1.75s on the water line...

[trappermike220]

I hear talk from time to time about using 1.75s on 'rats,mink and coons for the water line. So I have been thinking about picking up a dozen to try out for the coming season on mink and rats. The thing that makes me wonder is the powerful springs on the duke 1.75s. The more the spring strength the more pressure is needed to spring the trap, and for mink that isnt a good thing. So what has experience told you about these traps?

[Steve Gappa]

I've always used some 1.75s in water, and have taken a few mink, rats with them.

This year, used a lot more strickly for mink. I fele I for sure lost mink because of them.

To be fair, I wasn't as through adjusting them FOR mink, because they went straight from the land to the water.

While I for sure caught a lot of mink in them, I also had locations were I didn't take as many as I should have. In many cases, when I pulled the line, I felt the traps were too strong- that is, had too much tension.

I'm going to use them again next year, but will make darn sure I have minimal tesnion on each one of them.

[Bristleback]

My concern with the 1.75 would be the additional space between the closed jaws and the pan with coon in mind........drowning sets...no problem....non drowning sets would be of concern to me....

[trappnman]

Bristleback- I really found no more chewing with them then other water traps. But my water coon are always 1) on movable drags 2) on slides or 3) held in water.

[Wright Brothers]

I use them in water after they are skunked or dirty, gives them a chance to destink. Like said I loosen the tension and use drowner. The creek helps clean them.

[Kyle]

I have a half dozen and I grab those to set before my 1.5's, in coon spots. Where there are more mink and rat sign I will usually grab a #11 over the #1.75 or #1.5.

There is a longliner that lives in this area, and I asked what he traps with. And he replied that he uses around 100% 1 3/4 coilsprings in water. Except for beavers of course. But he said he likes them for water so much because of the bigger pan and kill area for mink, and it gets a good stong hold on the coons. But, all his sets are drowners. Or at least more than the majority.

[PamIsMe]

90% of my water traps are 1.75s I like the high catch and the large kill area and feel I have a higher catch ratio per visit with the larger trap.
I got so dam sick of having 4 or 5 different types of traps so I settled On the 1.75 and the #2 square jawed Victor. I don't own a # 11 trap or a # 1 sized trap I just don't see the need the way I trap.
This chewing thing Is just what coon do and I don't think the trap size has anything to do with It. And the fact is I have caught a ton of coon on dry land In #2 Bridgers and didn't see anymore chewing then In a 1 1/2.
Get them down the slide wire and you just won't have that many problems.
Adjust with little or no tension and a short notch.

Gary

[mustelameister]

I run river lines once water sets open. Everything is on drowner cables or rods, allowing for 2-or 3-day checks.

About 1/4 of the traps are #1 3/4 Sleepy Creek with #2 coils. These are used where the water drops off immediately and it's a sure thing the critter will slide out and drown.

However, much of the river I trap is shallow for a good three to six feet or so before dropping off. Too shallow to cause drowning. A muskrat in a large #1 3/4 has a difficult time dragging that trap far enough to get to the drowning zone. Many times I found these 'rats tore up and partially eaten. Some mink are found the same way. The high grab of this trap also produces broken legs on 'rats not drowned.

I've discussed this issue of broken legs on 'rats in shallow water sets with several trappers over the years. If it's not on a drowner, the stoploss/sure hold type of trap will help tremendously. If a drowner is used, the 'rat has to be able to drag the trap down the system into deep water. That's my opinion.

Those trappers who continue to find live 'rats with broken legs in water sets tell me it's part of the business of trapping 'rats. They say they aren't trapping feet. That is unacceptable to me, and I'll go out of my way to drown that 'rat.

That's why I've gone to #11 DJs for about 3/4 of the river line. Small diameter pocket with the trap springs wedged into the outsides of the pocket works for me. Pencil-diameter sized stick guarding the dog on the outside forces the critter to come into the pocket on the sides and thus through the jaws.

The small trap is easily slid down the wire and into the depths. Whatever that #11DJ locks onto, is still there come trap check time.

If I didn't have the 'rats and mink to be concerned about, I'd probably go with the #1 3/4 for all the sets. Or if I had sufficient depth up close to the bank.

My 2 cents.

[trappnman]

I honestly don't see the lvoe affair with #11. I never have seen any of the advantages others do. During that 3 year otter period- I caught many, many rats in shallow water setting for otter- the #11 dj was no kinder on their feet.

Plain and simple if you get broken legs you get wringoffs- so if yo uare going to rat trap- if you aren't making EVERY set a drowning set, you are losing rats- stoploss or not.