Catching Bait

[phisherdude]

Hey all,
  I'm heading out this morning to set a few bait traps.  I was wondering when you guys set your traps do you let them freeze in and chip them out each day? Any tricks to keep the holes open?  Also, whats the best way to tie of your line at the surface? Thanks for any tips.

~ryan

[ifishhi]

i drop mine down the hole with a short rope and a block of wood that way it all stay's under the ice and i just use a pole with a hook on the end to grab the block of wood. let the hole freeze over and chip them out each day.

[phisherdude]

i drop mine down the hole with a short rope and a block of wood that way it all stay's under the ice and i just use a pole with a hook on the end to grab the block of wood. let the hole freeze over and chip them out each day.

Thanks man, I'll give that a try. 

[BOB/NH]

I try to set up close to the bank quick drop off.I tie off to branches low; if lot of kids around and you set your trap far from the bank your trap will be gone.They see the chips and line bye bye trap.Other option long pole no line with hook .

[crawler]

watcha bait bait with??

[BOB/NH]

Dinner rolls yellow from hannafords.I tried cheetos it dissolves a little too fast.Its where you put the trap if you dont get bait two days move them!!!

[newenglandbassfishing]

ive tried trapping all winter without much luck i heard once you find them though your all set.

[phisherdude]

ive tried trapping all winter without much luck i heard once you find them though your all set.

Man I hope so,
 So far I have 0 baitfish & 1 tadpole for my efforts.  Once we get a little ice I have some spots I think should produce.

[fishingonly2002]

are you aloud to trap smelt in those traps?

~Neal

[Fish-On]

watcha bait bait with??

I use dry dog food, seems to work the best for me. Old fire ponds seems to produce the best for me here in southern maine. also to keep holes relatively easy to chip out pack them with snow (if there is any ), it acts as an insulator.

[pegasus]

If I fish on bottom I have a piece of floating yellow rope tied to the trap with a loop on the other end about two feet below surface. I don't like to fish on bottom because I catch to many tadpoles that way. Most of the time I'll keep the trap about a foot off bottom and as the winter goes on I move it closer to the surface. I use hot dog rolls in a bait bag or some dry cat food.

[Hoppes]

Pegasus, ponds on the island freezing up?  Want to hit some with my brother from Northeast.  He usually has to come up my way but would be fun to fish the island again.  Haven't fished down (up) there for quite a few years.  Not to hijack this post.....  tying off your trap low to the ground is smart.  Can't believe some people pulling bait (not their own) traps.  Jeeeesh, spend 10 bucks and trap your own fish.

[keepah seekah]

i trick i use while beaver trapping to keep the holes mostly open is to find some fir trees...snap some bows off and cover the hole with them, helps keep the holes free of any snow that might fall, and also acts as an insulator

[toguetaker]

Pegasus, ponds on the island freezing up?  Want to hit some with my brother from Northeast.  He usually has to come up my way but would be fun to fish the island again.  Haven't fished down (up) there for quite a few years.  Not to hijack this post.....  tying off your trap low to the ground is smart.  Can't believe some people pulling bait (not their own) traps.  Jeeeesh, spend 10 bucks and trap your own fish.

  Ponds on the Island are just starting to freeze. Should be ok in a week if we don't get snow this weekend to insulate the ice.......

[ragfly]

I use dry dog food for bait.  I use that blue or pick house closed cell foam over the hole to help slow down the freezing process.  I scrap the outline of the foam piece on the ice then with my chain saw I cut the hole as precise as I can so the foam fits as tight as possible.  Don't forget that you need to have you personal info on the trap just like your ice shack.....  I will be putting my traps out this weekend. 

[duncan440ex]

old roy dog food doesn't work as good as the more expensive brands, but i've found that dog food works the best

[BOB/NH]

Keep trying it took me two years to find bait!!!Im catching bait through ice about 5 doz today!!Keep trying places!!!

[mainedukblaster]

any other good bait other than dog food?  gonna put a trap out tomorrow!

[BOB/NH]

I like cooked chicken and dinner rolls!!! It lasts other stuff doesnt!!! If you dont get bait within two days move trap different place!!!Look for sandy ponds & pits duck marshes shallow.

[mainedukblaster]

cool thanks, yeah I go to the medical school in biddeford, there is a pond on campus that i saw bait in the spring time

[pegasus]

I don't know what happened last night on the island, but the night before Echo didn't freeze because of the wind. Right now it's 38 degrees and blowing southwest. I hauled one of my bait traps that I set yesterday and got nothing. I know there is bait in that pond because I put in about five hundred after the season was over last spring. With all the rain that we have had they may have gone down into the other pond below. You just got to hunt for the honey hole.

[newenglandbassfishing]

Ill keep trying  the pond behind my house is one of those stream fed fire ponds and all i got was some tadpoles and big ugly beetles. And when i tried smaller streams all i got was ninespine sicklebacks and there considered a forage fish that you cant use for bait here in maine. I ws thinkng of trying somebigger bodies of water. Or remote

[brookiebomber477]

one thing that ive found trapping bait in the pond behind my house is that dog food works ok, but it pretty messy once it gets soggy...if you use a couple of big pieces of bubble gum they won't get all messy and the fish seem to be attracted to it just the same.

[duncan440ex]

what kind of gum?  bazooka, wrigley's, hubba bubba