Jugging and Yo-Yoing Catfish

There is more than one way to skin a cat. Traditional rod and reel fishing remains the far and away favorite for catching catfish, but less conventional methods of jugging and yo-yoing will produce fish.

            Jugging is a method of fishing in which an angler attaches a stretch of line to a floating jug – milk jugs or 2-liters are common; attaches a hook, weight, and bait, and sets the jug to drift. Acting as a massive bobber, the jug floats along until a fish takes the bait. The fish will pull the jug around, unable to keep it under the surface for long, no matter the size of fish.

            Remember in the movie Jaws, the scene with the yellow barrels? They harpoon the shark and he takes off. The crew then mistakenly follow Jaws. Midwest jugging is like that, only danger is less eminent as 55-gallon drums are a little unnecessary for our fish.

            My first experience with jugging came on Bull Shoals Reservoir in Arkansas. A local introduced our group to the enjoyment of jug fishing. We waited till sundown to put out a number of jugs targeting cats actively feeding near the surface after dark. He positioned the bait a couple feet below the surface, but you’ll have to experiment with depth. Then we set back to monitor the jugs with a spotlight.

It’s obvious when a fish is on. The jug will be moving across the water, bouncing up and down. At this point, chase the jug down with your boat, grab the line and pull in your prize. With any good size cat, this can turn into a real fight.  

            In Indiana, jugging is legal on rivers and creeks only. Jugging is not allowed on public lakes or reservoirs. Containers may be made of anything but glass. Only one hook is allowed per jug, and only five jugs are allowed per angler. Each jug must have the angler’s name and address on it and all jugs must remain in visual contact at all times.

             Now you’ve heard of yo-yoers walking the dog, but what about catching the cat?

In fishing terms, a yo-yo is a spring loaded reel with a single line on it. They are set with a switch a lot like a mouse trap. When a fish bites, it trips the spring loaded yo-yo enacting a rapid retrieval of the line which sets the hook.   

            Yo-yoing is a big deal at Reelfoot Lake in Tennessee. I was first introduced to these contraptions by a commercial cat fisherman who made his living running yo-yo sets at night.

At Reelfoot, cypress trees grow all over the lake. Yo-yos are hung from branches with the bait barely extending below the water’s surface. Catfish come up to feed around the trees and find the bait. Then zip…they’re hooked.

Next time you head down to Reelfoot, don’t mistakenly think the fishing is over when the sun goes down. Some of my most enjoyable experiences at Reelfoot have come after dark fishing yo-yos with Billy Blakely of Blue Bank Resort. To see what a yo-yo looks like or to order your own, visit http://rockingaltd.com/mfish.html.

            Considered limb-lines in Indiana, yo-yos are legal on all waters if they have a single hook and the fisherman’s name and address clearly written on them. Around here, hanging yo-yos from fallen trees or manmade structure works well. Individuals are limited to fishing 10 yo-yos or limb lines at a time and they must be checked at least once every 24 hours. They are illegal within 300 yards of a dam or partial dam structure.  

            As fishing season gets set to heat up, consider trying something new. Jugging and yo-yoing are great ways to get kids outdoors because they both require a lot of activity, which in turn keeps kids interested.