This Years Bait Trapping Thread

[Phoenix]

I have a brook that runs right by my house and I have thought of doing this a few times.  What's your setup for keeping them in the water look like?

Mine's real simple. I drilled a gazillion 1/8" holes in a five-gallon bucket. I secured an old horseshoe in the bottom of it for weight, if you don't secure the weight it may roll around and kill bait. Just put the cover on, tie it to a rope and put 'er in the brook. There's a slight current where I keep mine and it seldom freezes over.

Never been bothered by thievery but your mileage may vary.

[Maineiac1833]

I started to trap a couple of weeks ago and already had some scrote steal all of the contents in two of my traps. I don't understand how people turn into such scumbags that they can't go trap their own bait, it's not that difficult. Having good ethics is a thing of the past. I guess I will just have to start booby trapping for scrotes and thieves.

[BassinAssassin]

I started to trap a couple of weeks ago and already had some scrote steal all of the contents in two of my traps. I don't understand how people turn into such scumbags that they can't go trap their own bait, it's not that difficult. Having good ethics is a thing of the past. I guess I will just have to start booby trapping for scrotes and thieves.

Maybe you hadn't caught any bait in the traps?

[Maineiac1833]

Oh it's clear that someone had tampered with them when there wasn't even a crumb of dog food or bread left in either trap after a 12 hour soak. I have never ever had absolutely nothing left in my trap after a soak even if it has sat for a day or two and is full of bait.

[LostOne]

Well, I dropped 3 traps in this morning...really can't wait to go check them!!! 

[Keptafew]

I pulled about 5 dozen shiners last week and planning on dropping a cloverleaf trap tomorrow for a day long soak.

[LostOne]

I pulled about 5 dozen shiners last week and planning on dropping a cloverleaf trap tomorrow for a day long soak.

Nice start, I also got about 5 dozen with my first haul.

[jacksmelt71]

i got a 10 doz. mix of red belly dace, fatheads and banded killifish. a lot in the 3in. range which is big for this bait. can't wait for early ice and chasing the warm water species. they love the dace! esp. crappie and white perch. early trout will take them too. i have a similar tank set up to what marcel has at dags. i have a pond heater that turns on at 35f, off at 40f so my tank dosent freeze.

[LINGUINI]

Nice start, I also got about 5 dozen with my first haul.

Liam did you pull them out of the same spot . did you get any of those weird ones I think you know what I mean

[lion]

I really want to trap again this year but I have been burned the last couple years (my fault of course) and lost a bunch of bait.  I wish I could just spend the money and get the filters and everything I need to do it right.

[troutaddict]

Started trapping bait few weekends ago. Have made 3 sets over the the past few weekends. Got about 1500 in one of the tanks already. At this rate few more time out and I'll be set for winter

[COLD-AS-ICE]

I'm ready for the season to start, but I've not had any luck in the past trapping bait until ice was forming. Maybe I'll get bored and set a couple traps this weekend.

[forest_parker]

Been thinking of setting up a new bigger tent, anyone have and concerns with using one of those blue, plastic swimming pools little kids use? I was thinking of just putting it in my basement which is always pretty cold.

[PINSMELT]

I'm catching a ton of creek chubs in my traps, anyone have good luck with these? there all different sizes. Bigger ones I'm going to use for Northern's. anyone have good luck with the smaller ones for trout? 

[APJ]

Month of November is a great time to trap bait no ice.. What I do is suspend  bait traps with 2 liter soda bottles and tie on a large nut for a weight so the trap stays put.  Throw it out in the pond and tie them to a tree. you can set the desired depth.  Works well.  One 2 liter bottle will suspend a regular bait trap.

[jacksmelt71]

I'm catching a ton of creek chubs in my traps, anyone have good luck with these? there all different sizes. Bigger ones I'm going to use for Northern's. anyone have good luck with the smaller ones for trout?

works better than shiners in my opinion.

[joefishmore]

Threw 2 traps in a brook yesterday and today find one is caught on a log. Water is 4-5
feet deep so may be lost if I can't get it with waders.

[PINSMELT]

works better than shiners in my opinion.

 Great. thank you

[nbourque]

I'm catching a ton of creek chubs in my traps, anyone have good luck with these? there all different sizes. Bigger ones I'm going to use for Northern's. anyone have good luck with the smaller ones for trout?

creek chubs work great but I find they are a little harder to keep than shiners. Are you sure they're not dace? Small dace are great brookie bait. I like the large ones for pike.

[Keptafew]

creek chubs work great but I find they are a little harder to keep than shiners. Are you sure they're not dace? Small dace are great brookie bait. I like the large ones for pike.

I agree dace are great for brookies..... the largest dace I get are maybe 3 inches, how large have you found them?

[nbourque]

I agree dace are great for brookies..... the largest dace I get are maybe 3 inches, how large have you found them?

I like dace around 2" for brookies. I get dace up to 6" out of my bait pond.

[Keptafew]

I like dace around 2" for brookies. I get dace up to 6" out of my bait pond.

Nice I didnt realize they reached that size

[PINSMELT]

Yep they are def. creek chubs. I'm getting some random shiners in the mix but so far at everyplace I put traps in i'm getting tons of creek chubs.  Have maybe 50 dozen so far, glad I upgraded my bait tank filtration. 

[JustForTheHalibut]

threw 3 traps out a couple of weeks ago in a not well known stream behind our house that runs into a well known lake. Safe because it is not seen from the road and not a lot of people live around so went out for the afternoon turkey hunt and figured what the heck? Well later that evening we were working on the new ice shack and realized I forgot my gerber multi tool out at the stream so I ran out to get it and said heck ill check the traps(even thought they had only been out for about 4 hours). I was surprised when i walked out there and saw the traps moving! i pulled all 3 traps not a single shiner but about 40 small brookies in the 3 traps. Released all of them and pulled the traps instantly. I was completely shock because the stream isn't very deep or didn't think the stream could sustain that many brookies in such a small section. Hopefully in the next couple weeks i will find a good shiner spot.

[LostOne]

Might want to check the regs JFTH, most streams are closed to bait trapping right now. I know I had to get a special permit to trap local streams around Buxton. Getting permission was easy I just called the wardens and they sent me a letter of consent for the 3 streams I wanted to target, but they did warn me about catching brookies, and said to release them at once, so sounds like you did the right thing. For what it's worth, the streams never gave up any shiners, and I have since found that the small "fire ponds" along side the roads usually produce much better. Good luck!

[lobsterman]

watch out for the fire ponds in Buxton there's alot of trap stealers out there use  either camo rope or white when we have snow

[Sinnian]

watch out for the fire ponds in Buxton there's alot of trap stealers out there use  either camo rope or white when we have snow

Not as many since a bait shop closed.

[jacksmelt71]

I like dace around 2" for brookies. I get dace up to 6" out of my bait pond.

6in. dace! those are some big ones! biggest i get is 3-4in. the killifish will get 5-6in . tho.

[nbourque]

6in. dace! those are some big ones! biggest i get is 3-4in. the killifish will get 5-6in . tho.

haha yeah monsters! Awesome pike bait.

[pegasus]

I use mackerel for big touge.