Bait

[Bigbait]

see you there coastie

The cost is clear why I m on duty. Only til there ice then it Vacation Time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dozindoug]

The cost is clear why I m on duty. Only til there ice then it Vacation Time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Winter layoff is just around the corner more than likely right around Xmas bring on the ice

[kivva king]

i got 4 king sized horn pout in my traps thursday, and a BEAUTIFUL
case of POISON IVY TODAY!!!!!!!!!!   **censored**!!!!!!!!

[Roncarr]

i got 4 king sized horn pout in my traps thursday, and a BEAUTIFUL
case of POISON IVY TODAY!!!!!!!!!!   **censored**!!!!!!!!

Dont scratch your nuts

[pikeking]

Dont scratch your nuts

Wow...I hope you didn't get it on the fish!!!  That would be sad for the fish.

[pikeking]

I went after work this morning and got another 35. This is gonna be a great season, if we aver get ice. It is snowing pretty hard out right now. Got the snow blower running this morning too. Here We Go!!!

[Bigbait]

I Look at the ten day for cast it look like low numbers next weekend ya.Maybe ice for Xmas.
 

[MASS_pike]

First post on ice shanty for the season, and its nice and cold outside and good to be back.
I am going to try my hand at bait trapping for the first time this week...
I know that everyone has their secret techniques, but Im just looking for a bit of general start up info.

I have two traps, and was thinking of trying a few small ponds, that are fed by the connecticut river, and was just gonna start with some white bread as the food source.

Any info on depth, soak time, food/bait source, how much bait to use, rinning water vs. still, reccommended size of the opening for trapping pike bait (pond shiners, golden and emerald are my target) 
Any info/tips = much appreciated.

Did great fishing for pike at the Oxbow last season and hope to better this one with some native baits.

Thanks  -Joe

[GrizlyGarou]

I have two traps, and was thinking of trying a few small ponds, that are fed by the connecticut river, and was just gonna start with some white bread as the food source.

Any info on depth, soak time, food/bait source, how much bait to use, rinning water vs. still, reccommended size of the opening for trapping pike bait (pond shiners, golden and emerald are my target) 

The smaller the pond, the better.  Wear polarized sunglasses, and if you don't see them swimming around in there, go to your next possible spot.

The more bait in the trap, the longer they'll stick around before they try to get back out.  I've always had more in the trap when there was bait left for them to be eating.  Never had any luck in strong current, but a small trickle will spread the smell of the bait around a bit.  The sooner you pull it, the less likely they are to escape, but the less likely they are to have found it yet.  I've gotten 3 dozen on an overnight soak, and four dozen after a few hours.  I'd pull them after an hour or two if you're looking for good spots and toss the trap back in if you get any then come back the next day.

As far as the opening size goes, the law says 1 inch opening max.  I've gotten a bunch a little over 4 inches through a 1 inch hole, so not really pike bait size.  I caught a few monsters with a really small hook and a piece of worm about a foot under a really small bobber, though.  I'm sure that there are a few people that have bigger entrance holes in their traps that haven't run into the fish police, it's just a question of whether you feel like risking it or not I guess.

Make sure they're well hidden, too.  lots of scumbags like to steal stuff.  And don't tell anybody where you trapped them, of course!