Thread: Trotline tied to a bouy

Originally Posted by slabho

Yes sir, lots of folks now days who buy a cheap trotline from wal-mart, set it out one weekend, and then leave it thinking they will come back the next weekend and rebait. The problem is many times they don't, and then it turns into a eyesore and a hazard. And of course, these are the lines that seldom labeled.

I'm not a big fan of having too many laws, but sometimes I wish there was one that required trotliners to bring their lines in daily and reset during each trip. I know guys who put one in during the spring and then leave it out until fall, but rarely re-bait or check it.

slabho

People like that shouldn't be allowed to use lines at all.

Lines are suppose to be ran every 24 hours but that doesn't happen a lot. I know there are a lot of lines out this time of year. We have had to change rod & reel fishing spots a lot because when we pull up to a spot we want to fish it will have a trotline in it. Saw the Conservation Agents going up Beouff Creek 1 day when the river was up and checking all the lines in it and there was a BUNCH.Some they checked and went on, some they left love letters on Rofl and a lot they just cut. I know a couple of times we were going down the creek to the river when we had to duck really quick to avoid a hook hanging down. They had put limb lines in when the water was up and then left them. So when water level dropping the hooks were left hanging in the air. Ouch that would hurt. Those got cut away for safety.

Originally Posted by perchplucker

Lines are suppose to be ran every 24 hours but that doesn't happen a lot. I know there are a lot of lines out this time of year. We have had to change rod & reel fishing spots a lot because when we pull up to a spot we want to fish it will have a trotline in it. Saw the Conservation Agents going up Beouff Creek 1 day when the river was up and checking all the lines in it and there was a BUNCH.Some they checked and went on, some they left love letters on Rofl and a lot they just cut. I know a couple of times we were going down the creek to the river when we had to duck really quick to avoid a hook hanging down. They had put limb lines in when the water was up and then left them. So when water level dropping the hooks were left hanging in the air. Ouch that would hurt. Those got cut away for safety.

when I bowfish the creeks, about the most dangerous part is the left over limb lines that are hanging eye level. I have trolled into 2 of em. one hooked me in the arm as I was shielding my face and another snagged my sleeve. neither time was real thrilled. now if I see a line that looks abandoned or untagged, it gets cut and thrown away. I wont mess with a legal line but the rest are trash in my eyes.
hey perch plucker, how low does the river have to get before new haven access is unusable? I am gonna have to start looking for some new areas. I can't find a decient spot around here that doesn't have lines around it.

Isn't it a violation to mess with somebody else's trout line even if it's not legal?

Yep, and good way to get in a fist fight.

However, I have made exceptions when I am 100% certain that it is an abandoned line.

I have heard folks saying that they see illegal lines all the time that are untagged and feel it is their duty to cut the line, however in some instances the tag may be at the weighted end or far enough down the line that it isn't exposed.

No matter how pissed or curious you are, its best just to leave them be or let an agent know. Can't count the number of times I've come up on boats who were running my line or on top of it, and then use the excuse that they were just checking for a tag. Its none of their dang business.

slabho

Not for sure. Depends on how much water you need to float your boat. Every one seems to be doing fine right now with the water level. Headed to the Osage this weekend. Want a different body of water for a change. gonna try and make the bass bite. Taking the jet and running upriver and then fish back down.

Originally Posted by slabho

Yep, and good way to get in a fist fight.

However, I have made exceptions when I am 100% certain that it is an abandoned line.

I have heard folks saying that they see illegal lines all the time that are untagged and feel it is their duty to cut the line, however in some instances the tag may be at the weighted end or far enough down the line that it isn't exposed.

No matter how pissed or curious you are, its best just to leave them be or let an agent know. Can't count the number of times I've come up on boats who were running my line or on top of it, and then use the excuse that they were just checking for a tag. Its none of their dang business.

slabho

your all correct in that it is against the law to mess with other peoples lines....I should have been more specific. I have respect for others prefered legal methods and would never interfere. I wouldn't begin to run anothers lines even if I didn't see the tags. I am speaking of OBVIOUSLY old lines that no one is coming back for. like the lines that are 6ft above the water and untagged, or rotten lines that look like they have been in the water for years, and are untagged. now that the river has gone down after a couple of years of high water there are lots of old lines littering the bank. the owners sure aint gonna come and get em after all this time. however IF they are tagged, I will leave em be, no matter how old they are. I do this in hopes of a warden coming along and finding those same lines and paying a visit to the litterbugs who didn't clean p after themselves.

thanks for the info, perch plucker. I am gonna give it a try this weekend.