Noodling/Jugging for Catfish.

[Georgiadawgs78]

Hey guys/gals. I’ve got around 2 dozen noodles I made up a couple years ago. I’m thinking it’s about time I put them to use. Never been jugging much unless it was for turtles and grew up bass fishing so when it comes to jugging for catfish I’m lost.

I got a pontoon on Hartwell in gumlog creek. I’m wondering if y’all could point me in some what the right direction so I might could muster up enough for a little fish fry. Should I go shallow or deep? Back of creek, middle of creek, main lake, shallow point, etc? Live bait, cut bait, or some sort of stink bait? Just trying to shorten the learning curve some.

I also plan on either going late evening or early morning before all the recreational ski boats etc get out and run through my obstacle course.

 

[K80]

When I was a teenager, payne's creek area was always a good place for trotlines.

It'll take several trips to tune in to coves vs main lake.

You need a hand let me know and we'll figure it out together.

 

[HuntinJake_23]

I can’t speak for Hartwell as I jug Oconee, but when we go we cast net gizzard shad and cut them up for bait. We have 10ft leaders on our jugs and we usually find 15-25ft of water and do pretty well. We usually get right off the main channel and drop the jugs every 20 ft or so in a line.

Also not sure where Gumlog Creek is, but make sure you stay on the Georgia side as South Carolina has way different regulations for jugging than we do. Hope this helps and good luck. The picture is from our last trip out, all caught on jugs.

 

[Josh B]

I normally do better on my shallower jugs around 3 feet. I try to set in coves or areas with less traffic and no docks. Seems like they always go under someone's dock. I keep a 10 foot poll with a hook on it to grab jugs. I'll use any cut bait or shrimp. Good luck

 

[lagrangedave]

Go up the creek and throw out three cans of cheap dog food with holes punched them.......right before dark...place jugs downstream near the lake... they will start feeding at dark and wear out you baits..........

 

[livinoutdoors]

Ive been puttin some jugs out on hartwell, bout 10 ft of water , using night crawlers for bait. Been working pretty good. Make sure you stay on the georgia side. South carolina requires a jug permit.

 

[Quackmasterofgeorgia]

Cut bream and herring works great, along with deer and chicken liver. Use cut bait for bigger fish, liver for the smaller ones, I normally set mine out in coves, and keep an eye out on them to make sure nobody runs them or picks them up.

 

[Georgiadawgs78]

Thanks! Think I’ll start right in gumlog creek somewhere kind of out of the way. It’s on the Georgia side so we should be good on that account. I’ve got a dozen or two frozen herring left over I was going to use along with some liver or something.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Ive been puttin some jugs out on hartwell, bout 10 ft of water , using night crawlers for bait. Been working pretty good. Make sure you stay on the georgia side. South carolina requires a jug permit.

Live bait like nightcrawlers will also get you arrested about anywhere in the country except GA. Definitely a no-no in SC.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Thanks! Think I’ll start right in gumlog creek somewhere kind of out of the way. It’s on the Georgia side so we should be good on that account. I’ve got a dozen or two frozen herring left over I was going to use along with some liver or something.

Frozen herring and liver are neither good baits for jugs-they'll fall right off.
I've used everything you can think of on jugs for bait, and absolutely nothing beats fresh cut fish. I prefer tougher stuff like creek minnows, bream, or bait-shop shiners, but shad and herring will work pretty well fresh. Frozen, putting it on a hook is like trying to nail jello to a tree.

 

[Georgiadawgs78]

Well we went out yesterday evening about 7. Didn’t have real long but went out with 15 noodles. Set up a little deeper(20’+) than I prob needed to but it looked like a decent spot out of the way of any boaters.

Put about 3-4 in and here comes a lady on a jet ski. She whips her phone out and just idles around a few of my noodles talking on the phone for about 5 minutes and then leaves. I took it as she didn’t like us there but I went on and set out 5-6 more out.

We probably fished about 30 minutes before a storm rolled in and the bottom fell out. Wound up catching one and missing one. Guess we will try it early one morning and see how that goes.

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

Lotta places in South Carolina you cant run and jugs/noodles period.

 

[Mr Bya Lungshot]

Go up the creek and throw out three cans of cheap dog food with holes punched them.......right before dark...place jugs downstream near the lake... they will start feeding at dark and wear out you baits..........

How many cans have you left in the creek or do you have a way to get them back out after your done fishing?

 

[HuntinJake_23]

I bought a pack of frozen herring at the Asian market and used as cut bait for my jugs. They worked great and we caught the big flat head in my thread on it. Keep at it, it’s addicting!!

 

[Josh B]

I normally do better between 11pm and day light. All the boats are off the water. But that would be hard with the kids.

 

[Georgiadawgs78]

We were all the way back in gumlog creek. I felt like I was being considerate enough waiting almost till dark and putting the noodles out at the back where it turns into skinny water and goes under the bridge but she didn’t like it.

But I’ve got some reflective tape on the tops but I doubt the kids will last very long during the day much less at night. I thought if we go back out in the morning we can set them out and then swim a bit before all the boaters get out.

Not real sure what I caught him on or what the other one bit. I just used worms and the frozen herring I had. But I’ve def got to get some big shad or something to cut up fresh.

 

[lampern]

If you decide to fish anywhere in SC portion they have a 51 jug limit.

One of the complaints of Hartwell fishing regulations is two sets of jug fishing regulations depending on the state (SC/GA)