Jug Fishing

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Jug Fishing

To jug fish is to simply tie a length of line on an empty container such as a milk jug along with a weight and a hook. Most often catfish are sought through this method of fishing. Most states only allow catfish, which are considered non-gamefish to be taken in this manner. A few states do however allow other species to be caught with jugs. The sections below will further guide you through the methods of creating your own jug fishing gear and preparing to fish.

Tip:

Check local laws before engaging in this activity!

Juggin

Things you will need:

10 or more milk jugs.

Nylon twine.

Weights

Hooks

Bait

Boat

Spot light if you will be fishing at night.

You should count on having 10 or more milk jugs. The object is to cover a lot of water. Be careful not to get to many in the water or you will start losing fish before you can get to them. Consider marking your jugs with either reflective tape or high visibility paint.

Select nylon twine over mono filament. Catfish don't seem to care that they can see the line, and the nylon is tougher and cheaper.

The weights you use are up to you, either lead, brass or something like a spark plug which work nicely for this and often can be had for free.

Hook selection is another area which is totally up to the fisherman. Between 3/0 and 8/0.

Bait should be hardy enough to stay on the hook for extended periods of time. I prefer to use chicken livers from the grocery store. They are inexpensive and ideally suited for pursuing catfish with a jug setup.

You will need to have a boat to fish with jugs. There is no effective way to do this without one. If you intend to do this at night consider reflective tape to make the jugs shine in the spotlight.

Enjoy!

Blog Posts on Jug Fishing

What other people are saying about Jug Fishing around the internet.
Why aren't float jugs legal in Nebraska?
To get an answer from an expert, I turned to Nebraska Games & Parks Commission Fisheries biologist, Daryl Bauer. "Jug fishing is not legal in Nebraska," Bauer said. "At one time there were some waters in the state where jug fishing was legal, ...
Use your 'noodle' to catch catfish
The fish we caught were channel, blue and flathead catfish, further up the scale than lowly mudcats. Had ?jug? fishing been invented back then, this would have opened a whole new world to the four of us. Jug fishing involves tying baited fishing lines ...
Post-Dispatch fishing report
Black bass fair using spinnerbaits and crankbaits early and late; bluegill fair using crickets and worms near the shore; channel catfish good using live bait and nightcrawlers at night on trotlines and jug lines; all other species slow.
OUTDOORS: Lake Conroe fishing report
Jug fishing is also bringing good results for blue catfish. Cut bream for bait drifting and jugs, and liver or shrimp dipped in punch baits are good for channel catfish on baited holes at down to 20 feet deep. They can also be caught at 5 to 10 feet ...

Sparkplug and hook setup.  

What is the best size hook for jug fishing?

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From the fish's perspective.  

Which of these YouTube videos on Jug fishing do you think is best?

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Juggers Episode #3 (Catching a 3 1/2 Foot Gar) 0 points

How To Make A Jug For Jug Fishing And Paint It 0 points

jug fishing the cut 0 points

JUG FISHING PART 2 0 points

FatBoy (Juggin-Night-Light) For Jug Fishing For Catfish 0 points

Post your Jug Fishing comments and suggestions here!

  • TimDF Jul 17, 2011 @ 2:56 pm | delete
    Good read.. You can buy high tech jugs made up from www.fishingnoodles.com
  • Sidonsphotography Nov 20, 2011 @ 3:04 pm | delete
    You can also make your own noodles. I am going to update this page soon with instructions on how to do that.
  • vinbarstovecritic Mar 22, 2011 @ 9:39 am | delete
    I love it...Fatboy Fishin! Great job, guys. Fishing Tips for Bass
  • Catfishing Oct 31, 2010 @ 3:08 am | delete
    I have written a book on jug fishing for catfish and how to make the absolute best catfish juglines for jug fishing. Check it out at http://www.jugfishing.info
  • Feb 16, 2010 @ 9:46 pm | delete
    Good lens and information.
    jugs instant screen

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Sidonsphotography

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