Trotline

[Crabbyboy]

   Ok, can anybody help me out on this one:          

            Last year i decided i would have to try a trotline.  I was able to get advice from a man who trotlines himself, he said that i should get grass rope, so i can bait it easier(grass rope allows you to seperate the rope to put the chicken in).  and i knew how to do the rest.  It was getting late in the season so i could only try once.... so i got out and set it ok (for the first time).  then i was ready to make my first run...no crabs, but i thought it was going good untill i looked behind me and my whole line was floating on top of the water!!

[delawhere]

I don't know about grass rope.   Last year was my first at using a trotline.  I tried a couple of diff kinds of rope and here's what i found:

Tarred Line:
I bought it at a tackle shop, sold as crab lines. it was about $20 for 500ft.   I soaked in a large bucket for a few days and kept hosing out the water since it was nasty.  I heard chemicals scare off crabs, but I did pretty good with it.  Its thick, so it was easy to lay out without tangling.   Difficult to get old necks off ( I used slip knots)

Polyester line
  I got about 100 feet of this to try, it was expensive, about $20 for 100ft from home depot.  I like this the best, thin easy to tie necks on and remove (just pull and it cuts right through the old necks)  too expensive though.

Tried a thinner polyester line that didn't work as well, it looked like clothes line,  I had about 500 ft of it but threw it out because it was so tangled up with the chicken necks.  

Didn't really have a problem with them floating.  I'd be curious to see what lines others use.  

[eelfisher]

thanks for the input, delawhere. i am going to use a trotline for the first time this year. planned on using twisted nylon. what do you think?

[Steve]

Did y'all see the trotline page?

http://www.blue-crab.org/trotline.htm

[on the hook]

Hey Eelfisher, I tried this a few yrs back without much luck. I was by myself in the tidal creeks with crosswind, so I had a bad day. 2 people would really be much easier. Also believe NJ has a law that really restricts the length of line. I think it would work good, as I seem to do better with hand lines sometimes compared to traps. Don't know if the metal scares them or not. Let me know how you do, or if you need some help trying out. PM me when you start. Thanks, VAL

[Crabbyboy]

    thanks Delaware, grass rope is hemp string, i think, but grass rope is just bigger(1/4 in.)

[eelfisher]

hey val, thanks for the offer. was that the only time you tried it?? i think the law is two 100 or 150 ft. lines.

[on the hook]

Only tried once. Had a hard time keeping boat straight. When I picked up the line, I could feel crabs, only to feel them let go. Don't know if I was picking up too fast or not. Also would get the boat drifting off line or over and would hurry then. If I dropped the line, I would have to start over. Think your right on the length. You know how it goes, you try something new, and if it works, fine. If it doesn't, you go back to what works. Been doing good with the stripers in the bay, so that will keep me busy till the crabs get here. Can always go golfing though! VAL

[Jerry]

I just use nylon mason cord that you buy at home depot for $6 for 265 ft.  We use it for the whole year, then just throw it away and buy all new line for the following year...We don't even wash the salt water off of it during the year and we haven't ever had it break...and...it doesn't float

[Steve]

Regarding keeping the boat straight... Let your boat drift as you play out your line. Then return to the starting point and work the line... you should drift in the same direction as when you played it out and not have a problem working the line.

[on the hook]

Thanks Steve. Had never thought of that. Creeks are fairly narrow, but that may work! See, this site is already paying off! Did have a problem posting. Somehow I was logged out. Had a hard time getting in. Hope that doesn't happen again.