Starting a rat job in a 3/4 acre pond where they have swiss cheesed the dam.

I have a few colonies, 1.5 coils and LS traps and 110's and 120's.

What can I use as lure/bait along the bank with a foothold, that'll not attract coons?

Thinking of using the post/shelf rig like mentioned in the Archives too. Is this more coon proof?

Input from y'alls experience is greatly appreciated.

This'll be my first rat removal experience.

Thanks

I say use the colonies and then find the dens and use the 110 and 120 also for usen the foot hold traps i would go with out any lure or bait go with slids and feedbeds and trails that show where the rats are going on the bank .I know some will have orther idea . but this is what i know of .I have taken care of rat problems before and use 110 mainly and took care of the problems .

I would avoid using footholds if possible.

Some good floats and some Apple slices/ Mint base rat lure. 3-5 feet out from the bank where you can get to them in hip waders. Zero coons ...there you go.

Rick, these floats were in Location around everyother sort of Animal, all sorts of things (could have gotten into them in the Two summers the were there day in day out... last season, 66 rats in them... never a duck, goose, loon, or other bird... Only Muskrats.
they all fell off into the water also whent they got trapped and stayed out of sight.

I've caught over 20,000 muskrat and have never caught goose or a duck in a conibear . I would use a combo of colony's and conibears on a golf corse . Colony's will not get them all out . After a couple of days the rats will go around the colony's . Also some bank sets a colony just will not work . If water fowl did some how get his foot in the conibear it would just pull out .

Fact: I caught a mallard drake in 3 feet of water in a muskrat run in a Conibear.

Fiction: He was jilted at the alter by a hen and committed suicide!

Fact, I caught a wood duck drake in a 330 with the top under 3 ft of water. Could not believe it. Middle of winter on a beaver job.

Why Rick? , Paul and Jim had their sets under water "fact" ... a float is above

Well if you only catch ducks in 3' conibear sets who's going to see the duck . Best place to setup a golf corse is in the culverts using colony traps . If you can find one that runs between two ponds that's the only set needed .

Well Rick, after 83 trillion Conibear sets and only one suicidal mallard, I think you're pretty safe.

The Higher the dive pole sit out of the water,,,The more likely the duck will dive.........

Use cage traps on floating boards !

Has no one watched Vinke's videos ?