September is here, leaves are starting to turn, and the afternoons are cooling off. Deer season is just around the corner and hunters are stocking up on the last minute necessities for camp. Time to stock up on nylon cord, circle hooks, and the few remaining pool “noodles” left over at Wal-Mart from the summer. Wait a minute; what do those things have to do with deer season? Well nothing. Not only is it time to get ready to hunt that big Whitetail buck, the Catfish are biting. It is hard to beat a cool evening on the lake with a few good buddies and thirty or forty jugs spread out around the boat. It may seem like a lot of work, but it sure is fun.
The set-up
Okay, so we now have our Tru-Turn wide gap circle hooks, trot line cord and “noodles”. Now what? First thing is to put a little time into setting up each jug. There are many different methods used to attach the line to the jugs such as ¾ inch pvc pipe run through the center of the noodle, garden hose, or just using a wire tie and a swivel about four inches from one end. Once you have a way to secure the line to your “jugs” we need to determine the depth that we are going to fish. Most people fish staggered depths anywhere from 2 to 15 feet depending on the area being fished. It is a good idea to have several Jugs at different depths to help locate the fish. If you plan on jugging at night it may be a good idea to invest in reflective tape to make locating your jugs easier. Now we have our jugs rigged up and ready for the water, we just need bait. Catching live shad around docks or bridges seems to be affective but store bought bait will still catch fish.
At the lake.
Be sure to check your local regulations on jug fishing before you get to the lake. There may be regulations as to the number of lines or types of hooks and how to mark your jugs. Once we’re at the lake, we have our bait; it’s time to find the fish. If you know the lake well, it should be a piece of cake to find where the catfish hang out. If the lake is new to you, use of your depth finders and knowledge of the fish you are after will come into play when finding a spot to make your set. As soon as you pick a spot, it’s time to start baiting hooks. Use different depths on the jugs to work your way out from shallow water out to deeper water near the channel. The jugs will drift with the current so start the sting to where your baits will drift through the area holding fish. When all the hooks are baited and in the water it is time to sit back, relax, and wait on the jugs to begin the tell-tale dance on the surface that indicates a fish has taken the bait. Just like any other type of fishing, some nights are good, some nights are great, and sometimes the fish just will not cooperate. But it is always a good time spent with friends.