Blakely, I think your 2¢ is worth ¢. more than 2¢. Wallner, I used to be with you on using about 98% blind sets up in this country, but for the last 10 or 15 years or more I have been working more and more with blind sets, mostly with conibears. I think I now catch 15 or 20% of my mink with blind sets. I like to try to make at least one blind set and one bait set at each location. Sometimes theyr'e in a mood for bait, sometimes I catch them in the blind set. I also catch quite a few rats in the blind sets and I don't have wring offs with conibears. I don't mind catching rats, I always need them for bait. I think I am catching more of both with the combination. When I trapped in Southern Minn in the farm country I caught 98% of my mink or more with blind sets. I wanted to do this because bait sets caught too many coon and rats. Neither were worth much at that time, and a coon could ruin a good mink location. If I was down there now I would be using more bait sets.There were plenty of blind set locations available around there too. A blind set can be made close to your bait sets and you can check it with virtually no time invested unless you have to remove a catch. There is no bait to check or replace. I like the chance of making a catch with no time invested. I don't like dry sets especially up in this country because they can catch too many out of season marten, fisher, squirrels etc. I don't catch many mink after freezup, things really slow down for me then.

Wallner, the shadows are so dark in the back of that catch photo I can't see what's in there. I see a bunch of coon, are there a hundred mink back in the shadows there?

I have never trapped a mink where the water was that clear. All my mink creeks are chocolate brown to coffee black in the winter. I doubt if it makes a difference, but maybe.

open your eyes AL, there is a pile of rats and mink in the front.. I can see why you worked for the GOVT.. hahaha

Oh. Well, ok, I see a bunch of rats.

Look to the right..

...... a step by step post of how to look at a photo.

The great thing about these type of posts is what I learn from them. Keep arguing boys I'll take all the info I can get.

That's what this forum is all about. A person can learn more by accident here that he can asking all the questions he can think of, because you don't always know what questions need to be asked.

Your right on the eye appeal Nick. Thats why I only use certain kinds of fish. Certain fish are highly visible at all hours of the day espc. at night on full moon.
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Thats why I only use Goldfish.....
Jim

What are we betting? and what are the odds? How many trap nights?

I wouldn't bet against you, Speling Zcar. On a bet, I once caught a coon in a dirthole set on Chanel No. 5 perfume.

The trouble with your bet, though, is there wouldn't be any way of telling what attracted the mink. If it's a pocket set, my gut feeling would be that the hole itself was what drew him in, not the fish in the bowl. I've caught a blue million mink in unbaited, unlured pockets. It's one of my favorite "blind" sets, matter of fact. All you pocket guys are so focused on the bait or lure you use that you lose sight of the main reason a hole set is attractive to a mink: because it's a dang hole!!!!

...goeth before a fall...

i'll take your bet and i think you will win, but if you wanted to make it a little more interesting, i am game as well. Even if it is a prize donated to the next kids forum contest.

I agree with Spencer, that it is the visual of the hole as much as the bait.

To late boys I think Old Thorpe got ya beat on that.. Im remeber some BS of his about live bullheads in a pocket and bounce the conibear off some rocks all thats needed

how many nights? 4?

You better not let that goldfish get away in Minnesota. They are carp and it's illegal to release them.