# Jug Fishing for Cats



## JayJayMo (May 20, 2008)

I was wondering if Jug fishing was allowed in Michigan. I seen a set up that looked kinda cool for fishing cats, kinda of like open water tip up fishing. Would not mind setting 2 out while fishing my other line from a kayak. I am sure there is a rule against it in Michigan seems as if its a southern thing.


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## chamookman (Sep 1, 2003)

I would think that Jugs would fall into the catagory of "set-lines" and would be illegal, as well as being considered as being left unattended. C-man


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## pwiethe (Jul 8, 2008)

When I did it in Kentucky, we put out about 30 jugs in a line across the Ohio River, then cut the engine and just drifted with them downstream. We picked up two blue cats - 17 and 28 lb. The bummer is you don't really get to fight the fish.


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## JayJayMo (May 20, 2008)

I was thinking that it would not be much of a fight but I do enjoy handlining a pike on ice so I though it might parallel to that. It is a set line though but so is a tip up I would treat it the same way not just set em up and leave but stay with it maybee tie a rope to the boat that has them on it.


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## Doubtndude (Apr 9, 2009)

Just as a funny ha ha one time we found the cushions that some have to use to sit on ( I am sure you understand ) and we took them out in the pond and sat up a couple of tip ups for ice fishing . 
They worked but was a ordeal to take boat over to a moving tip up we got a Catfish and a couple of Pikes but like I said it was for fun in our pond out back .
I know I do have a big ol Cat in the pond its broken 15lb test line a few times and even dragged a gallon jug under and got it hung up in a snag the last time we caught him he was 2. 5 ft and all of 15 lbs and that was over a year ago lol


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## Naden fourteen (Jan 26, 2009)

I would think that as long as you maintain a mechanical connection to the line (by a light line perhaps) the jug then becomes a bobber, and there would be no legal problems...


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## KI Jim (Apr 14, 2004)

I don't know if they are legal here, but when I lived in Nashville, I went juggin out on Percy Priest Lake several times in the summer. We would go out in the evening with some friends. Do a bit of water skiing then we would go anchor over a channel. We would set out about a dozen jugs-white gallon clorox jugs-and we would bait them with an assortment of chicken livers, small bluegills, shrimp etc. We would then break out dinner, a bottle of wine or 2 (or 3....) and just sit there and enjoy the night. When we would see a jug start moving, we would motor over to it and drag in the cat. Usually, we would stay on the lake till midnight or so and we would always bring back a bunch of cats. Great fun!

Jim


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## MSUICEMAN (Jan 9, 2002)

i'm 99% sure jug fishing is not legal in michigan

i'll try to find it.


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## Zofchak (Jan 10, 2003)

Unfortunately it's not legal here in Michigan. I've had a blast fishing with set lines in Kentucky and Florida. I can imagine the mortality rate for out of season and under size fish is quite high, so I really can't blame the DNR for not allowing it here.


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## MSUICEMAN (Jan 9, 2002)

i did some jug fishing down in texas.... great time and had some HUGE cats. I can't really blame the dnr for not allowing it though, I can see lakes with high fishing pressure turn into a pita and as was mentioned, mortality of out of season or undersized fish can be high with the technique. I do have to say though, for the cats we were fishing with, i don't think anything other than that would be able to take the bait we were using, except for a sturgeon (6-7" sunfish), maybe a HUGE bass.


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## goblue2325 (Feb 24, 2014)

Wouldn't using a jug in the summer be about the same as using a tip up in the winter? Wonder why it's ok to do one and not the other.


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## Vinzo I (Apr 5, 2007)

We have run one pole with a very large "bobber" and six hooks off of that line. One out each side of the boat with two people, as close as you can get to floating for cats in Michigan.


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## S.B. Walleyes&Waterfowl (Jan 10, 2012)

I was jigging the river this past fall and seen this jug that looked like it was moving. Thought it was a jug line, went up to it cuz I was curious and it ended up being a log that someone had marked...

Sent from my SCH-I415 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## john warren (Jan 25, 2005)

because the jug floats down stream and can be lost, it is not allowed. a lost jug can kill and waste fish, also can tangle in boat props and even hook people unaware of what it is. some of the same reasons why you can not use a trot line in michigan. personaly i think both methods are awsome fishing methods. but can not be used here.
of course some thing hand grenades should be allowed too,,,but thats silly...it should be dinomite not hand grenades.


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## junkman (Jan 14, 2010)

:nono::tsk::nono:


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