# What do you use for Trotline Bait?



## GrayGhost (Apr 13, 2005)

Im just getting back into Trotline fishing and was wondering what other people use for Bait.We use mostly Shad and cut Bait but this yr im trying something new soap i have never heard of it before Have any one here ever heard of it before?


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## Lawnmowerman (Apr 13, 2005)

*trotline bait*

I live 3 miles off the Ocmulgee River in Macon. We used to have 7800 acres, (5-1/2 miles of the river) before some timber company bought it from the owner, who lives in the Netherlands. We've caught some HUGE (up to 67#'s) flatheads and blues on this river using limb lines. Always used hand sized bream for bait. Tried some perch heads once and the gar wouldn't even touch them. That soap you mention'd? Well,,,,,,,,, you can't go wrong with bream, the bigger the better   Good luck!


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## poolecw (Apr 13, 2005)

There's a wide variety of bait I use. But it all depends on your location, water stage, and the time of year. 

But typically, I try to use bream to catch the big cats.  I am not particularly hunting the big ones, I'll use crawfish, chicken gizzards or catarbur (spelling??) worms.  I use shiners as well.  I don't know about the soap first hand, but I have heard of people using some type of mexican soap.  Its pink in color.  I think they use it for mullet running in the rivers.


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## No. GA. Mt. Man (Apr 13, 2005)

You Can't Go Wrong With Bream,cut Bait, Gizzards,or Worms. I Have A Catuba(sp) Tree That Should Have Worms This Year.


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## Big Dawg (Apr 13, 2005)

Ivory soap will catch you channels but I have never caught a flat head on it.


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## Greg Pate (Apr 13, 2005)

We use cut mullet in to strips and soak over night in salt in a air tight jar.


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## BowArrow (Apr 13, 2005)

I use cut shad, crawfish and live bream or redbreast on my bush lines in the Ogeechee River.

Cut American shad has been best for me although it is only available during the shad run. I tried freezing some shad but it was too mushy to stay on the hook.

Crawfish are excellent for trotlines but are hard work to find and small catfish will knock them off the hook.

For large catfish I would use live bream,redbreast,catfish etc. and crawfish for smaller cat. Catalpa worms are also good for smaller catfish.

I will be in the Ogeechee as soon as some of this rain runs off so I can get into my landing. I set my lines in late afternoon and fish them around 10 pm. I catch most of my cats the first two hours of dark for some unknown reason although you can catch them during daylight hours.


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## SmittyCrappieMan (Apr 14, 2005)

I use ZOTE soap. The pink kind. It works great and stays on the hook well. It is made with anise oil. catfish love anise oil. It is the only bait I found for catfishing that doesn't stink up my hands.


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## Jasper (Apr 14, 2005)

ZOTE soap? Never heard of it. Where do you get it?


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## Mechanicaldawg (Apr 14, 2005)

I always found cut mullet to work very well and it will stay on the hook very well. We cut it into 1" X 3/4" pieces.

We also always used nickel hooks and have on several ocassions set out the line in the middle of the day without bait--return in the evening to bait it and have 5-6 fish on it already without ever baiting the hook.

I have not run a trotline in 10 years but I plan on getting back into it very soon.

This topic sure does make me miss my PaPaw!!!


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## GrayGhost (Apr 14, 2005)

JEFF me and you are in the same shape i haven't ran a line in about 7yr's and this yr im starting back  and this topic makes me miss my STEPFATHER me and him use to do this and this is going to be the first yr i've been back to the river without him.


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## poolecw (Apr 14, 2005)

I think I"m going to try some soap this weekend.  The Zote soap is the pinkish mexican soap that everyone uses.  I also found a pretty interesting site that sells catfish soap.

http://www.catfishbaitsoap.com/


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## Paymaster (Apr 14, 2005)

I have not used a trotline in years but when I was a kid we used leeches. They would attract all kinds of fish and did not come off easy.


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## GrayGhost (Apr 14, 2005)

I got mine for Clark Bait co  http://www.clark-baits.com/ But i think Im going to try to find a bar of that Zote soap and try it and see how it work's against what i got.But i think i would have to pass on the leeches i cant stand them thing's.


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## SmittyCrappieMan (Apr 15, 2005)

Jasper said:
			
		

> ZOTE soap? Never heard of it. Where do you get it?


 Wallyworld or most latino stores. It will also be with the latin foods section of some grocery stores.
I use it on juglines too.


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## lab (Apr 16, 2005)

I got me some zote soap, going to give it a try tonight or tomrrow on the hill.


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