For us in Wisconsin we have a no exposed bait law. This pretty much means no bait on a muskrat floats because it would be exposed.

I thought about putting a roof on top of the bait but so far have just been using a gland lure.

1 1/2 long spring, with lure. put some grass on the float to help hide the trap and attract the rats. Way I read the Wisconsin law: it does not include using apples, cattail roots & etc. The exposed bait law, was to avoid catching birds of prey. these birds are not attacted to the items listed above. Some coon trappers use marshmellows and put them on the ground to attract coon to the trap, and as far as I know it is legal.

Prebait it then using whole kernel corn, to get the 'rats coming! Once the corn is gone, set the traps.

Would grass and cattails be considered bait?

It's what a muskrat eats.......

i use liquid lures on my floats. corn,carrots, anything solid gets the ducks and geese coming and i dont want them. even a beaver will come and get that stuff and ruin the set. food for thought.

Rat

personally I wouldn't risk using apple. I know my luck and I would get the warden who's dog just died.

I will just keep using my lure. Maybe during the off season I will put a roof on my floats. LOL

White styrofoam peanuts soaked sprayed with anise(on headless nail).

sliced up apple

Hmmm. Now thats a new one. Never tried that.

trap and lure.

ttt

Pretty good muskrat bait apples are

how bout some pics of your floats...... I have tried a couple different styles and cannot find one I like.

Actually i made a float yesterday i got a pic but i dont know how to put it on here

If you figure it out I would love to see it!!

Here is the first one I built Last week what do you all think

whats the hole in the middle for?

probably so it can go up and down when the water fluctuates. so i am guessing to put a pole through

As long as it floats good looks fine. if you didnt want to use 110s is versital so you could probaly use footholds to.

sea weed was best when I ran floats.

Sea weed?I just use grass.

An old timer told me he used onions

The hole in the middle is for the anchor pole so it can slide up and down, the water level on the river fluctuates alot here. And yes it's versatile so I can either run 110's or #11 longsprings

krausen: I called the dnr several years ago on the exposed bait law because I use apple bait sets for rats in some situations and it is legal to use exposed veggie type baits just cant use meat, fur, feathers, etc.

That is how it was explained to me by the DNR also.

O man, thats good looking!!!, I never thought to use a 110, I like it.... Thanks for the pics!!!!!!

i agree with using just grass and maybe some lure. The float itself is an attractant.

i like it nice float

Thanks, going to put together a few more this weekend.It only cost a couple dollars to make and that was for a 8' sheet of styrafoam and the washers.

cut up apples and a cotton ball that has a little anis oil on it.

Parsnip.
Tried all kinds of stuff this year. Nothing bother it at all until I put some parsnip on the float.
Tried it in my pocket sets and it worked there also.


Russ

I have a pic. of a new float I made, and it's in photobucket and I don't know how to get it here. The stuff in the archives don't match photobucket today, so the steps aren't rite.

Help?

ANISE EXTRACT, i swear this stuff works amazing for rats!! coon and beaver like it too

ttt

The float is covered with sea weed from the bottom or washed up on shore. the float now looks like a house.I even leave two doors,gaurded with traps of course.they work great in lakes that dont have many natural rests. rough water washes the sea weed away but they work great for me.I have tried corn, apples muskrat lure,nothing beats the seeweed that is right there IMO

How can you be using sea weed in lakes?Isn't that fresh water in your lakes?

yes its fresh water but still refered to as seaweed

I've eaten that stuff...

Im sure we all have its in chocolate milk.

Lol, then it can't be sea weed.

apples

Are you allowed to use willow sticks or apple twigs that have been chewed. Nothing is more territorial response over this method on males and female rats.
Bunnys chew them then rats can't resist them.

ttt

My dad as a kid in the 50's would take a 2 foot long piece of firewood in the round and nail a 2x4 crossways on the bottom of it and put a couple #1 longsprings on each side of the log on the 2x4. Then tie it off in water deep enough to drown them. When the rats swim around the floating log they hit the 2x4 and use it to climb up and bingo. I don't think he used bait, they just wanted to use it for a toilet I guess. Float your log before you nail the board on so you know how the log wants to float.

This may be of interest to those who may not have seen this post or may not be be familiar with muskrat float design options, construction and platforms to accommodate different trap types - coilsprings, longsprings and body-grips.

Muskrat Floats: An Overview

Jonathan

Thanks Jonathon... Great post !!

ttt

i put BARF
BLEND
ALL
RABBIT
FOOD
veggies blended up into a paste

I use this simple float design that I got from Trapper predator caller magazine some time ago. It is 2x12x30 with strips tacked around it. It works great, stacks easy, and you can use various types of traps with it. I cover the traps and entire float with grass, weeds or whatever is available. For lure, that's if I use any, is Lenons.









Here is 2 floats at this stop.

Great post TrapnJoe

I use an apple as eye appeal from a distance, then put some of the apple flavored buck jam on the float around the apple. Its an extremely inexpnsive bait for the amount...