Bait Trapping

[JIGGIN-]

Stick across the hole is what I did years ago.

JIGGIN.

[Iceholes]

Pulled the trap last night, 4 more goldens all about 4".  Decided to get it out of the water as there wasn't too much ice melt on the pond yesterday and it was going to be too cold last night.  Done over there until I can get on the ice and try.

Considering a couple streams in the area for some chubs or suckers. 

Any tips??

[luvtrout]

I have never trapped my own bait before, so I don't know the rules. Here's a question, does anyone trap their own smelt. I prefer to us smelt over shiners but have never considered trapping my own or even know if it's legal

[DasRottweiler]

Pulled the trap last night, 4 more goldens all about 4".  Decided to get it out of the water as there wasn't too much ice melt on the pond yesterday and it was going to be too cold last night.  Done over there until I can get on the ice and try.

Considering a couple streams in the area for some chubs or suckers. 

Any tips??

I have never been able to get creekchubs to go in a trap. Maybe wrong bait, no idea. I catch all my chubs with a thill bobber and a small hook below it baited with a chartruese or white BerkleyGulp Maggot . I usually use half a maggot. I vary the length of line between the bobber and the bait depending on water current. Longer the more current there is.
I use the chartruese alot cuz ya can see it under water and can set the hook b4 the bobber signals a fish. Kinda sight fishing, just using the bobber to carry the bait down the stream.

[rockhound57]

I have never trapped my own bait before, so I don't know the rules. Here's a question, does anyone trap their own smelt. I prefer to us smelt over shiners but have never considered trapping my own or even know if it's legal

the rule book doesn't deal with trapping smelt, so I'll bet it doesn't happen; if it could be done, I'm sure there would be mention of it and people would be doing it

trap retrieval question - do you guys all use ropes to lower and raise your traps and tie them off on a stick that's laid across your ice hole?  i've heard of some people that just drop the traps to the bottom and use treble snagging hooks to retrieve them...

I set a stick vertically next to my hole as a marker and tie the trap to it, usually 6-18" of bottom, with a piece of plastic siding over the hole to keep it somewhat open(of course that's trapping through the ice)