oil of anise on the carpet as a scent lure.

Response by Palerider

Any of you guys that jug fish at night. What type of reflective tape do you use? And where would be the best place to procure some?

Response by Reburn

i have tried many kinds of reflective tape on juglines email redneck the stuff he has is really the best and he could probally get you a roll the cheapest

Response by WildTurkey

I am new to the forum and have never jug fished. I made up some juglines and some weights after reading some of your tips but have never tried it. I will be fishing Sam Rayburn lake and Neches river. One of my main questions is how deep to fish. I am sure after I go out and actually fish with juglines I will have a lot more questions, Right now I am just reading everything I can about how its done.Any help?

Response by Reburn

turkey. the way it was told to me by jackieblue is look for stucture meaning not just logs either. look for lake humps on your sonar as well as channel drop offs. the way the catfish are spawning right now any flat areas with a little grass or cover would be a hotspot. id look also in 8-12 feet of water. btw a good quality sonar is very helpful. i have always had the most luck on juglines with Rednecks Catfish Bait Soap and cut and whole shad.

Response by Palerider

Finished building my juglines. Just thought I'd show you guys what I came up with. Basic flagging jugline. Used 6" piece of 1-5/8" Sched. 40 pipe for my weight (my brother is in the chain-linked fence business). Makes storing really easy.

Response by Etex Johney Cash

I sure like the looks of your new juglines. The pipe you used for weight is a good idea. It will be handy when storing. I can see only one draw back. If your fishing the river, the round pipe will roll to the deepest part of the river. And that's OK, if that's where you want to be.

Response by Palerider

Yeah, it might do that if you got a real hard bottom or a strong current. Course if the current is that strong, prolly gonna take more than 1# to keep it put anyway. Besides, I don't jug fish in the river so it'll work fine for me. Maybe I'll field test in the river just to see. Got some buds that do a lot of trotlines in the Brazos.

Response by Dahoss

Good looking fishing jugs there Palerider! I like that idea with the weight

Response by Fuzz

that looks like a great jugline: easy to make too; what are the dimensions? 1/2" pvc? what size foam? How long is the piece of foam?

Response by Jtrew

If you are free floating or drifting your fishing jugs rather than anchoring them, a 16p common nail will work very well. It's cheap, and it won't hang up as badly as a regular sinker.

Response by 88

I like to fish a flat that’s only about 1/2' to 1' foot deep right up against the grass but when the lake goes down I have a hard time taking up my lines. You can imagine! So what about an 8-foot jugline. Take a 8 or 10 foot chunk of 1/2" PVC Pipe, evenly space swimming noodle foam pieces about 5 and then space out 5 hooks on leaders say 8 to 14 inch's long with no weights. Would this be Illegal? 10 would be 50 hooks easy to put out and take up. Maybe it’s a stupid Ideal but I'm thinking.

Response by Etex Johney Cash

88,
I'm not sure what your talking about.
I will say, Your PVC pipe rig reminds me of Gar fishing rigs. The only difference is the PVC pipe is about 4ft. long, with a short leader and hook attached to one end. These have little or no weight on the leaders. the PVC is layed on the bank, with the leader and bait in the water. The Gar comes along and grabs the bait, PVC pipe and all. The Gar hunters will cruse up and down the river watching for the white PVC pipe bobbing up and down. There's always a posibility that you might catch a catfish.

As far as rigging up a jug line with 5 hooks!!! don't do it. It's way too dangerous. Two hooks is a big plenty. Look at it like this. If you're running your 5 hook jug line and pilling the line and hooks in the floor of the boat and you have a big fish on the bottom hook, and the big fish wants to go to the bottom, he can drag the other four hooks out from under your feet and legs and over the side of the boat before you can stop him. There's a posibility that one of those hooks could grab your leg,arm or hand before you know it. If you get hooked just right, you'll follow the big fish, where ever he goes.
Jug lines are a lot of fun, but very dangerous. You just need to be careful.

Response by Jackie Kennedy

From the number of post and views this has to rate right up there with one of the tops in popularity on wk. Hope all ya'll have made or purchased juglines and are using them sucessfully. Don't forget that Redneck sell jugs of superior quality, to most, and was the originator of the close cell or dense foam jugs. He will sell these jugliness about any way you can imagine, and also just the foam if thats your need. The foam is better and cheaper than you can find it unless buying a truck load.

Response by Bozo

I haven't jug fished since last fall. When I did, I loaded up on the fish and had enough to last me till the spring crappie bonanza. Those are starting to get thined out now so, I'll be jug fishing soon.

I enjoy jug fishing when we get together as a group or when I am taking folks out that don't get to fish much. I think it is a great way to fellowship with fellow fishermen and introduce folks to fishing. Everybody that has ever gone out with me when I set you juglines, thinks that is just the shiznits.

Response by Jackie Kennedy

I agree with Bozo, jug fishing is a very laid back way of fishing and allows a lot of conversation. Its easy to get people interested, in juglines, with a single trip of running them.
The arts of jug fishing, in my opinion, are placement/location, depth fished, and bait choice.
I do believe that beginning jug fishermen should get with someone who juglines and get first hand experience, saves a lot of time, money, and frustration.

Summertime tip; don't fish below the theremocline, the fish will be dead when you run the juglines

.
I know of no way to catch so many fish, so fast, as juglines. Well nets(hoop&gill), or telephoning but the local Game Warden frowns on those activities

If you would like to buy manufactured jug lines check out

Redneck's Juglines
Jugs by Bert Catfishing Jug
Pop-Up Fish-A-Noodle
Strike King Catfish Jug


Jugline Supplies

Mariner Tarred Twisted Nylon Twine
Mariner Green Braided Nylon Twine
Twisted Nylon Seine Twine
Mustad Ultra Point? Demon Circle Hook
Eagle Claw Circle Sea Offset Hook 10

MORE INFORMATION ON BUILDING JUGLINES HERE