Catfish Juggin
 

Makin some jugs out of styrofoam noodles and gonna try it at the east and west forks.Has anyone uses this technique? Best locations? Time of night? Any tips greatly appreciated!

I use noodles, I cut mine 12 inches long, slide a 2ft thin walled pvc pipe into it. cap one end of pvc, insert a 3 inch section of re-bar, cap other end and screw in a eye screw to attach line. Slide PVC all the way to one side if the noodle, lay flat in water, when fish take bait the re-bar will shift keeping the noodle flagged. Go below any dam and catch you some skip jack to freeze. Very oily fish and it is catfish candy. You can catch the skippies with white curly tail grubs, but I use a sabiki rig and can catch 3 to 4 at a time.

I am not a Catfish guy....but have seen them jug fishing at Laurel Hill for years. It is full of big Cats. It is a TWRA Lake but allows jug fishing on week days only. Many days I have been there and seen those things moving around all over the lake...LOL.



Regards

we use the swimming noodles also. but we don't use the weight to flag them.the reason is cause we use live bluegills for bait. we also have reflective tape on them and use a spot light to look for them at night.


also look for a LARGE flat thats 6-10ft deep close to a channel. it helps if this flat has some dips and pockets all around it.

i fish the area you are talking about. look alittle father up lake. head towards lamar hill. i know if 4 large flats in the area that Always produce lots of fish and large fish.

This is certainly the time of year to do it. The catfish are pre-spawn and on the move. I've caught a few nice ones in surprisingly shallow water on my flyrod while bass fishing in the last couple weeks. The tip about fishing early and late on flats near the channel is spot-on.

The only other thing I'd say is PLEASE keep track of your jugs. I hate seeing abandoned jugs all over the place.

bd

yea we try realy realy hard to keep up with them. not only is it litter and makes the lake look bad(and can hurt wildlife). but it does cost money to make these things.


also we do real well juggin from early march thur mid october. we try to have them set just before dark. but normally don't get it done untill after dark.:( then we will check them every 2-3hrs and re-bait as needed. then will have them all picked up about two hrs after daybreak. and go home or fish for other species.

I am from MN where jugging is illegal. If there are any offers out there, now that I live in TN, I would love to experience the Jugging experience sometime! If anyone is interested in someone tagging along, let me know!

You would love it, and I will be more than happy to take you sometime. I jug mostley Old Hickory in the Wilson County area.

anytime we hit the water you are more then welcome to join MN. we fish preist Alot. we are always in need of help baiting rigs and catching the bait. ;)


also as a side note when we see old(moss covered) noodles or jugs float i will pick them up to help keep the lakes clean.

You do not have to help me catch bait I have that covered, just come along and have some fun.

The law states that we have to tag jugs with name address and phone number, there is a reason for that. If you find jugs that are abandoned or left for awhile, call TWRA and give them the contact info that is on the jug.

Next time you guys decide to head out, let me know and shoot me a pm!! Sounds like a blast. Even if i have to help with bait! I am all for it!

Here are the regulations for jugging...

http://www.eregulations.com/tennesse...than-rod-reel/

I normally put out between 12-24 on flats near channels. Normally I have fish on before I get the last one out. I have been using a pair of minnows on circle hooks set about 3 feet deep. I am going to try cut and live bluegill this year. I have not caught any giants, but I have caught a lot of nice eating size fish. I have used them on east and west fork and have not caught as many as I have closer to the hobson pk bridge area. An advantage of using them in the rivers is sometimes you can get out of the wind that way. Most of the time there is not much wind at night, but I do most of my fishing in the hour or two before dark until about an hour or two after. I use the fat swim noodles cut to around a foot long with coat hangers threaded through them. Good luck.

As always guys,yer help and tips are appreciated.I try to post pics this spring and summer.Dancin noodles to all!!