This years bait trapping thread

[ChrisMinMaine]

I tweaked my set up some this afternoon before I added my new bait. 

I know I may need to upgrade filter set-ups at some point, but I moved the bait out to the unheaded shed, added the foil faced insulation, light and the filter.  I don't plan on running the light until it cools down some, and will use a different light if I need to, but I had that one kicking around.


2012-01-02 14.47.38.jpg by chrisminmaine, on Flickr

[Ed_r]

All you Maine guys trappin. Nice. Sounds pretty interesting to say the least. I think I have too many options for possible bait. I have the Lake Michigan harbors and piers, would think there should be good bait there. Also have a shallowish river with decent access, with a couple slue/backwater areas that are easy to get at, or would a deeper hole, be a better option. We have no ice right now. (yeah sucks to be me)

[hawgzilla]

All you Maine guys trappin. Nice. Sounds pretty interesting to say the least. I think I have too many options for possible bait. I have the Lake Michigan harbors and piers, would think there should be good bait there. Also have a shallowish river with decent access, with a couple slue/backwater areas that are easy to get at, or would a deeper hole, be a better option. We have no ice right now. (yeah sucks to be me)

Some of my better pulls this year have been from traps in less than 3 fow.  There really is only one way to know for sure....bait a trap and throw it in.

[gregf]

Is it pretty safe to say that most bodies of water have bait fish? Shiners? Im striking out hard so far. (First year trying) Thanks

[team touge]

would anybody want to give tips to a newbie on what type of water to be looking for to trap shiners this time of year? small ponds,bogs,rivers etc.. what kind of depth? any info would be greatly appreciated.

[Ed_r]

trying to think where I can get some of those plastic 55 gallon drums for cheap. I've seen them all over the place, but now that i might be looking for them i cant place one place i've seen them. lol

Would think any place you catch game fish is going to hold bait fish.

[hawgzilla]

Small ponds and bogs.  Just under the ice seems to do the trick.

[hawgzilla]

trying to think where I can get some of those plastic 55 gallon drums for cheap. I've seen them all over the place, but now that i might be looking for them i cant place one place i've seen them. lol

Would think any place you catch game fish is going to hold bait fish.

Try CL.

[maineute]

Look for the thread titled this years bait thread, I followed it, did what they said and was able to catch 6 or 7 dozen so far, not what I would like but I didn't spend a dime this morning  on bait.

[hawgzilla]

Look for the thread titled this years bait thread, I followed it, did what they said and was able to catch 6 or 7 dozen so far, not what I would like but I didn't spend a dime this morning  on bait.

At least that what we tell the wife.

[GasBlaster]

I tweaked my set up some this afternoon before I added my new bait. 

I know I may need to upgrade filter set-ups at some point, but I moved the bait out to the unheaded shed, added the foil faced insulation, light and the filter.  I don't plan on running the light until it cools down some, and will use a different light if I need to, but I had that one kicking around.

thats a sweet setup .  that light will work great .  with that light you will need to keep the top open a bit or it will get to warm .you will have to test a little to get the temp just right.  pop in a floating thermometer and keep it at 35 - 40 and you will have good bait all winter .

[Bout-Time]

Is it pretty safe to say that most bodies of water have bait fish? Shiners? Im striking out hard so far. (First year trying) Thanks

Heh, Ive only got 1 shiner in 3 weeks... Safe to say not all bodies of water have shiners. LOL

I have 10 dozen dace and fatheads though, so Im ok for awhile.

Look for beaver bogs, they are a good place to start off.

[Bout-Time]

trying to think where I can get some of those plastic 55 gallon drums for cheap. I've seen them all over the place, but now that i might be looking for them i cant place one place i've seen them. lol

Would think any place you catch game fish is going to hold bait fish.

I happened to see one just in the woods off a river bank while fishing this summer, I dragged that sucker 1 country mile back to the truck and loaded it up. Keep your eyes peeled, they show up where you least expect!

[FRESHBAIT]

some pictures of my new bait tank,  its up and running.  Although it needs some tweeking.  The filter just cant handle the 1000gph that I am pumping to it.  So I'm gonna do some testing of a new filter that will be able to handle the flow of water.  Once I'm done I'll post some pictures of the new filter.  For now I'm regulating the flow with a ball valve to restrict the flow of water to allow the fillter to be able to handle the water.

My Setup for dace is just a 37gal sterlite heavy duty tote with a hangon whisper 60 filter.  Its got somewhere in the neighborhood of 500 dace 1-2.5" in it now as of today.   

[getting jiggie]

very cool set up FRESHBAIT I like the pump like that mine is just inside a black bait trap only good use I ever got from that trap I closed up one end dropped in a brick and drop it in on end with wire and hose coming up and out the other hole works but takes up room

[LostOne]

3 weeks ago I was getting 2-5dozen shiners a night, this week, less than a dozen a night...hmmm

[gregf]

I would take the less than a dozen a night, compared to the zero i have caught.

[trapperjim]

i like it alot, gives me ideas, thanx for posting,

[FRESHBAIT]

Today I got busy and built a new filter for my large tank.  I needed something that was gonna be able to handle the 1000gph+ I was going to be pumping through it.  I used a 32g square tote,  plumbed in a shower drain in the bottom, and made a through bulkhead fitting with a spray bar.  Used one of the square mesh plastic light diffusers to act as a support for my ac/heater filter.  I also plumbed in some new  1" hose from the pump b/c the other stuff was just 5/8".   turned it on and it handles it without any problems,  no more worrying about weither or not its gonna over flow. b/c it cant handle the water being pumped into it.  I'll post pictures of it tonight when I head back down to the shed. 

I also finally got some shiners in one of my bait traps.  Only managed 2dz small/mediums  in a 12hr soak.  I reset and I'll check it again tomorrow. 

[matthewt]

I am looking to build a live bait well to set in a river.  My basement is heated and no garage and I am not sure how they will survive with temps around 68 in basement. Any help?

[b turdy]

old washing machine insides..... or a 55 gallon drum

[Sinnian]

I am looking to build a live bait well to set in a river.  My basement is heated and no garage and I am not sure how they will survive with temps around 68 in basement. Any help?

I have heard of bad results trying to set up a bait well in a river.

[Wolley]

I have heard of bad results trying to set up a bait well in a river.

Yeah, id say no go in a river with more than a little current. Maybe a deep pool in a small brook.

I think you be better off with an isulated tank outside or turn the heat off in the basement.

[FRESHBAIT]

OUTSIDE VIEW OF THE NEW FILTER

Outlet and the T fitting causing the outflow to vortex, airating water more

Inside of the filter and the grated light diffuser panels I used to help support the filter material.  Under the grate is 4pcs of 1 1/4 " pvc cut to 6" set in each corner and then the grate set on top of that.  That creates an area under the filter material for the bio balls and the excess cutoff pieces of the light diffuser panels which create lots of surface area for the beneficial bacteria.

better view of the interior and the spray bar.  Under side of spray bar there are 6 3/8" holes and then on each side there are 7 holes I made using a heated up broken craftsman screw driver to get more coverage of water accross the filter material. 
The top layer is a grate to help hold down the filter material, then a piece of blue filter from an ac/heater $6 at lowes it'll catch a ll the large debris
then another piece of diffuser panel and a piece of white fiber mat from the craft dept at wally world about $8 it'll catch all the finer debris
then another piece of diffuser panel for the base support, it sits on the 4 pieces of pvc pipe keeping it up off the bottom
Then all the bio balls and scraps from the diffuser panels.  The tote was around $20, PVC Pipe and fittings $20,  I built the new filter for around $60 b/c some parts I already had so its a good rough estimate at $60 for parts just for the filter,  the 1000gph pump last year was around $80 I think.  so far its working great and is handling the water great,  I think it could even handle more flow.  Now its just a matter of time for the stained pond water to clear up. 

[maineute]

The black trap painted white came thruogh today, had 7 shiners, 8 polywogs and a frog, more than it has produced ever in one pull. I am still going to take out the rings from the middle but I am glad I have caught something with it, it hasn't paid for itself yet but I can see it turning.

By the way does anyone ever use polywogs for bait? How would you ever hook them?

[207browntrout]

Well the search paid off- I tried 5 different locations fell threw the ice once but I finally found some bait. Pulled two traps today that had around 10 dozen perfect size shiners. 

[APJ]

The black trap painted white came thruogh today, had 7 shiners, 8 polywogs and a frog, more than it has produced ever in one pull. I am still going to take out the rings from the middle but I am glad I have caught something with it, it hasn't paid for itself yet but I can see it turning.

By the way does anyone ever use polywogs for bait? How would you ever hook them?

You can't use polywogs for bait.

[maineute]

You can't use polywogs for bait.

why not? Against the law? Or the cusk just won't hit em when you are jigging for them in the middle of the day

Live Bait Restrictions. The following are legal baitfish for fishing: Smelt, Lake chub, Eastern silvery minnow, Golden shiner, Emerald shiner, Bridle shiner, Common shiner, Blacknose shiner, Spottail shiner, Northern redbelly dace, Finescale dace, Fathead minnow, Blacknose dace, Longnose dace, Creek chub, Fallfish, Pearl dace, Banded killifish, Mummichog, Longnose sucker, White sucker, Creek chubsucker, and American eel. Any species of fish not listed above may not be used as bait for fishing in inland waters. 
I have seen them in the bait tanks at my dealer but have never thought to ask.

[maineduckhunter]

why not? Against the law? Or the cusk just won't hit em when you are jigging for them in the middle of the day

Live Bait Restrictions. The following are legal baitfish for fishing: Smelt, Lake chub, Eastern silvery minnow, Golden shiner, Emerald shiner, Bridle shiner, Common shiner, Blacknose shiner, Spottail shiner, Northern redbelly dace, Finescale dace, Fathead minnow, Blacknose dace, Longnose dace, Creek chub, Fallfish, Pearl dace, Banded killifish, Mummichog, Longnose sucker, White sucker, Creek chubsucker, and American eel. Any species of fish not listed above may not be used as bait for fishing in inland waters. 
I have seen them in the bait tanks at my dealer but have never thought to ask.

A polywog isn't a fish!! 

[maineute]

A polywog isn't a fish!! 

Niether is a worm, they are alive and people use them all of the time, I highlighted the fish because I think that they are restricting the kind of fish that you can use. I would think that frogs, worms, polywogs, crickets... would all be classified as the not fish and thus usable for live bait. Maybe I am just stupid?