Rigging A Trotline

One of the most often-used methods for rigging a trotline is to attach one end to the bank of a river and drop the other end into the river itself. Anglers who use trotlines commonly target catfish, but nearly any river species is prone to biting one of the 25 or more hooks that make up the lines. Anglers bait trotlines with a variety of baits, but live and dead minnows or worms are particularly common.

Things You'll Need

  • Float
  • Weight
  • Bait
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Instructions

    • 1

      Locate an area to rig the trotline. Some of the best spots are where rivers make a swing, or where there are holes, pools or undercut banks. All of these features serve to concentrate fish.

    • 2

      Tie one end of the trotline to an object on the river bank. The object should be stable, such as a tree or stump. In some cases, there are no such objects available. In that situation, drive a stake into the ground and tie the end of the trotline around it.

    • 3

      Climb into a boat, holding the unstaked end of the trotline. Steer the boat straight away from the shore. As the boat moves away from the shore, bait the trotline hooks and drop them into the water.

    • 4

      Tie a a nylon line to the handle of a milk jug. Use the jug and line to suspend the trotline above the bottom of the river. The line should be long enough that it holds the hooks 12 to 24 inches off the river's bottom. Tie the nylon line to the trotline one-quarter of the distance between the end of the trotline that's on shore and the end that will be anchored in the water.

    • 5

      Drop all baited hooks into the water, and then connect a 24-inch piece of rope to the end of the trotline. Attach to the end of the rope a cinder block, and drop it to the bottom.

    • 6

      Check for fish on the trotline at least once per day.