Trotline death :(

Yesterday morning when I checked the trotline I had a few bream (bait) left on the line.

Last night I got 14 new bream but needed 22 to bait all hooks on trotline so I decided to bait (and re-bait) 6 or 7 yoyo's on fishing pier - since that is where I've taken most catfish this year.

So I figured the turtles ate the bait on the trotline during the day (yesterday)- but big mistake - I goofed because this AM - I went to see if maybe a bait was left last night and I got a catfish over night.

But I found a 4 or 5 lb catfish dead on the line and the turtles were already eating the tail of the corpse :( From the (still slightly pink) color of the gills I'd guess the catfish was still alive around dark yesterday - sure wish now that I had bait the trotline - I wouldn't have lost / wasted a nice channel catfish :(
(I HATE TO LOSE MEAT - very unlikely for me to let it happen but the heat / hot water (low oxygen near bottom) must have caused the catfish to die sometime over night)

i.e I suspect that the catfish got on the line early yesterday - and finally died sometime last night (again still some pink in it's gills make me believe I would have been cleaning him last night if I had taken enough bait for the trotline.

BTW: The law in Arkansas says you have to check at least once a day - which I do - but you can sure bet I'll check ever 12 hours if there is any bait left in AM checks i.e. need to check line in evening even if not planning to bait it (dang hot water / head / low oxygen is a killer on trotline in summer time - and I know this lake oxygen level really gets low in weather like this :( )

John - kicking self in butt