Do they work if the stream is deep, like from beaver dams.

Yes they do. It helps a lot if there is a point to set against. I’ve taken rats below beaver dams when I was setting for mink. Have also taken beavers at points in 3 ft of water with 330 off a point. Everything seems to hunt points under water.

the ones i have to use my grabber pole to set,deeper than gauntlets,always seem to be my best percentage producers.

This and also with 330 you will get otters also. The point that stands out the most of the area you are is the one that is the one that will work the best and also like ask will work in deep stream below beaver dams and will get mink there also.

The bottom edge set is really often times an overlooked set...by many of us. Even though we know it's worth. Especially a great set on streams. Fun to do, too...looking for good spots.

Here is the one that first came out with the bottom edge set . He had a video and a book that went with the video Ken Smythe.

I wouldn't waste my time. You can catch every rat that swims the creek with a well placed kick with your boot. A bit a lure and a #2 trap set In front of It.

B&E sets are neat but way to time consuming and while your looking for that strategic spot you could have made 10 better rat sets.

But when you get shelf Ice they will work. But by that time you should have caught the majority of the rats on that creek. LOl

go home Beav.

First, lure attracts beaver. Me no want to deal with out of season beaver. Second, ice can start pretty early. Third, once you find that key spot there isn't a quicker set, and it will be good year after year.

Id have to walk even further in my neck of the woods to find the perfect mud to "kick in" with my boot.

Be nice to the old guy.

The Beav is still cranky about Frank Conibear getting all the credit for the Beav's hard work in developing a trap for the bottom edge set back in the olden days.

Find the points before season. Wading in the summer with the fly rod is a good time. The length of time it took to type this I've made a bottom edge set. Creek rats don't seem to look as good or have any size in my area til early winter anyway and everything is swimming on the bottom including those $10 mink.

I utilize every set possible! Once the rats are thinned down you start whittling away at the mink population.

That is so true and I do the same also when I am after mink and rats.

my water goes up and down so much Beav's way would be outta service most of the time while i was takin fur outta my bottom edgers he didn't even know were there.

aje don't count out the be sets for otters too!

Well you don't need water over the trap to catch rats. They walk right over high dry traps. And you don't need mud to make a rat set. And In most rat trapping areas we don't have beaver.
And don't forget about having to pull up those bottom edge set every day to remove all the debris that hangs up In them.
Then of coarse when It starts to freeze up your going to have to break ice when setting and checking.

Sure they catch a few mink and a few rats but you can do better with other sets.
Just another gimmick set In my opinion.

If I was going to screw around with bottom edge sets for rats and mink I wouldn't use body grips. I would build some short versions of the colony trap. I would attach a weight to the bottom and a cable to the top. Find a area for the trap lower It Into place and tie It off. NO stabilizing and no wet hands and In most cases you don't even have to get In the water. But you will still have to remove derbies from the trap.
But It's going to be a lot easier.
Well anyway that's my take on the B&E set.

Hmm. To me a gimmick set is one that takes more than 5 minutes to make. The trench set is a gimmick set. A conibear, stick, and wire. How simple can it get and it can almost double your catch in winter open water. Leaves? Sure, but usually after a rain or routinely once a week. Agree on more colony traps, especially along bridge abutments and outer culvert aprons(at the legal distance). I call it a multi catch bottom edge set.As in all trapping, it depends on our individual area and terrain. Muskrats and mink up here are probably a lot dumber.

love ya Beav.,and i must say all my early training from dad and grampa involve the heal of my boot,an apple,and a 1 stoploss with 4 ft of wire.good times for sure.