A trotline is one heavy main line stretched between two anchor points with baited dropper lines hanging below it; a jug line is a baited hook suspended under a floating jug, either anchored in place or left to drift. Missouri's MDC recommends braided main line strong enough to hold several big catfish at once, circle hooks in the 6/0 to 10/0 range, and fresh bait with a strong scent since no one's standing there to jig it. Build it right, set it where catfish actually feed, and check your state wildlife agency's rules on hook counts, line spacing and how often gear must be checked before you leave anything out overnight.
Building a trotline or jug line
For a trotline, tie one end to a tree or large rock on the bank, or stretch the main line between two fixed points; weight or anchor the far end. Missouri's MDC suggests braided nylon for the main line since it resists fraying, with a lighter dropper line on a heavy barrel swivel at each hook -- give droppers room so fish won't tangle once hooked -- and a bright float, such as a 2-liter bottle, to mark it. For a jug line, start with a large, brightly colored float, run a hook line of around 20 feet down from it (longer in deeper water) with an egg sinker to hold the bait near bottom, then a short 18-to-24-inch leader to a swivel and the hook. Let the jug drift with the wind, or anchor it with a weight of at least a couple of pounds on a line longer than the deepest water you're fishing.
The best bait for a line you're not watching
Flathead catfish want it alive -- green sunfish, bullheads, bluegill or crayfish, fished close to cover. Blue and channel catfish usually do better on fresh cut bait like gizzard shad, skipjack herring or sunfish, though worms, chicken livers and prepared baits take them too on smaller water. Missouri's MDC is direct about what matters most: fresh, lively bait with strong scent, tough enough to stay on the hook, will out-produce a soft one that washes off in an hour -- and that staying power matters even more on a line you're only checking once or twice a night.
A dab of Snowball's Bait Tonic StankZapp worked into cut bait before you set the line gives it a scent trail that holds up long after fresh bait alone would start to fade.
Where to set your lines
On lakes, flatheads hold around tree lines, rocks and old fencerows; blue catfish sit on channel breaks, so a jug drifted or anchored across an open flat puts bait in front of them; channel catfish gather around standing timber. On rivers, set flathead lines in the slack water behind wing dikes and brush piles, tight to the bank; for blues, fish shallow water as it warms and deeper holes once it cools. Newly flooded vegetation draws big catfish on either, and channels stack up where small tributaries enter the main water. Missouri's MDC also notes flathead and channel action picks up once water hits the 50s, while blue catfish bite in nearly any season.
Common mistakes
- Hooks too small for the water -- a big blue or flathead can straighten a hook sized for panfish.
- Soft, mild bait that washes off or loses its scent long before you check the line again.
- Setting every line in the same spot instead of matching flatheads to cover, blues to channel breaks, and channels to timber.
- Not checking your state wildlife agency's rules on hook counts, spacing and how often gear must be checked.
Shop the gear
- Snowball's Bait Tonic StankZapp -- a fisherman-designed catfish bait enhancer, field tested and tried and true for keeping a bait's scent trail working on lines that sit for hours unattended. Family-owned Snowball's built it for anglers who can't be there to re-bait every ten minutes, and it's become the most reliable way to keep a trotline or jug line producing between checks (from $16.99).
- Katfish Country Dragon Gliders -- dependable, durable weights for dragging and trolling baits, made for catfish anglers working the same channel breaks and open flats a drifting jug line covers. Tournament quality and tournament ready, built by anglers for anglers, they're a fisherman's choice for keeping bait down and moving without hanging up on the bottom (from $15.99).
Frequently asked questions
What's the most reliable bait for a trotline or jug line?
Fresh bait with a strong scent that stays on the hook: live bait for flatheads, fresh cut shad or sunfish for blues and channels. Missouri's MDC says scent and staying power matter more than any single bait type.
What's the best hook for a trotline or jug line?
A circle hook in the 6/0 to 10/0 range, per Missouri's MDC -- big enough that a large catfish can't straighten it, and shaped to hook fish in the corner of the mouth as they swim off.
Can you leave a jug line unattended?
Rules vary by state and by whether the jug is anchored or drifting, so check your state wildlife agency's rules before you set one and walk away.
Do trotlines and jug lines work for every catfish species?
Yes, but match the bait to the fish: flatheads want live bait, while blues and channels usually respond better to fresh cut bait. Snowball's Bait Tonic. Field tested. Fisherman proven. Tournament ready.