Baited 110 trigger muskrats...

[Jeffrey]

I've used baby carrots in the winter under the ice and in open water and caught rats on both. The bright orange seems to attract them quite well and they don't go bad easily.

[primetime]

I've found that instead of baiting on the trigger to either dig a pocket or place the bait behind the trap. Using a pan trap instead of a body gripper is also better. This way if they don't actually want it, but can't resist checking it out - you got them.

Also like was mentioned white foam, white sponge, Yellow sponge - works about as good as actual bait. I've been really meaning to try white & yellow Mr. Twisters or Twister Tails. I think these would really work well on rats. Pinned to the bank they would resemble a nice plump juice root.

[David Kuhlmann]

Randy,
That sounds like a hell of a set up w/ that plywood. I'm as green as anyone on rat trapping, as we havn't had any rat's to speak of around as long as i've been trapping, but i'm getting some accidental catch's n a few creeks & some farm ponds i'm finding a few. So, i took a big step & bought some 110's this yr & a couple funnel traps this year to try & target a few. That set up you described sounds perfect in a few of these locations..
Thank you
David

[buckfreak]

The stools in Barringers book work like a top. You don't have to bait them. A smear of good lure will work just as well and you would be legal. They will take coon too. It's funny to see a coon humped up on one twenty feet out in a pond. Alot of the coon you catch will be drowned. I had my brother with me once and had a coon on it. I had him remake it and being the smart ass he is he turned it into a coon set by shooting the stake with shellfish oil. That stool ended up taking six or seven coon and when we got done all that was above the water was about three inches of chewed wood. ;D

[mustelameister]

I'd wait 'till ice up also. Even if you can't find the runs, you can suspend #110s or #160s in the water column hitched up to lath or willow (if no beaver) with bait on the triggers.

With ice up 'rats have no available food up on shore and must rely on what's under the ice--makes life easier. I have three ponds here waiting for the same situation.

[musher]

I've only caught muskrats with bait in the spring (footholds). Apples work but they turn brown quickly and fall off the stick too easily.

If a guy was to use coni's here's something that a "friend" told me worked really well (it's deadly on hares). Prop your coni on a forked stick. The fork is at a 45 degree angle and the 110 leans on the forked stick. The firing of the trap launches the trap onto the catch once the animal touches the baited triggers. No more empty sprung traps from nibblers.

I've had very limited success with vertically placed/baited trigger coni's. That why I used footholds.