Cusk Traps

[Rhansen]

I started cusk fishing last year with a little luck, no monsters but most nights put at least one fish on the ice. I've read about people attaching bells or glowsticks to their lines and was wondering if anyone has actually seen an increase in bites? If fishing dead or bait will a bell even make a difference?

[Fishin_603]

I find live bait works better than dead bait, I haven’t tried glow sticks or bells but know people that have that setup and they do pretty well. Attracts the cusk and helps find the bait

[Stump17]

I run bells on mine. Think it does help them find it as I put more fish on the ice then others I fish with who don’t have bells. Granite we only ever set traps durning Meredith derby weekend.

[Rhansen]

I find live bait works better than dead bait, I haven’t tried glow sticks or bells but know people that have that setup and they do pretty well. Attracts the cusk and helps find the bait

Do you still prefer live bait if you're leaving traps out over night?

[Tony Thunder]

Bells, lots dead bait, chum pot, late January,February=cusk

[Fishin_603]

Do you still prefer live bait if you're leaving traps out over night?

I have always used live bait overnight so they can see some sort or movement, I’ve used dead bait to and had luck I just prefer live. Maybe try both and see what works best. Good luck!

[Fishin_603]

Bells, lots dead bait, chum pot, late January,February=cusk

Where can I get a chum pot? I’ve tried looking around at local bait stores and had no luck, or did you just make it?

[zwiggles]

I saw some chum pots at Berry’s last week.

[800stealth]

Icehole in Milford had a few last week as well...

[river_scum]

chum pot easy to make.  blend and put fish scraps and in plastic water bottle. i put 3 large wheel weights in bottle then freeze.  poke holes all over the bottle before you drop it down the hole. put a line on it to shake and retrieve bottle when done.

tip
dont let wife catch you blending fish scraps.   i had to buy a new blender. lol

[Tony Thunder]

Yes they are very easy to make, you can make them out of a can of beans.

For Overnights, I still use dead bait, chum pot, and no bells. I haven’t tried the glow sticks, I might give them a try this year and see if they make a difference

[Hottuna5150]

chum pot easy to make.  blend and put fish scraps and in plastic water bottle. i put 3 large wheel weights in bottle then freeze.  poke holes all over the bottle before you drop it down the hole. put a line on it to shake and retrieve bottle when done.

tip
dont let wife catch you blending fish scraps.   i had to buy a new blender. lol

Yeah, it's a lot like using one of your wife's tupper-ware containers to house your mousies or spikes.... been there. For chum finding a hand crank meat grinder works pretty well too, plus it's portable enough to take on the ice with you.

[Brendog9]

I've had way better luck on my cusk traps with live shiners versus dead. I've been flipping back and forth on hooking them through the nose versus the back and haven't noticed any difference in catch ratios.

[sebago2jigtima]

x2 

[AQUAASSASSIN]

Jumbo live shiners! You’ll still get dinks but it’ll weed some out

[Hottuna5150]

Jumbo live shiners! You’ll still get dinks but it’ll weed some out

This ^. That said, If you can't find big shiners I also do well T-ing off two live redfins. Hook one through the back first (just in front of dorsal) and one through the lips. They fight against each other and I've caught some nice cusk that way.

[Rhansen]

Jumbo live shiners! You’ll still get dinks but it’ll weed some out

Have you ever given suckers a try? They seem to be in stock more at my local shop than jumbos

[Rhansen]

chum pot easy to make.  blend and put fish scraps and in plastic water bottle. i put 3 large wheel weights in bottle then freeze.  poke holes all over the bottle before you drop it down the hole. put a line on it to shake and retrieve bottle when done.

tip
dont let wife catch you blending fish scraps.   i had to buy a new blender. lol

Thats a good idea. Do you drop that right down the same hole as your trap or is it better to have a few feet away to help with tangles?

[river_scum]

set around the chum hole.

[AQUAASSASSIN]

Have you ever given suckers a try? They seem to be in stock more at my local shop than jumbos

I have, The shiners seem to work better and don’t try to hide. More movement as well

[Hottuna5150]

Have you ever given suckers a try? They seem to be in stock more at my local shop than jumbos

If you’re going to use suckers I have had luck cutting the tail fins off and sending them down. Like AA said, their going to try to hide, so the odor/taste of the sucker has to do the work to get em there. I imagine they still being alive enough to struggle once located. At least it seems anecdotally to work better than sending a whole sucker down.

[zwiggles]

If you’re going to use suckers I have had luck cutting the tail fins off and sending them down. Like AA said, their going to try to hide, so the odor/taste of the sucker has to do the work to get em there. I imagine they still being alive enough to struggle once located. At least it seems anecdotally to work better than sending a whole sucker down.

I prefer the “boot stomp” method, but they tend to be on the dead side

[Hottuna5150]

I prefer the “boot stomp” method, but they tend to be on the dead side

I reckon that’d work too. Works for lakers on traps.

[Stump17]

Larger bait for sure. I’ve done both live and dead on my overnight traps. But never remember what I had on there when I catch them.

[Dirt23]

I've always done best on large live bait either Golden's or Arkansas. This year trying something new rattle weights.  1 inch PVC cut 5 inches long filled with slingshot ball bearing and encapped with rings attached to caps for ease of attaching line.  Then glow uv dust mixed in waterproof pipe glue an painted.  I'll report back if this increase catches.  I am wanting large bait to really make commotion and rattle these things the barbel under chin is for picking up things like this. Glow is for increasing visibility as cusk have extremely poor vision. Came to the conclusion of needing something like this after jiggin them first time last year the pounding of bottom and glow did amazing so figured need a little extra sweetener on set lines

[Jack1972]

^^^ Hardcore setup, best of luck.

I made homemade chum just from stinky store bought fish products mixed in a blender (not the primary household blender).  Poured the slurry into 1 oz solo containers with lids & froze them.  I drop a couple into a suet feeder cage & sink down near my holes.  So far this has not proven to be effective in the least but thought I'd share.

Saw a post above, dead bait with bells.  How does the bell make any noise if the bait is dead?  I've never tried bells or other gadgets so just curious.

[Rhansen]

I've always done best on large live bait either Golden's or Arkansas. This year trying something new rattle weights.  1 inch PVC cut 5 inches long filled with slingshot ball bearing and encapped with rings attached to caps for ease of attaching line.  Then glow uv dust mixed in waterproof pipe glue an painted.  I'll report back if this increase catches.  I am wanting large bait to really make commotion and rattle these things the barbel under chin is for picking up things like this. Glow is for increasing visibility as cusk have extremely poor vision. Came to the conclusion of needing something like this after jiggin them first time last year the pounding of bottom and glow did amazing so figured need a little extra sweetener on set lines

Interested to see how this works out for you. Are you using the pvc with the bearings in place of your weight?

[Tony Thunder]

^^^ Hardcore setup, best of luck.

I made homemade chum just from stinky store bought fish products mixed in a blender (not the primary household blender).  Poured the slurry into 1 oz solo containers with lids & froze them.  I drop a couple into a suet feeder cage & sink down near my holes.  So far this has not proven to be effective in the least but thought I'd share.

Saw a post above, dead bait with bells.  How does the bell make any noise if the bait is dead?  I've never tried bells or other gadgets so just curious.

I use bells on dead bait when im jigging for them , if overnight on traps I don’t use bells, but always have chum pot out in either case. For dead bait, I’d like to use big cuts of sucker, or if shiners I like to fill the hook right up.

[Roccus]

I prefer the “boot stomp” method, but they tend to be on the dead side

I fo the same, the stomp, releases the oil in the bait, like a simplified chum grinder...

[alexg425]

What hooks does everyone use?  I used bass worm hooks last year (per fish & games reccomendation) but seemed to get robbed alot. I think the hook point was twisting/backing into the bait. I am going to try octopus hooks next and maybe trebles. I dont like the idea of trebles in case I catch a laker by accident. I think i will go with tail-hooking them because they probably will stay alive longer vs nose hooking