Seth Green Jug Fishing

[58Johnson]

I heard the big bow that won the Salvation Army derby was caught on a Seth Green rig. After poking around reading some Seth Green threads on here I saw a reference to fishing a Seth Green rig off a jug  that was trailing a distance behind the boat. 

 

How is that done? What type of jug and how would it be attached? What happens when you turn, etc?

 

 

[Custom Deluxe]

Sounds similar to the stern planer setup that church tackle makes?

[Dick]

clorox jug. it follows the boat about 50 ft back. great for drowing small fish.

[Sk8man]

A jug rig is usually used to get the lines away from your other side rigs while trolling and it also serves to attract fish that may be easily spooked (rainbows and browns for example  another potential "side effect" is that you may catch fish that were interested in your other lines/lures but did not hit them for a variety of reasons (rainbows very often hit the top few lures). In a common example you'd have 2  5 leader Seth Green rigs -one on each side of the boat facing outward at  90 degree angles (to keep them as far apart as possible), then you'd have a third rig with 5 leaders that you would run out say 50 to 75 ft straight off the back. I usually run the jug rig out first to avoid tangles as I sometimes fish them by myself and do not have an autopilot. Keeping the boat relatively straight during this process is very important. Once the 5 leaders are out I attach a cylindrical styrofoam float much like a marker buoy only larger(can be a milk jug, bleach jug, or old plastic duck decoy etc) by the use of a very large strong swivel snap (wired to the jug) which I attach to the last bead chain on my rig line  where my rig line meets the main 7 strand wire line that I use on all roller tip/guides rods. I then let out the desired amount of wire with the "jug" attached and then set out my other two Seth Green rigs which I adjust to the perceived conditions for depth and speed...usually one high and one deep until I see where the fish are if I haven't spotted them first on the depth finder. The drag on the jug rig reel is adjusted tight enough that the waves won't set it off but a fish  will take out the drag when it hits. I've had very large (or multiple fish) not only take out the drag but actually take the jug  under like a bobber. It can be tricky in rough water and windy conditions getting your jug rig back in without tangling in the other lines. I often drop both the other side rigs deep before bringing the jug rig in to minimize the leaders tangling. There are other versions of running jug rigs but this istheway I do mine. In the old days when we could run 15 leaders per rod I used to run 2 side rigs and two jug rigs (staggered behind my little 13 ft Whaler with my son or daughter up front andif both were with me I'd have 2 top lines out on my outriggers as well. Picture 62 lures running behind that little boat .

Edited July 18, 2013 by Sk8man

[Fishy]

It was nice fishing these when you were in a tournament cause the more lures in the water the better chance to get all types of trout. I fished them to until some people on Cayuta Lake didn't like the money won by the Finger Lake trollers group. Could have been the charter boats.

 

[rustyrat]

Its rare that my customers enter derbys. FYI.

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[Sk8man]

Some folks insist that Seth Green (or "thermoclining")rig fishing is "meat fishing" (or some other derogatory word or phrase) and they feel that it isn't much fun because of the heavy duty equipment (boat rods, wire line, large capacity reels etc.) and that it isn't nearly as much fun as downrigger fishing or using the current methods like dipseys, flashers, copper or wire rigs.  Many of them haven't actually tried it either....when you are hand lining in a large rainbow or brown on a10 or 12 pound test 20 foot leader or have two 6 or 7 pound rainbows on at the same time on the same rod going in different directions it is VERY exciting and challenging. It is however pretty much a tactic reserved  for the Finger Lakes not Lake Ontario although I have tried it in the distant past and luckily didn't end up with a chinook at the other end of it.   In the mid seventies to early eighties when the stocking policies were in shambles on the Finger Lakes and it took 5 or 6 hours or more to catch a legal trout the use of these rigs was a good way to end up with a couple fish at the end of an 8 or 10 hour day, and it is still one of my favorite ways to fish.

Edited July 18, 2013 by Sk8man

[laketrout6]

SK8man,

 I was one that just HAD to find out if fishing a three spoon rig off a jug would work for kings in Lk Ontario many years ago. The jug wasn't out 15 minutes when a 22 lb hit my Sutton 38. All of a sudden the jug ( 1 gal. Clorox jug) had simply disappeared then the drag started to screem. After a 20 minute battle we boated the king and proceeded to clip off the hardware on the rig and throw away the line--what a mess. Learned my lesson that day, lol.

[Sk8man]

:smile:   Guess it reinforces my belief that I was lucky I didn't connect with a king....what were we thinking?

[lakebound88]

I grew up doing Seth green rigs. Still wondering what the comment about charters and no won by Flx trollers groups meant?

Its a great way to fish and a nice learning curve. Especially if ya can't afford all the new gear.

Nick

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[fish-on]

My Brother uses the Seth green rigs, Sometimes he gets the fish, Sometimes not, We just fished the Salvation Army Derby and he couldn't buy a bite with Sutton spoons. We used them as kids growing up on Cayuga back in the early 80s, And in Canada for Lakers, They always are the go to rig. I hope he doesn't see the jug rig, It gets crazy enough on my boat. 

[TROUTMAN 87]

I have used jug rigs for years with great sucess. As for the "jug" itself the best thing  I have used is a 2 liter soda bottle.They are very light so you don't have to set your drag very tight. Take and spray the inside with flouresent paint so others can see it behind your boat. Troutman 87

[Iron Duke]

Piece of foam pool noodle that kids use in pool to beat the crap out of each other work great.... put a couple extra bead chains above the rest of your rig and attach the noodle to them ..... this setup works great ... Run in straight down the chute and way out for best results....

Mike

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[Rainbow Kid]

Sk8man hit some great points,.....all the negative Meat Riggin set aside,....Seth Green came up with the rigs,in the 1800s, to find fish in the deep cool lakes...without all the electronics,..and all the tight lipped fisherman from back in the day,it was tough to get a hint on how deep the fishwere...Therefore..you covered it all.!..The classic rig was the old Victrolla record player.You used to be able to pick on up at a garage sale pretty cheap..under $50 bucks.Unless you were ina Antiqueshop,..then they were$200.!

Guys would puta ton of cork and a homemade spool on top....As the Mainline came in(or out ),The 20-25 foot leads would follow with the spoon.There was a trick to each set up...getting the rig in,..in order,,and letting it out in order....It was best to remember the top spoon,..middle and bottom so things would not overlap...I think I am still figuring it out...Fun way to fish with some coaching.and very effective.

 

Best float I ever ended up with and still use today-----Tupperware Rollin pin----Plastic and slender...Nice Chartruse color,...Cant Miss It..! (Unless you are skiing or jetskiing..!!) At htat point,.it becomes part of the slomonmcourse.!

It has a nice profile and even small fish can trip the drag easily.

Prob find it on line..or local sls person...Paint it up Bright.!!

 Tight lines to all

ps That's my special Rainbow Rig..!!!The Float.!

   RK

[Fishy]

Back in the 80's and 90's people would put 15 single hooked lures out on 3 or more thermocline rigs and troll,just keep tighting up the drag until they decided it was time to bring in the rig. Could have many fish on at that time ,don't know how long you have had many fish on that rig. It was told to me that the Cayuga Lake charters went to the State and asked to only allow just 5 baits and no more than 15 points. Many troller tournaments were won with those type of setups.

[fish-on]

I just fished the LOU all on Cayuga and built a jug rig out of a liter vodka bottle, I thought it would be a joke but it worked, Caught 2 decent lakers off it, Sent it straight out the shoot 200ft. back and it wasn't long had 1 on. I'm convinced but will park that rig and go back to the Dipseys and riggers.