Tony Adams of Eufaula, Alabama, is a jug fishing expert whose results speak for themselves. In just four hours, using his proven jug line setup, Adams regularly hauls in 200 to 400 pounds of catfish from Lake Eufaula. Most of these fish range from 8 to 20 pounds, with some topping 60.
Unlike many anglers, Adams targets deep water—20 to 60 feet—along the edges of submerged river channels. One of the most important components of his success is bait selection, and his recent tests with Fishbites® Catfish Baits have yielded impressive results.
Testing Bait: Fishbites® Catfish Baits vs. Skipjack
Adams typically uses hickory shad, also known as skipjack, for bait. While effective, skipjack is difficult to catch and must be immediately frozen to preserve its quality. Buying it pre-frozen can cost up to $3 per fish, which adds up fast.
To streamline his process, Adams tested Fishbites® Catfish Baits—biodegradable, mess-free, and made with all-natural ingredients. These baits use a slow-dissolving scent-release technology that creates a strong trail in the water, drawing in catfish from a distance. They require no refrigeration and come in durable strips that are easy to cut and rig.
“There was no difference in the number or size of fish I caught with Fishbites® compared to skipjack,” Adams said. “They’re easier to handle, last longer, and save me time and money.”
Adams’s Jug Fishing Setup
Adams uses 72 twenty-ounce Gatorade or soft drink bottles for jugs, painted bright orange for visibility. Each jug has a 50- to 60-pound test line, weighted with an egg sinker above a swivel and rigged with 5/0 or 6/0 stainless-steel circle hooks. For large catfish, he reinforces some jugs with foam to prevent them from collapsing under pressure.
During the summer, he drops lines to depths of 40 to 60 feet. In the fall, he adjusts to 18 to 60 feet, depending on where the catfish are holding.
He uses a Humminbird Helix 12 depth finder with down and side imaging to locate catfish and bait concentrations near the river channel.
Why He Lines Up His Jugs
Adams positions his jugs in a straight line. This tactic makes it easy to spot any jug that has drifted, signaling a strike. A jug off the line typically means there’s a catfish on the hook.
He attaches electrical tape to each jug to secure the hook during storage and adds reflective tape to spot jugs at night. To retrieve fish quickly, he uses a fiberglass Bream Buster pole with a large hook on the end, allowing him to snatch the jug and control the fish efficiently.
Best Locations for Jug Fishing on Lake Eufaula
Adams favors areas near the mouth of Barbour Creek and north toward the railroad trestle. He places jugs on the edge of river channel bends where catfish often congregate. In these hotspots, Adams sometimes deploys more jugs to increase his odds, especially where he’s encountered large, elusive fish.
“I’ve had a jug disappear for 30 minutes at a time,” he said. “Those big cats will drag them down and break the line on structure.”
Big Baits for Big Cats
Adams tailors bait size to fish size: smaller chunks for 1.5- to 8-pound cats and larger pieces for trophy-sized fish. He places big baits in deeper water and smaller ones in shallower zones. His go-to big bait? The head of a skipjack. But Fishbites® Catfish Baits are now a top alternative, offering size consistency and reliable scent dispersion.
Tips to Improve Your Jug Fishing Success
- Use 20-ounce bottles for easy storage and handling.
- Rig jugs with 50- to 60-pound line and stainless-steel circle hooks.
- Add foam to jugs targeting trophy catfish.
- Fish deep—40 to 60 feet—for better results, especially in summer.
- Line up jugs in a straight path for easier tracking.
- Use a long pole to retrieve jugs and control hooked fish.
- Keep a large, rubber-coated net on hand to land big cats.
- Spend at least four hours on the water for optimal results.
- Use Fishbites® Catfish Baits to reduce prep time and avoid the mess of cut bait.
Final Thoughts
Jug fishing Tony Adams-style is efficient, productive, and surprisingly simple with the right setup and strategy. Whether you’re fishing for fun, food, or freezer stock, his techniques—especially with the addition of Fishbites® Catfish Baits—can dramatically increase your catch rate.
