Pretty sure I am going to go with 220's, for the versatility. I might pick up a few 280's.

As the belisle's don't come with any chain/cable, what is everyone's favorite setup for that? Most of the creeks I have access to have gravel/rock beds and banks, getting stakes in can be a chore.

Add about 8 feet of cable to the trap that should allow you to stake or tie off some where along the bank.

i do that but ive seen to much evidence of otters swimming tandom. So my thaughts was why set multiple spots when one spot can catch multiples. Also ive seen numerous times were the rest of the group left the water after one of their comrades got dead.I still firmly believe otters get shape shy. And I had to come to the realization all pinch points aren't created equal.And yes boco I link multiple conis to form a wall

Beav - swivel each end of that cable? Or no need to with that length?

Tony.F - I am not too concerned with multiple otter catches, we get one, or two if we are lucky, otter tags here in WI.

Beave doesn't know how to use block sticks apparently,lol.

Neither did I until this year. Worked like a charm for me once I figured out the block sticks. Especially for under ice. If I am going through all the work to find that awesome channel I am not coming all the way back for one critter.

If you move the trigger to one side you can cacth most beaver in 220. And otter if you can set 280 s on land I would go 220 any to avoid most unwanted cacth.



But otter will likely be hip caught.

Like the man said here In WI we are lucky to get One otter tag so setting for multiple otters Is a no no.
But It looks like our new biologist's are going get It so we will all get at least 1 otter tag next year with out even applying.

Boco I was using blocking sticks before you could walk. LOl I just find It easier to use natural pinch points with well tuned Body grips.. And for sure I'm not going to be trapping otter under the ice.LOl

I just attach the cable to the trap with a quick link and On the top end I have a safety pin type deal. So I can either shove a T bar through the coils or open the device wrap the cable around something and then just close the clip around the cable. With a body grip and 8' of chain I see no need to use any swivels.

that's the very first badly caught otter ive seen in a 220

Swivel at the trap will help save your cable from being kinked up by a rolling otter or beaver. I use 1/8" cable and a 6 or 8 foot length. Swivels further than a few inches from the trap are useless.

Im sorry I forget other states have a draw on otters! Our conservation dept must not like them our very first season the limit was 15 after that no limit. I wish they wouldn't close the season on them in the spring beaver season.Avoiding them in conis is easy but footholds and drowners not so much. I think a slicked up bank caster mound is a attractant. I find as much otter activety around my caster mounds as beaver in some locations

I don't know of any animals that are not attracted to castoreum.

good point boco but actually I think its the eye appeal of the slicked up bank more.

You are so right . The bank dose not need to be sliked up or any mud pile to draw a beaver .Just use caster on a stick on the shore line and sticks to guide the animal in and you get them That is how i get them and the animals I have stated . Beaver,otter, coon ,mink . and others that will show up to castor. It is multi use .

I cought my first otter in a 280 northwoods the next year ibought three dozen new old stock 280 northwoods because everybody said 280s where the best otter trap .That year i worked my tail off trying to force otter into them traps and the 3 doz 220s i had .I caught otter but i had alot of frustation with otter going over and around these traps and the extensive femcing .I was running traps olot between 3;00 and 6:00 in the morning the frost showed countless times the otter went over my dive sticks and sliding between sticks or just hitting bank and going around My fencing was getting huge and complicated. I had all my traps set and borrowed a doz 330 bmis from a friend WOW THE OTTER STARTED ROLLING IN .I caught almost as many otter in that doz 330s as the other six doz traps i had and didn't have to do neer as much fencing .
That next summer the Nta convention was in columbia mo . I took 2 doz of my 280s and al my 220s to sell and buy 330 bmis .Then I laid my hands on a 330 belisle WOW again .I bought 3 doz . Now we were otter trapping .That season they worked so well .the time spent fencing was reduced giving more time to make more sets so I bought another 3 doz330 belisle.
my favorite otter trap is a 330 belisle hands down whether im setting necked down streams ;cross overs or abandon beaver den entrances . In missouri we cant set anything bigger than 5x5 on land .If i could i would make dry cross over sets exclusively with 220s or 280s belisles ..I have a dozen 280s for places that are too tight for a 330 ..I have a couple dozen duke 330s that I set where ive had traps stolen .they are quite serviceable stupid strong trap.

I'm with you Bigfoot. Belisle 330 with a circle trigger or a Duke 330 magnum.
They are always in the circle.

One more thing belisles will catch mink and muskrats by the feet and tail,suckers catfish and gartersnakes .you don't get hardly any tripped traps without catching what tripped it