Self sustaining trap lines.

[fishshooter]

My bush hooks are paying off everyday now, and I set out some more trotlines and bush hooks. When I put them out a week or so ago, I baited them with some cut bait I had in the freezer. Now that I am getting fish everyday, I am using them to re-bait the lines. I use the meat from around the stomach and fins, stuff I usually discard anyways. It is tough enough to stay on the hooks for several days if nothing tries to take it. I have just the right amount of lines out that I can run them before I leave for the day, and again when I come home at night. At this rate, I can catch more than enough fish for myself to eat and put up in the freezer, while continuing to keep the line baited. All I have to add to the endeavor is time and effort. I have also been catching a few crawfish in my traps, using the fish guts as bait, and the crawfish as bait for the fish. I am not catching enough crawfish right now to add to my food supply, but it really is not the right time of year. Here is what I got last night, I got two more this morning, but it was raining and didn't bother taking the camera.

Within the next month, I will be living at the camp full time. I am trying now to figure out how to get Internet access down there, if I don't, I may be offline for a bit, but I'll be back. They don't run cable out that far yet, and the phone company is unsure if I can get DSL. I am thinking an air card, but cell service is spotty. I'll get it going though...

 

[Carolina River Rat]

Good stuff Fishshooter. That's one of the things I've always liked about trotline and bush hook fishing. If you're really low on bait, you can always break out the ol' Bream Buster or cane pole (which I prefer) and catch bait. A bluegill or shell cracker too small for us to eat is perfect for Mr. Catfish. Good to see you're getting results from it.

 

[dipbait]

Nice fat cats. I see a bullhead included in the mess. Limb liners around here use live bullheads as bait for giant flatheads.

 

[cddogfan1]

I love bush hooks. We bait with live bait here mostly. Trying to target flat heads. I use live bait on my jug lines (actually pool noodles) too. We were averaging 80-90 lbs a night at a local lake this summer on the jugs.

 

[coote]

I guess I would call the lines 'set lines'. Same thing. Simple and effective. Ive used them in fresh water for eels, and the law permits us to have up to 25 hooks set in the sea for a variety of fish.

For baiting the freshwater hooks I'd mostly use bits of meat. But for sea fishing we nearly always use fish offcuts or 'rubbish fish'.

Any hook style can work, but for set lining we might select a hook with a very curved point. This can help ensure that we get more mouth catches rather than swallowed hooks.

Thanks for sharing. Best wishes... Coote.

 

[Bushman5]

i wish we had big cats around here. Nothing but bullheads in the river/mouth of river/ocean estuarys

 

[Shoki]

Nice catches! Those are some good looking fish.

How far away are you from the nearest open wifi network? If there is one reasonably close, you could try a parabolic dish antenna like this: http://www.radiolabs.com/products/antennas/2.4gig/stage1.php
You can also build your own from a Satellite TV dish. I've made a couple and have picked up signal from half a mile away without even tweaking the setup.

 

[fishshooter]

The closest town, which only has one red light, is ten miles away. I doubt there are any wifi networks within a twenty five mile radius.

 

[Shoki]

The closest town, which only has one red light, is ten miles away. I doubt there are any wifi networks within a twenty five mile radius.

Well, that's not going to work then! Make sure that if you look into a cellular internet card, data and not just voice service works in the area where you'll be trying to use it.