Latest issue of Trappers Post has an article using drain tile. Anyone ever used this or anything similar?

I saw that article.Trouble up here by time otter season starts you might have a week at best before everything freezes.

I hear ya. A little better here.

Nice catch goatman

Can yall elaborate I have a perfect location for this but I don't get trappers post please help. I'm not trying to hijack this post just trying understand the set

Got wood attached to each side of the tile to keep the tile floating.When put in water the wood is below the surface of the water with the bottom of the tile partly in the water

Do you put it up against the bank and disguise it like it comes out of the bank?

Look at the pic shown by goatman Pipe on a wooden platform. Open at both ends guarded by coni’s. Fish or whatever for bait. Trappers Post is a great magazine for Trappers . Still want to hear from others who have used this set?

Got to be an easier way.

Thanks so much I understand now. I despritly want to get trappers post and join my state organization trappers post comes with it but its just gotta wate a little longer. Thanks so much

Yes there are easier ways BUT this idea is just another TOOL in a trappers trapping tool box, keep an open mind....trap on and skin those super glue otter hides....

Join your state organization BEFORE buying additional supplies. A better investment for a number of reasons. IMO
Good luck and remember whoever has the most fun wins!

That float was made by ole' Leon Smith of the United Trappers of Kentucky...For anyone who doesn't know, Leon is a "hoot", and a fine trapper...I see alot of value in this setup in constantly changing water levels like those on a river and its tributaries below a dam...To learn more about Leon, Clint Locklear has an interview of him on a early episode of Trappers Radio...Well worth listening to.

Thanks for that info.

I do understand "another trapping tool in the bag" but I'd have to buy a trapping vehicle to haul something like that and foxes aren't selling that good right now. lol

Just put runners on it and drag it along behind your car

The set is for places that have fluctuating water levels daily with few other places like pinch points to set. Tidal areas comes to mind and tail water rivers. I guarantee the set is productive but it does take some effort in the off season to construct. I've seen several otters hanging below the float. I believe as a few of you start using them it will be a much talked about otter tool in the future.

We Can't preset or leave anything in the off season here.

You build them n the summer and set them in the winter. They're not left out year round.

Thought you meant to pre locate them before season.

A smaller version should also work for Mr. Mink too......jk I like it

Kytrapper brough up tide water.
I'll tell you guys Tide water is much easer to trap than rivers with dams that they let go when they feel like it.I would rather trap tide water than ANY place else. Even dry land.

Two trapper sayings comes to mind
1-If it works for you.
2- Flooded water always makes more sets than it takes away.

First thing I ever saw taken with the float was a mink. I was pretty amazed at how many coons swim out to them and get caught. No worries about water level or weather as long as you don't put them out in the main flow and get into debris.

A very good trapper here in WA used floats for years. They were all made with two cedar fence posts tied together and a wood tunnel built on them. He used 1 1/2 CS on each end. He used them mostly in sloughs where there was a lot of water fluctuation but also in lakes. They were heavy and cumbersome so he put them in the off season and left them there year around. We could do that here. He caught all water animals in them. Beaver, otter, mink, rats, and coon.
He liked them for two reasons fluctuating water levels and they never caught a possum.
He had videos of the things in summer and it was amazing all the attention they drew from animals. It was a hoot watching beaver pushing them around trying to move them somewhere.

X@ on dammed rivers. Aggravating is the nice word for it.

I could see them coming in handy in some of the streams I trap. Streams that are deep and fairly wide with steep banks come to mind.

Thought I had a better picture. I don't float them. Just set them in deep enough water to cover the trap. The above otter was the second one in two nights. think he came looking for his buddy. Nothing special on the location. Set in front of my house. Have caught 3 in two years. Otter not thick here but they keep coming to my pond from a small river near by. I started this year just put a leafy branch over the slot just to darken it inside. I also put a 6" soft bait fish on the trigger. Caught a bass on day 3 in a open set.

I read the article. I might have missed it, but he didn't say how he anchored the thing, did he? Some of the otter I've caught in a body grip were like a beaver on steroids. With no anchor, an otter would pull that set all over the river. The other thing I wasn't too keen about would be having to lug the set back in the woods a ways, so nobody steals it.

You anchor them to a tree limb over the water or a snag. Yes they need to be anchored solid.

Do you think these would work with the entrance completely below water? I live in Washington where we are stuck using cages. We can do a 72 hour check in drowning sets. If I rigged a tunnel setup with powered door traps under water this would be great for the lower tidal portions of the rivers in the area.

Has anyone made these in the two years since this was posted?

I know of one Amish trapper that’s built some and was tickled with the results.

I’ve been thinking of using these for some time. Haven’t made any yet but was going to use big field tile or pvc pipe. My use will be nuisance summer otter around docks in a private lake.

Didnt think the Amish were ticklish.

Anybody?

Ok, I went and made one. I will let you know how it works out.

Looks just like one of Leon’s. Set it where there’s otter and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Interesting

Going to make a dozen floating buckets for 280s this year. Same basic idea. I imagine some fresh fish and a little call lure will be good for a few otter.

At a dock where I once worked, there was a boat that was not moved for a few years. It had a swim platform across the stern. Otters would catch crabs and take them up on the swim platform to eat them.

I always wanted to put a fish in a partially submerged bucket, with a 280 on top to see if I could catch them.

These floats work great around docks.

What size black pipe is that . .?

I tried this with RBG 280's because they are round and 8" they are strong and legal to not be fully submerged. The 330's are not legal here if they are not submerged. The round RBG's fit in pipes nicely. I put it over a beaver dam thinking the otter would play in it. Beavers packed it full of mud every night. Until I caught them all anyway. Got the limit of otter in other sets but when they open us up for more than 2, I will play with some more pipes.

I had some concerns about anchoring the trap directly to the float. My fear is that the float could be damaged by an animal so I came up with this idea. The trap chain (with extra swivels and chain) is attached to a homemade drowning lock. This in turn is attached to a main line chain that holds the float in position.

My thinking is the trap will be activated, the catch will go in the water, and then it is a one way trip away from the float thus preventing any damage.

I haven't tried this but I think it solves the problem of a permanent anchor point on the raft.

Brian

Green Bay, the float that you made..how much of the pipe is submerged? Is yours designed so that the pipe is just above the water, half way in, or what?

Just curious if the wood floats totally on top or if it's sort of weighted down bringing the mouth of the pipe slightly in the water

It is designed so there is a trickle of water going through. This should help wash the smell of the bait downstream without being strong enough to wash the bait out.

Brian

How many otter have you caught In that set up? Or Is It still In the planning stages.

Planning stages with deployment in Nov. 2020.

How many muskrats do you think you might catch In that set up? Hopefully you will catch your 2 otter but If you have muskrats In the area they will be drawn to that set up like bees to honey.
Good luck.

The set catches rats, mink, otter, coons, especially in Feb. when they’re hyped up, and an occasional beaver. If you’re trapping in a river that might have a 20 foot rise you don’t want your float anchored so it can’t take the rise. If your in a marsh or tidewater I guess that’d be fine. Just play with it and you’ll like it.

If I were to use one I would drill a hole through the middle and use some type of rod or pole for an anchor so It could move with changes In water movement.

Green Bay, any updates on your November deployment..?

I have my 4 otter, but I'm curious about Others success or otherwise. ^^^

This definelty getting archived

Well... I put out six Bottom edge 330 Body grip traps and my otter float. I would love to tell you I caught something but on the first check I had an otter double on the BE sets so I had to pull it. It was only out three days.

I really think it will work but we are only allowed two otter for our season.

I am thinking of using the "float" on dry land for winter coons. Maybe get some double duty out of it.

Thats an Idea!
Congratulations on your two otters

Ttt