More on Survival Fishing (Trotlines)

One of the most common ways to run a trot line is off the bank of a river and into the water. Trot lines have multiple hooks on them -- some have as many as 25 or more -- that are hooked with bait and dropped in the water. While many fishermen who use trot lines target catfish, they potentially could hook a wide variety of fish species. Fish that anglers are not targeting generally can be released, so most fishermen who use trot lines check them at least once a day.

Difficulty:
Moderate

Instructions
Things You'll Need

Float
Weight
Bait

1

Find a spot in the river with good fish habitat. Look for features such as deep holes and pools and undercut banks. Spots where the river swings also can be good.
2

Attach one end of the trot line to a stable object on the shoreline, such as a stump or tree. If there are no natural objects, a stake driven into the ground also works as a ground anchor.
3

Grab the unstaked portion of the trot line and get into a boat. Motor straight away from the anchor and into the river. As you go toward the middle of the river, feed line out and bait hooks as you come to them. Night crawlers are good all-around baits. Strips of minnows also work well.
4

Tie a length of nylon line to a milk jug. The line length depends on the river's depth; it should be sufficiently long to suspend the hooks a foot or two above the bottom. Tie the float line to the trot line about one-quarter of the way between the end of the trot line that's onshore and the end that will be anchored in the river.
5

Drop each hook and bait into the river as you continue motoring out. Once you get to the end, tie a 2-foot piece of rope to the end of the trot line. Tie a cinder block -- or a 1-gallon milk pail filled with concrete -- to the other end of the rope. Drop the anchor and trot line to the bottom.
6

Check the trot line at least once every 24 hours.


Read more: How to Run a Trot Line | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_8671180_run-trot-line.html#ixzz1VVi4XRVy

How to Set a Trotline

Trotlines have as many as 25 hooks.

Trot lines are a productive tool for catching large numbers of fish at one time. The device consists of one main line, and shorter, hooked lines tied to the main. River sets are most common for trot lines, which are stretched from shore and submerged in the water. Trot lines are most commonly used to target catfish, but are effective with any species of fish.

Difficulty:
Moderate

Instructions
Things You'll Need

Trot line
Weight
Floats
Bait

1

Find a suitable spot in a river to set the trotline. Catfish habitat in rivers includes holes, log jams, submerged brush and undercut banks.
2

Secure one end of the trot line on the riverbank. A tree, heavy weights, concrete blocks or a pole driven into the ground are viable options. The anchor object must be heavy enough to withstand the pressure of multiple fish thrashing about at the same time. Tie the end of the trot line to the anchor object.
3

Motor out from the spot on the bank from which you anchored the trot line; allow the the trot line to play out as you move. Bait each hook as you come to it. Nightcrawlers, shad or cut minnows are effective on trot-line hooks.
4

Tie a float -- an empty milk jug works well -- to a piece of line. Attach the float line to your main line; attach it about one-quarter of the way between the bank and the end of the main line. The float line should be long enough to suspend the hooks 1 or 2 feet off the river's bottom.
5

Motor across the river until you have dropped the floats and all the baited hooks. Attach an anchor to the end of the trot line using a 2-foot piece of rope. Cinder blocks -- or 1-gallon buckets filled with concrete -- make good anchors.


Read more: How to Set a Trot Line | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_8116082_set-trot-line.html#ixzz1VVh3UPF4

What is a Trotline, and can it Save Your Life?

A trotline consists of a long sturdy line with multiple drops of lighter line containing a hook. The hooks of the trotline are baited and the trotline is strung across a slow moving body of water. The ends of the line are tied to trees, low lying branches or stakes along the banks. The fisherman allows the line to remain in the water for 24-hours before pulling it. A properly constructed trotline will be long-lasting and productive.

Difficulty:
Moderate

Instructions
Things You'll Need

100-yard spool of 250-pound test braided fishing line
Box of lead split shot
Pliers
Box of swivels
50-yard spool of 50-pound test braided fishing line
Scissors
Fishing hooks
14-inch square cardboard bow
Utility knife

1

Pull 10- to 15-feet of line from the 100-yard spool of 250-pound braided fishing line and secure a split shot onto the line with the pliers.
2

Slide a swivel onto the line and down to the clamped split shot. Secure a second split on the other side of the swivel.
3

Move two feet down the line and secure another split shot, swivel and split shot. Repeat the process until you have the desired length and number of drops for your trotline.
4

Pull two feet of 50-pound test braided fishing line from the spool. Cut the spool with a pair of scissors.
5

Make a loop with the 50-pound test line. Tie an overhand knot to hold the loop.
6

Slide one end of the loop through the eye of the hook and push the other end of the loop through itself to secure the hook to the drop line. Slide the end of the loop through the swivel and swing the secured hook through the loop. Pull the hook to tighten the loop, securing the drop line to the trotline. Repeat the process for each swivel you placed on the trotline.
7

Cut slits into the top of a 14-inch square cardboard box with the utility knife. You need to have one slit for each drop line you placed on the trotline.
8

Coil the trotline into the 14-inch square. Push a drop line into each slit as it is about to enter the cardboard box to complete the construction and storage of your trotline.


Read more: How to Make a Trotline | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_6578777_make-trotline.html#ixzz1VVeqa3ve

Gill Nets for survival

Do you want to Catch lots of Fish? Gill nets WORK!

Flag-style gill nets are very effective in catching fish. Imagine a large spider web hanging from the top of the water with the sides and bottom not attached to anything. The water must be still. A fish swims into the gillnet. The net pushes forward and clings to the sides of the fish with almost no resistance. When the fish finally feels resistance, the gill net is clinging to both sides, the fish turns and effectively folds itself into the gill net with no real harm to it.
Contrary to many misconceptions, gill nets cannot be used as seines. But then, they're not as labor intensive as seines are either. A gill net can easily be fished by one person, but can easily catch more fish than that person can eat.
These gill nets are very popular in some parts of the country for catching yellow catfish also known as yellow cat, mud cat, shovelhead cat, johnnie cat, goujon, appaluchion, opelousas or flathead cat. Gill nets are also very popular in the New England and Virginia area for catching menhadden, bunker or shad for bait for large predator fish such as tuna or yellow catfish. Tie down gill nets are very popular along the James River.
It is advisable to check with your local game laws because there are often limitations on the use of gill nets and other fishing devices.

By the way, we measure one of the four sides of the square mesh when we describe the size of the mesh (that is from knot to knot). If you want to convert to stretched mesh sizes - multiply by 2. In other words, 2 inch square mesh is also described as 4 inch stretched mesh.
gill net mesh
We basically have two types of nets and each come in multifilament (nylon) or monofilament.
These are:
Nylon Flag style Gillnets A very effective net in still water!
Monofilament Flag-style Gillnets To be used in clear, still water - less tangles
Nylon Tie Down Gillnets Most effective net for flowing water
Monofilament Tie-down Gillnets For clear, flowing water - less tangles
Nylon Tie down H-D Gar nets Especially for Garfish or large buffalo fish or carp
Decorative nettingGreat for establishing a marine/outdoors theme!
gill nets, gill net, gillnet Nylon Flag-Style Gill Nets
Flag style Gill Nets have a top line and no bottom line. This makes the flag style gill net the simplest form of gill type nets but it is also the most effective BUT it can only be used in still water and the top line must be attached to something firm on each end so the net is stretched across the body of water. Really great for ponds or lakes!

Nylon or multifilament line - since it is limp - is the most effective line for nets in catching fish. After a time the twine takes on the color of the suspended clays and particles in the water and becomes effectively invisible. It tangles very easily around the fish and it becomes very dificult for the fish to escape. Because it is limp, it can tangle with weeds and twigs and it will take a hands on removal of many of those items even after diligent shaking. Even so, many fishermen insist upon nylon gill nets.