With summer just beginning, hunting season seems like it will never get here. Hunters across the Bayou State try to find various outlets to pass the time before once again taking to the woods. Spending long days at ballparks, knocking out honeydo chores, attending 3D shoots, and saving up sick days can keep us busy until next hunting season. During the off season, it's also important to slow things down and enjoy time with friends and family. For many Louisianans this means cooking up some meat harvested during the previous hunting season. All too quickly, however, the freezer can become deprived of venison and small game. That is when you know that a trip to the water is long overdue. If you're looking for the closest thing to a sure bet at filling your freezer, hitting the lake with jugs, trotlines, or slat traps will give you the best shot.

JUGLINES

Setting juglines has to be the simplest way of fishing. All you need is something that will float with a hook tied to it. Obviously for the best results, cover the water with as many jugs as you can. A benefit to using jugs over the rod and reel is that jugging allows the bait to stay in the target strike zone continuously. If a slight breeze or current is present, position the jugs so that they will float in the desired direction. While any type of line can be used, monofilament fishing lines can tangle easily and cut into soft wet hands when a big fish is being landed. A better alternative is using trotline string. This ropelike material is stronger than monofilament, and its stiff - ness adds another benefit since there is no drag to relieve tension on the line.

Many people needlessly limit themselves because they only fish one bait per jug. As a general rule, more baits will catch more fish. So, why not maximize your chances to bring home more filets? To quickly add more hooks to a jug rig, simply tie a loop in the line every few feet and set a hook like you would on a trotline.

Almost any plastic bottle that is commonly used in the household can make a suitable jug. Throwing away bottles becomes a blasphemy as "trash" is now another line in the water. Sometimes the string that is wrapped around the jug will unravel, leaving you sorting through a bird's nest of hooks, lines, and sinkers. To prevent this, be creative and design a foam-constructed jug that allows for neat and compact storage.

Trotlines

Whether fishing in rolling rivers or muddy brackish water, anglers throughout Louisiana use various trotline techniques to catch more fish. Devin "09Reason" Nunez shared some of his proven tactics for targeting catfish with trotlines. When locating places to set your lines, look for areas where tributaries or canals converge into the larger bodies of water. These narrow waterways, especially in canals, are sometimes deeper than the water into which they flow. These hotspots channel baitfish, and the bigger fish show up for the feast. By setting up near mouths you can capitalize on these prime fishing grounds.

More hooks per line will increase your chances, but when running trotlines it also means more work and more bait. To be more efficient, learn where the fish are concentrated and use a shorter line to cover the smaller area. Trotlines that are 100 feet long are much easier and quicker to run than ones 100 yards long. After finding a prime location, position the line according to the wind direction. For a north or south wind, place the lines east and west. The opposite should be done with an east and west wind. Using the wind in your favor will save you from a lot of hassle while checking lines.

Nunez's bait of choice is cut mullet. While cut mullet will catch fish of all sizes, it is preferred by the bigger fish. If you are also looking for a few quality whole fryers, try using chicken hearts. "Chicken hearts are tough, so they stay on the hook good and will catch many smaller fish," he explained. Rotten stew meat and chicken livers are good alternatives to chicken hearts.

SLAT TRAPS

If finding the time to run trotlines or jugs becomes an issue, slat traps can be an effective alternative. Ideally, slat traps are baited and checked at three to four day intervals. Finding the best location for the trap might take a bit of trial and error. Even moving it less than a foot can often mean the difference between catching nothing and catching a box full of fish. When you determine the right location and have it baited during the right circumstances, success it almost guaranteed.

After buying or building your own slat trap, the first step in preparing it for the river is to weigh it down and let it soak for a couple of weeks. This presoaking Process causes the wood to become fully saturated and lose much of its buoyancy. If you try to use the trap before it is fully soaked, more weight will have to be added to prevent it from floating. Even after presoaking, it is often a good idea to place a brick in the front of the trap between the funnels and one more in the back to keep the current from moving it. Once the wood has become saturated, it needs to be left in the water. Frequent drying and re-soaking will cause the wood to quickly deteriorate.

Using the right bait is also very important. Since catfish rely on scent to find their food, use the foulest-smelling baits to get their attention. One of the best baits to use is stinking cheese. Few stores carry it, so you may have to make some phone calls to find a supply. Dump a few handfuls of cheese loosely inside of the trap while placing a couple more scoops inside of a porous bag secured to the inside of the trap. An old pair of stockings works great for this. The loose cheese will drift with the current while the cheese in the bag will continue to sift out slowly for a couple of days.

While it might be tempting to toss the slat trap out in the deep end of the swimming hole and let the stinky cheese do the work, finding homerun locations requires strategy and scouting. Catfish spend most of their time in deep holes in the river, and they travel upstream at night to feed. When scouting, look for places upriver from deep holes that funnel the fish through a small concentrated section. Ideally, the trap should sit flat on a gravel bottom. Logs or other debris can cause hangups during retrieval.

As every hunter knows, finding that perfect spot and paying attention to the details requires time and effort. The same can be said of jugging, trotlining, or slat trapping. Searching out the honey holes and acquiring the right gear are prerequisites to filling an ice chest with fresh fillets. But with long summer days getting longer and October still months away, these fishing methods will keep your freezer stocked.