Hurricane creek problem......

Went to fish yesterday at Butla and fished in teh wolrd reknown hurricane creek.... I got hung up so many times on trot lines, I finally moved on out to deeper waters,,,, I must had cAught 5 trot lines in 5 minutes, not to mention how many dual minnow rigs I lost along the way,,, I saw the folks setting them out and asked if that was legal to set them across the creek that way for everyone to get hung up? they answers yes and I tried a few more places along the creek before finally giving up,,,I even broke one of my favorite poles while trying to bend down to unhook from one of their dang trot lines,,, Anyone know if that's legal or not to set trot lines across creeks? just doesn't seem right...cost me a bundle for my lesson of the day,,,,

Only place a trot line is not legal is below the dams and that ends at the end of the rocks .

That sucks,,,,

Did they have markers on them so you knew they were there?If not, I would have cut a few and reported it!

No markers that I Coukd see,,,,, He said there were white jugs on each side,,,, but I didn't see them,,,

keep a good sharp knife in your boat

Im first and formost a crappie fisherman....but I do run cat lines at times. If I were to catch anyone cutting or running or otherwise screwing with one of my LEGALLY set lines....there would be big trouble !!! Ya best have more than a knife.

P

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Originally Posted by Pirogue

Im first and formost a crappie fisherman....but I do run cat lines at times. If I were to catch anyone cutting or running or otherwise screwing with one of my LEGALLY set lines....there would be big trouble !!! Ya best have more than a knife.

P

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Them lines best be marked then!!!

Yep

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Originally Posted by ducker

Them lines best be marked then!!!

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Mine are.....best not get seen cuttin on them .

P

you were trolling up a creek, what'd you think was going to happen?

If you cut someone's trot lines you are low down.

I know commercial lines must be tagged with a name plate from MDWFP, I dunno about smaller personal lines. But I will say this please do not cut them. My granddad has commercial fished grenada lake for years and every year it never fails when a tournament rolls around or the fishing gets hot people will hang his lines and just cut them. People like that make life hard for a 80 year old man supporting his family! I dunno about all these other folks runnin lines but he make sure they are out in the deeper water and the lines have several jug marking them so they are not hard to see!

I have no problem with lines that are properly marked. In that case if I hang one then its my bad and I should take the time to untangle instead of cut. The issue are the ones that are unmarked and not being checked for days and days.

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Originally Posted by yikess

I have no problem with lines that are properly marked. In that case if I hang one then its my bad and I should take the time to untangle instead of cut. The issue are the ones that are unmarked and not being checked for days and days.

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You sir are a good man if you take the time to untangle :cheers2

I'll cut old abandoned lines, but not ones that are plainly being worked. It's much easier to cut your own line than it is to cut the trot line. Normally, on an active line, if I tangle it, it's my own fault. The abandoned ones stretches between trees with no markers are fair game IMO.

Wannabe...

I personally talked to the man himself that told me it was legal,,,, So we untangled together a pair, then I just took his word it was legal and untangled each and every time,,,, Though I thought to myself,,, what a wSte of time and money
To fish here,,,, so I just left the area,,,thanks for the help on laws guys,,, Just needed some confirmation,,,

I didn't think it's leagal to be strung across the whole creek blocking it

Yea,,me either Kdavid,,,,

Not sure about Mississippi but in NC trot lines have to run paralell to the bank and must be marked and have owners info on such line and must be checked at regular intervals, also when we renew our licenese each year we get a free hunting and fishing and trapping regulations digest!!!! I do have a question thought. What kind of family is an 80 year old man trying to support and why ? IJA

I'm gonna respect any line that is marked with a tag and the owners name and buoys. Otherwise I'm gonna report the gps location on them and let the wardens take care of the rest.It's a mutual respect thing.I break my poles on a illegal line and it will get cut.As far as anything else happening to me I ain't too worried about threats.

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Originally Posted by brucec

Not sure about Mississippi but in NC trot lines have to run paralell to the bank and must be marked and have owners info on such line and must be checked at regular intervals, also when we renew our licenese each year we get a free hunting and fishing and trapping regulations digest!!!! I do have a question thought. What kind of family is an 80 year old man trying to support and why ? IJA

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When I saw the mention of an 80 year old man earlier in the thread I started to comment but didn't but will now. Fact is I have a 80 year old uncle who runs trotlines in the Ohio river. Last summer I went and helped several times and will again as soon as it warms up and river levels drop back to normal. He's been a widower for several years now with no kids. He's sold his farm bought a small house on Okeechobee & a nice 5th wheel in which he lives in here in Kentucky. Spends the winters in Florida and summers, spring & fall here at home. He purchases his commercial license every year now & sells any Blues or Flats over 10lbs to a local paylake. For him it seems to me he just tries to break even. He spends his time doing something he loves and makes enough money to pay for his gas. If he makes any profit it can't be much. He obeys all regulations and his are clearly marked. I know I'd be pissed if I caught anybody messing with his stuff.
It would be on.

Have my commercial license in IL. With respect I stay parallel but please do not cut. I make the box, lines and droppers and that is a lot of time and knots tied!! Just my 2 cents!

KDavid, wonder if bud lite bottles count as line markers? Remember that one...lol

I FOUND an unmarked gill net the hard way near choctaw on nader bout a month ago. Shouldnt have been hard to find after i left it!

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Originally Posted by MrGoodtime

KDavid, wonder if bud lite bottles count as line markers? Remember that one...lol

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Well if they were we didn't figure it out until the bird was free :)
I think the feller out there running then was just scared of that lil bird lol.

Lol, that bird wasnt so little, but i think he was glad to see us

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Originally Posted by kycreekboy

When I saw the mention of an 80 year old man earlier in the thread I started to comment but didn't but will now. Fact is I have a 80 year old uncle who runs trotlines in the Ohio river. Last summer I went and helped several times and will again as soon as it warms up and river levels drop back to normal. He's been a widower for several years now with no kids. He's sold his farm bought a small house on Okeechobee & a nice 5th wheel in which he lives in here in Kentucky. Spends the winters in Florida and summers, spring & fall here at home. He purchases his commercial license every year now & sells any Blues or Flats over 10lbs to a local paylake. For him it seems to me he just tries to break even. He spends his time doing something he loves and makes enough money to pay for his gas. If he makes any profit it can't be much. He obeys all regulations and his are clearly marked. I know I'd be pissed if I caught anybody messing with his stuff.
It would be on.

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I know some trophy catfishermen that cpr and would love to cut those lines!!!! I personally don't believe that pay lakes should be allowed to buy the general public's resources to make a profit. They should have to buy there fish from private hatcheries!!!!!! I know that there has been a big stink in your state about this problem and def would stand with the sport fisherman. Dat's all I got to say about dat !!!!!!!!!! Wait I got more, How would you feel if commercial fishermen came and caught all the 2lb and bigger crappie and sold them to pay lakes? Think about that!!!!!!!!!!!

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Originally Posted by MrGoodtime

Lol, that bird wasnt so little, but i think he was glad to see us

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Yup

Saved it's life for sure!!

Don't know what makes everthing legal but I do know I ran across a well marked trot line with my my main motor raised and tilted and it still hung the prop. The line was all the way across the channel and the water was less than two feet outside the channel. I know because I went around it going in and scraped bottom. Coming back I decided just to cross it between the jugs. I had no choice but to cut it to get loose. It couldn't have been more than twelve inches deep. How deep does it have to be to be legal.

How shallow can you boat and be legal? Bout the same depth.

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Originally Posted by brucec

I know some trophy catfishermen that cpr and would love to cut those lines!!!! I personally don't believe that pay lakes should be allowed to buy the general public's resources to make a profit. They should have to buy there fish from private hatcheries!!!!!! I know that there has been a big stink in your state about this problem and def would stand with the sport fisherman. Dat's all I got to say about dat !!!!!!!!!! Wait I got more, How would you feel if commercial fishermen came and caught all the 2lb and bigger crappie and sold them to pay lakes? Think about that!!!!!!!!!!!

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The uproar over the paylakes is well documented in my area you're right. And I've never been to one to fish in my life & never will. The uproar is the big boys and the hoop nets that do it for a living. Day after day after day. You & I are on the same side on that matter. But how much harm can a 80 year old man in a johnboat fishing a 1/8 mile stretch of the river bank do? If the resources are that fragile it's a lost cause. IMHO

Thanks for clearing that up for me kycreekboy, fish on brother!!!!

Kcb. I have never cut a line in all the years I have been fishing. I always try to do the right thing on the water or in the woods.We all have a right to the resources that we pay for. I hate to say it but even them water fleas.I'm glad the old feller is still able to do what he loves.

A person that will cut a line is no better than the person that cuts trailer tires at ramps. Probably the same person.

After reading thru all of this thread again I'll have to say I've never saw anyone tie jugs on a trotline. But I'm not fishing any lakes either. In the river we tie one end to something (trees, roots or stumps)on the bank, stretch it out baiting the drop lines as we go and then tie it off to something heavy and drop the other end out in the channel. We want the line on the bottom not on top of the water. Check/re-bait them 3 times a day. Chances of hitting his lines with a boat are very slim. You might hit one trolling along the bank but you should see the tag/line in advance if you're paying attention.

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Originally Posted by Big C

A person that will cut a line is no better than the person that cuts trailer tires at ramps. Probably the same person.

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If it aint marked and gets all wrapped up on either of my props...its a cut line! If they take the time and courtesy to mark it i will avoid it , or my bad for getting on it and will sit for however long it takes to get it loose, but i want waste my time unwrapping a unmarked line!

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Originally Posted by Boatbottom

Don't know what makes everthing legal but I do know I ran across a well marked trot line with my my main motor raised and tilted and it still hung the prop. The line was all the way across the channel and the water was less than two feet outside the channel. I know because I went around it going in and scraped bottom. Coming back I decided just to cross it between the jugs. I had no choice but to cut it to get loose. It couldn't have been more than twelve inches deep. How deep does it have to be to be legal.

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I posted this incident in an attempt to show that sometimes stuff happens that wasn't intentional. I've never cut a marked line before and believe me, I didn't want to cut this one. Will I be more careful in the future, you bet. Did I error in thinking the line would be sunk at least a little... you bet. (The line had no baits and no weights) Next time I'll just turn around and go somewhere else. If I knew whose line it was I would be glad to compensate them. I would also ask them to be a little more considerate by weighting their line when it's in the navigable path.

Left a pretty pink bandit on the line off beach point last year. Could have cut it but cut mine instead.