However, I seem to notice a LOT of posts on this forum from trappers in NON-TIDAL marshes that waste countless hours trying to use 110's where they could be piling up rats by the boat-loads if they used the basic foothold sets used for decades...
Well, in my area footholds are the way to go in open water, deeper marshes early in the season. This is when I may take only a few conibears with me. Get in a shallow marsh and you have to utilze the 110's as it's impractical to to use footholds in most situations.
Now in under ice marsh trapping when I was younger, I was misled that footholds were the trap of choice. I used them for several years with decent results. I now no longer take a single foothold with me regardless of water depth when trapping under the ice. I now use 110's exclusively under ice trapping.This has taken some time to develop and learn but my success has been much ,much better. Last week, for example, I connected on 25 muskrats out of 38 traps along with 7 snaps. This is in water anywhere from knee to waist deep. No baited triggers or any gimmick. Just setting the conibear where the animal goes, that simple...
Too many active muskrat houses need to be passed up or set less effectively with footholds compared to 110's. A lot of marshes don't have many feedbeds or the houses are too big with overhanging sides to reach in with footholds (I don't like wet arms in 10 degree temps). I have also seen many entrances to houses with too deep or wide of a tunnel for effective use of footholds. The muskrats DO NOT always enter traveling along the bottom of the entrance and this is where you are limited in setting a foothold. The result is too many empty traps. Not something I want to have when chopping 40-50 sets a day.
I guess my point is both trap styles need to be utilized Mr. Scheller, depending on the situation. In open water, I agree that footholds can be VERY effective. Almost to the point of it being rediculous as to the ratio of traps per catch. Marsh trapping under ice in any water depth, I leave the footholds in the truck and go catch 'rats.