When we say “bottoms” we mean the river bottoms. This is the area where the river used to be eons ago but is now some of the best farmland there is.

I thought you were speaking of creek bottoms vs. big time river bottoms along rivers such as the Illinois or Mississippi Rivers. My brother and I have a small farm in Fulton County although I moved to South Dakota almost eight years ago. However, I would place sets where draws intersect with the bottoms, drainage ditches, etc. that are natural travel ways. My guess is if you have a large river bottom there are drainage ditches or waterways throughout the bottom.

I've never trapped anything other than big woods...that's all we have here. Blind sets on logging roads or trails leading to bait are the best producers followed by the usual dirt holes and flat sets. Coyote numbers tend to be lower here and travel routes are longer. Coyotes may only come through every week or 10 days.
Bait piles are really the best tools although with this incredibly mild winter we are having they have remained virtually untouched until recently.
These are some pics from previous years with more normal Western NY winters.
The 2nd photo is an example of the trails that form to and from the bait piles. The pic with the 2 coyotes was from an night with 20 degree below zero temps. Skinning coyotes outdoors in temps like that is a real challenge!!