i live on a lake with an abundance of rat sign but cannot catch one on a float can. If someone uses the floats regularly and has good success can u please enlighten me

How long did you have them out??

They often do not work in some habitats on a regional basis, even when there is a reasonably abundant muskrat population in evidence - for reasons unknown.

Floats are normally used in the fall before ice up when muskrats are searching for and banking food for the winter. At this time of the year, they do not have to do that as the native vegetation is probably sprouting up all over the place for them to satisfy their dietary requirements.

Do you have a photo of the floats that you are using? Where are you placing them, and what are you using for bait and/or lure?

Is this an ADC job?

Jonathan

ihad them out most of season Where i am located the lake doesn't freeze up real fast. They are just wooden floats like any others I used carrots with anise oil. I place them off of steep undercut banks in deep water. I know there are dens there Isaw the rats go under and disappear.

Look around and see if you can find where they are exiting the water and put your float maybe 10 feet or so out from the bank to give them a purch to sit on and look the bank over before they exit the water, also if it is that close to the bank they might take your groceries for a cheap quick meal, you might also try some of the vittles they been feeding on in the general area, thats all i got for you. good luck

This float will work when all others wont

Smear a blob of fresh mud on the float. They are supposed to go nuts over the smell of fresh mud thinking another rat is in the area or building something. I think it's called sign trapping. I know it works in the marshes and on creek banks..Ask "CJ trapping"..

I learned not to put all my eggs in the "float basket"

Be careful using corn, as it will attract waterfowl, which when caught attracts DNR personnal and their ticket books.

Hardware cloth dome over the float will keep them out..

You cant get a ticket for catching waterfowl in a trap no more than you could get a ticket for catching an otter or a wolf in one.It just has to be released.

I think its more of a question of ethics.

In a similar train of thought, I call it routine Preventative Maintenance - why set yourself up for clutter by inviting undesirable incidentals other than the target species?

Jonathan

I use theose floats by the hundreds and catch very few waterfowl and i use corn.If you use a little 1 long spring larger ducks are unscaved by the incident.

I here all these people on here using larger traps to drown the rat faster,wheres your Ethics comments to that,These floats target Rats.Every time you set any trap you could say you are inviting incidentals because there is always a chance it could happen.

I believe in MI and dont quote me it states you cant have "visible bait" now while I have to dig the book back out and read for sure. I believe it was meant for meat baits to keep hawks and etc. away but im sure its the same principle for corn with ducks.

A little hardware cloth and very few could become none.


Drowning faster is better ethics.



Thats is true. BUT we can do our part and try to minimize them to the best of our abilities.

The muskrat drowns quicker with the heavier trap.

I also had the most luck using floats during the spring muskrat trapping season during breeding season.Never had much luck in the fall muskrat trapping seasons with floats.

I used floats 20 years ago on a large marsh where others were trapping the feed beds, houses etc. until they quit trapping. The floats were very poor producers for me with and w/o the competition later in that marsh. Just too many other good places for rats to travel. I quit using floats.
Later now I have made some that I use 1.5 single long spring traps on in creeks, rivers, under bridges, culverts etc. and they are doing better. I have cut a 1/2 inch wire mesh cover over these and there are no waterfowel caught in these float sets now. On rivers where there is less habitat or creeks and streams I feel the floats offer opportunities for rats to use them more than in the large marshes where they have so many choices.


Bryce

Drowning faster is better Ethics

I think the point is to have a live Duck so it can be released...

I think the point is to have 0 ducks

Do you guys realy trap?

You set here nocking a float with your opinion with no real evidence to what you are saying......Good luck with that...

Let me put it to you this way.I don't catch ducks and I want to drown my rats as fast as possible.

Who wants to haul around a bunch of floats? Keep it simple and set 110's and stoploss - that's been my muskrat gear for years.

Been doing that for alot of years with great results.

Remember folks not ALL LOCATIONS and ALL STYLES work the same in all areas of the country.

When we had rat numbers back in the 60s and 70s in this area floats shined . Some had stash spots they kept them at for years . Some conditions 110s in runs wasn't an option .

I have taken beaver on floats before too so anchor your traps well . Match the hatch an old fishing bit of wisdom also works for trapping . I tried floats with corn in the river one year the rats hadn't seen corn before I guess but the beaver had .

Drifter

Might be, but around here I love it when my competition uses floats for the majority of his trapping for muskrats.

I live on the ICW I use a mix of floats and conis alot of what I trap is tidal at low tide I dont like stop loss I have quiet a few sloughs the floats work well on the larger foot holds the 1 1/2 long spring work good for me. I just tried corn one year I did,nt like catching nontargets greenheads and mergansers mostly I just don,t use it as a bait. I always thought merganser only ate fish/minnows maybe it was the color .??

i live on a lake so haulin them to the lake only takes a few minutes. I'm still learnin..... not much of a rat trapper just tryin everythin to see what works best for me

coon-38
rats-46
beaver-1
blanket beaver-4
mink-3
coyote-3
fox-0
grinners-1


With that total, Do YOU really trap?

No,we don't trap at all.We catch them with our bare hands muddyriverdodz.

I use about 10 floats in areas that dont have any other method of set up. They produce about 40-50 rats per season (about 3 weeks) Brucet is right on the spring season. I never had much luck in the fall with them. I use apples for bait and a bed of hay, or dry grass. I just hang them in a tree when the season ends and thier all set for next season. I love trapping on floats, and they always produced very well for me.

Slyder06, All floats are not created equally, even if "just wood." The designs and function vary considerably. Have you seen this thread before:

Muskrat Floats: An Overview

You may get some better ideas for construction of them from here that might be more suitable for your conditions. Just a thought.

Jonathan

yes jonathan i just found it somewhere maybe archives, i think my floats sit too low in water they only stick out maybe 1/4 - to 1/2 inch Those others seem to ride higher in water

now that's funny. Good one Blackdog

If your floats are not connecting for ya, why would ya continue to use floats? Floats work in very specific, regional areas. I've tried floats one season, and nothing. I'll stick to the conibears, stoploss and colony traps. Around here floats is just another word for "firewood"!

Floats didnt work for me either. I tryed them in a large marsh, large ditches, and in snall ditches. Long story short gave up on them and went on to other methods. Cant get enough of the colony traps.

How does this antique, Funsten Submarine "floating" muskrat trap trip your triggers?

Jonathan

if i grind the teeth off, does it make it legal?

Yup! But, without that extra grip, I would encourage you to 4-coil it. Ha!

Are we having fun in the sandbox today, or what?

Jonathan

many years ago i had lots of luck with floats.I had them set up like a swim through set .I found they work best in the lake. In the swamp creek ect there are many natural rests, stumps ,old logs and what not. I put them as far off shore as I can wade and pile sea weed on top and apple for bait. Biggest problem was rough water ,tips them over or washes them up on the shore. I will try and get some pics.

Looks like a wall hanger...

why, yes i am! I have been trapperman-deprived for almost 4 months due to my work schedule. Just got back on last week and I am having a ball. I just can't help my self.

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Hi, my name is skunky and I have a trap chat problem.


*"Hi, Skunky."*

You know this is the SOS if you trap a certain way and it works for you and its legal in your state please trap your way.If its deemed not so good by a CO it does not cost the rest one us one dime. Most states want the revenue and could care less why there getting it.

I like that.I just feel there are better sets to choose from for muskrats.

When trapping rivers exspecialy with rising and falling water levels you cant beat a float for rats.They are easey to slide right up along side with your boat and check without beaching and are always operational no matter the water level.