comm trotline opinions

[Crabbyd]

I have a piece of that.  YES, hard to see, hard to track.  Much prefer white and the crabs don’t care.  And I find that the winder puts it in the can with clam bags the soft lay falls through the pile and has a tendency to pickup loops when deploying it.  Much prefer white medium lay lines.  Other than that I don’t have an option on it, really.

And after a few uses, esp the rivers I run, the bright white turns to a tan real quick.   

[Seaweed]

I have a piece of that.  YES, hard to see, hard to track.  Much prefer white and the crabs don’t care.  And I find that the winder puts it in the can with clam bags the soft lay falls through the pile and has a tendency to pickup loops when re-deploying it.  Much prefer white medium lay lines.  Other than that I don’t have an option on it, really.

Exactly.  The soft lay has no body and will fall through a hole in the pile.  Medium lay or pot warp line generally does not.  Who knew this was so complicated? 

[double E]

I could put a snood line out on plane. If it filled the can to the top I’d have to take it easy until it got down 6-8” from the top but then I could go as fast as I want.  I never had any tangles except a snood wrapping around another snood from time to time.  Never really did it because the wheel wash would push it to the side a good ways but I would set the line at 5-8 knots and idle back every now and then to grab the line and pull it tight. Didn’t want to do that going fast and have your hand get caught up.

I will lay the snooded clam lines out fast after I bait, but when the winder pulls them in and I lay after that, I go a bit slower. My only concern is with my current set up my lines go past my hydro lines for steering. So i have to be cautious, a snood wrapped around those would make for a bad day, LOL. this problem will be resolved in the off season.

[Mr. Ray III]

I will lay the snooded clam lines out fast after I bait, but when the winder pulls them in and I lay after that, I go a bit slower. My only concern is with my current set up my lines go past my hydro lines for steering. So i have to be cautious, a snood wrapped around those would make for a bad day, LOL. this problem will be resolved in the off season.

Thats a good point with the winder...I always did go a little slower after a line that has been taken up versus one that was put in by hand.

[Stabilizer]

Thats a good point with the winder...I always did go a little slower after a line that has been taken up versus one that was put in by hand.

X2

[Crabbyd]

Thats a good point with the winder...I always did go a little slower after a line that has been taken up versus one that was put in by hand.

X3

[rdbeard]

x3 also the first time I used clams on snoods my lines were softlay 3 strand and on my first lay ever with this set up my lines got so tangled going out that I had to pull by hand ,take my lines home and cut them multiple times to untangle, never again. I just received, as a gift 2 1200 spools of nylon brain that came from capt. bruce originaly and never used. the gift came from a member here who showed me his first invention and tested it in my line puller at home and is working on his next invention for crabbing which I hope to see soon. the line seems nice and it is BLACK so i'm trying to decide what to do with it. If this line is had to track in dirty waater it could be a problem at auto dipper speeds. As clear as the water is right now and early season probably not, the lines i'm replacing are 8-10 years old and like D said are a darker brown then white. I will use the line for the shorter on 1 I need which will be 1300 ft and maybe the rest can be all new anchor line since I run 3 lines that would be 6 which would save me lots of $$$. I think I will use  the hard braid for my longest line #8 . but not sure yet, spring is a waays off. thx guys excellent thread with lots of info from u guys for everyone. oh and thx Steve, you old chickenecker.

[Jim Bright]

Dont forget about Speddens in Cambridge. I use white 1/4" medium lay three strand. Like everyone else said, it goes out easy and could well coming in.

[SlickCam]

I have 2000' of #8 solid braid polyester that I got from Bruce 5-6 years ago that is in my opinion the best line. I made another 2000' last year using some other 1/4"  "solid braid" that was actually a hollow braid but cheaper. I don't run a line puller but I believe this cheaper braid would be a problem because it doesn't hold its shape as well. I only have a short 600' piece of medium lay and it's nice but takes up too much space in my opinion.

[Stabilizer]

x3 also the first time I used clams on snoods my lines were softlay 3 strand and on my first lay ever with this set up my lines got so tangled going out that I had to pull by hand ,take my lines home and cut them multiple times to untangle, never again. I just received, as a gift 2 1200 spools of nylon brain that came from capt. bruce originaly and never used. the gift came from a member here who showed me his first invention and tested it in my line puller at home and is working on his next invention for crabbing which I hope to see soon. the line seems nice and it is BLACK so i'm trying to decide what to do with it. If this line is had to track in dirty waater it could be a problem at auto dipper speeds. As clear as the water is right now and early season probably not, the lines i'm replacing are 8-10 years old and like D said are a darker brown then white. I will use the line for the shorter on 1 I need which will be 1300 ft and maybe the rest can be all new anchor line since I run 3 lines that would be 6 which would save me lots of $$$. I think I will use  the hard braid for my longest line #8 . but not sure yet, spring is a waays off. thx guys excellent thread with lots of info from u guys for everyone. oh and thx Steve, you old chickenecker.

I would try the black, I mean the price was right and its not like its unusable.  You may even like it with your setup.

[Old Chikkennekker]

Hey rdbeard,

You are welcome. If Black is a problem maybe you could find someone to trade with. One day I will come over and show you my latest creation...I think you will love it. 

[rdbeard]

ok Steve that sounds good.

[tinewilson16]

Ok just finished my crab season and I really have to replace 2 of my lines. My lines are hard braid franklin or osprey i'm really not sure but I want to buy about 3000 ft of new line to build with. I've never used Loctite except years ago and it was small dia line. I think Loctite is cheaper but not sure if it will last or if it causes tangles more then the hard braids and I have never had a problem droppin line out even a very fast pace. I would like to know where to buy and if the Loctite even compares with the harder lines. I am aware of millers crab pot supply but I thought there is one in Crisfield also that may carry what I need.

Eddie Heaths Cristfield

[rdbeard]

so now that I have used the black # 8 locktite a couple times I thought i'd give a report on my old thread. the black Loctite made a good trotline and pulls fine in the puller. as far as tracking that line using a dipper which runs a little faster then hand dipping it's ok. I ran it this past weekend which is the first time I've seen crabs in my area I was pretty buzy and I could see it ok. I would not build another line in black but I will keep this one at least though the season to see how bad the water gets and judge it again, thx to all for the advise and old chicken necker for the line.

[Crabbyd]

Rdbeard, I have also tried different colors and found white medium lay the best.  Medium lay works better and doesn't knot/tangle up as fast as soft lay.  I have also used different colored snoods.  My favorite is the white with black tracers but my second favorite is red snoods.  

[rdbeard]

D pullin line and layin line was not a problem with the Loctite so my only issue was seen in at times.

[double E]

My vote is for the Medium Lay also. The softlay absorbs to much water. The locktite is not good with the snoods. At least to me.

Frank W. Winne & Son, Inc. Is a large wholesaler of rope. Their distribution place for Baltimore was in Essex near where Martin's used to be.

Maybe you guys can get a group buy going....

Just curious, what type of problems did you have with using snoods with loctite?

[rdbeard]

update report on the black lines matter issue. I will sell this 1300ft black locktite line at the end of the season I think. with my old eyes it's definetly hard to follow at times and I just can't seem to get used to it. if I raise the dipper I do better with it but that beats the [Sam Hill] out of my clams.  the line is spaced every 10 or 11 ft with 3/16th  snoode so set up for clams and will have 1 season on it when I try to sell it. anyone interested I will sell cheap since the line was a gift but I did make all snoods and build the line so.

[Mr. Ray III]

I might buy it. Send me a message this fall.