Jug Fishing

[Mitch Rapp]

So, now that I have a boat, my goal is to start fishing in such a way that I can offset some of my families substantial grocery budget. One of the ways that has been suggested is to jug fish. I am making jugs from PVC and pool noodles with a sliding weight (I got all free) that stand up when a fish is on. I am just looking for general tips. Things like:

How much line do you typically put on them?

Do you let them drift or use heavy enough anchors to hold them?

How many hooks do you use and at what intervals?

I know the state regs say ten jugs per person, does that mean I can put my 8 year old boys name on a second set?

What do you use for bait?

I know this will be a learning process but I was hoping to just get a few tips. I will be doing a decent amount of my fishing in the Verdigris, since I can get to it about ten minutes from my house.

 

[swampratt]

If your boy is with you then you can.
Now I tried light weights like 5oz and the jugs drifted into 4 foot of water and they had 25 feet of line on them.. what a mess.

We used to fill an old beer can with concrete and take a piece of solid electrical wire and insert into the wet concrete,, we tied to this.
5 hooks each jug is what I did.

Cut shad or perch from the local pond or small bull head catfish.
I set a bunch of jugs at a spot I have caught many blues and flatheads it is an overflow pond off the east end of Tenkiller.
Tried worms and shad and shrimp and chicken livers.. NO bites they soaked all day and all night,, about 10am the next day I decided to kill some birds.
I tore those small birds into pieces head, legs, breast ,back, wings...It was a mess and I baited the lines and stuck them back out.

We slaughtered the fish.
I seen big fish in that hole try to eat ducks that landed on the water..huge boil under a mallard and Squak! and off the thing flew. That spot had some big fish.

 

[OkieTac]

Verdigris cats were hitting live minnows hard this past weekend on our jugs. We started with cut shad on Friday with light activity. Once we went and bought minnows, we tore them up Sat and Sun.

 

[becker_atc]

Running lines always had best luck with perch we caught either on cane pole with barbless hooks or a trap

A trap I built a friend of mine

Sent via message in a bottle

 

[swampratt]

build that one bigger and you will not need jugs.

 

[becker_atc]

16"x36" with 1/2" hardware cloth if I recall. About the only time I use these is when I want to catch enough at once for a weekend of limb lines, jugs and pole fishing. To bad the river been staying to low where I normally fish.


Sent via message in a bottle

 

[Okie4Life]

I believe the state only allows a certain # of hooks per jug. As long as your boy has a fishing lic. then he can have his 10 jugs as well.

As far as bait, get a good throw net and learn how to throw it. In the spring and summer shad are easy to come by and a lot quicker than perch jerkin'.
This time of year shad are a little tougher, you need good electronics and a proper net. I caught 80+ 6" shad in 1 throw in 25 fow on Sunday. That's more than enough bait for jugs.

 

[willystruck]

Shad for Blues and perch for flat heads always worked for me. Length of line and # of hooks depends on water depth. I keep a set with 10' and 2 hooks and a bigger set with 20+ feet and 4 to 5 hooks. Good luck!

 

[dennishoddy]

my jug lines are 18' long. I use the 16oz solo cups filled with quickcrete, 3 hooks per line.

For bait, I prefer throw netting shad, but I have used crappie carcasses that I've saved. After you catch a couple of blues, use the belly meat cut into strips. Its not worth eating, and makes great bait. Same with channel cat bellies.

Circle hooks will keep the fish on the line. I've tried both regular hooks and circle hooks. Running the jugs the regular hooks will be all tangled in the line and no fish. They like to twist and roll a lot. The circle hooks almost always hold the fish on the line once they eat the bait.

I'll take some pics in the morning and post them up.

 

[Deer Slayer]

You are allowed 20 jugs per person NOT 10. I use cut shad, garlic hot dogs, cut fish carcasses or catfish bellies for the blues. I use 4/0 circle hooks with double strands of 50# test mono for the leaders and a 16 oz solo cup filled with quikcrete and a piece of wire to attach to. Dennis and I jug fish together.