Finally got on the water this morning and set the Salmon River Estuary
for spring muskrat from my buddy new wave dave's motor boat.

We deployed 18 two trap floats, and around 40 + OR - # 160's in bank den holes.

The Lake Ontario water level is as low as I have ever seen it in my lifetime.

Most Cattail habitat is high, dry, and stranded away from the main river channel
so no feed bed sets, or anything in typical cattail habitat.

Most feasible sets are in den holes near sharp drop offs in the river channel.

Very A-typical set locations for spring time rat trapping.

Hopefully we shall have a decent catch in the morning.

Stay tuned.

walleyed

Awesome!!! Glad you finally made it out, and we get to ride along!

Good luck, we definitely need some water.

I have been waiting for your story sense the last time.

Your in my older sons neighborhood.He lives just a bit north closer to the Pond.

Funny Ontario is that low. Michigan has been at near record high levels this last year. Has been dropping lately as we have had a low moisture fall and winter.

Bryce

Anxiously awaiting the first check report.

Same...lol

"Slap some bacon on a biscuit and let's go , your burning daylight". LOL

He probably stopped at his favorite diner and has a food coma!

At our duck camp morning quote
fixed it for you

Pulled into the Pine Grove Boat Launch at 9:00AM and
launched on to the Salmon River Estuary to check traps.

First float was empty, but the next set was a Bank den run
in which we had placed three #160's.

There was a triple lying at the bottom of the run.

We had a total of 18 floats deployed and when we were done
checking only one float had only one rat.

The #160 conibears and a few #110's set in the bank den holes
held 21 rats for a grand total of 22.

21 rats out of 35 Conibears.

A very A-Typical catch scenario for spring rat trapping.

Usually floats are red hot and we find very few bank den locations
which provide any spring time success.

No doubt the extremely low water Lake Ontario lake level has
every thing to do with how the spring trapping is turning out.

We set an additional 10 conibears in some additional bank den holes
which we missed yesterday, so now we have every feasible set location covered.

The other trapper who sets we spotted yesterday had pulled out
as his sets were missing when we passed by.

All in all, it was a pretty good catch considering the strange conditions
we had to work with.

The rats are drying before the fans and will soon go under the knife.

(Only 2 of 22 rats had any bite damage, the rest were clean.)

(The muskrat scent glands were swollen very large and full.)

Hopefully, we'll have another good catch tomorrow, or Tuesday.

When ever we decide to check again.

If anyone know how to post photos, PM your e-mail
and I'll send you some catch photos to post for me.

Stay Tuned.

walleyed

walleyed was tied up with Doctor's appointment this morning
and did not get on the water to check traps until 4:00PM.

Just two rats today from floats as the lack of float success continues.

We had half a dozen fired but empty #160's today and I'm pretty sure
a Bald Eagle picked our pocket & flew off with a #110 with a rat in it.

There were a couple three Eagles roosted nearby in the willow trees.

All tolled we had 15 rats out of 45 traps and 18 floats.

Probably let them soak a day and pull on Wednesday.

Plan is to set somewhere else tomorrow by canoe and concentrate on just
conibear bank den sets and leave the floats in the barn.

Not a great catch but not bad either.

Waiting for the rats to dry and then start skinning.

Stay tuned

walleyed

Planned on pulling the Salmon River Estuary sets this morning after
a 48 hour soak.

While waiting on New Wave Dave & his motor boat
so we can pull all the floats and gear,
we started by checking the Skinner creek estuary where we had
put in 10 bank den conibear sets yesterday.

We took 6 rats out of 10 sets with one fired empty trap.

Salmon River estuary produced 23 rats from the two day soak
and we pulled everything there.

One rat with a #1.5 stoploss is still at the bottom of the river as
the trap slipped off the stake while hoisting it to the surface.

walleyed had absentmindedly forgot his tater rake
and was unable to retrieve the trap with it's muskrat prize attached.

We shall return at noon on the next sunny day to rake the bottom
and recover our lost rat & trap.

We also set the channel between the South pond & Sandy pond
yesterday and will check that tomorrow.

So we had a total of 29 rats today from two locations.

Hopefully we'll have a decent catch from the 18 sets
we still have in the water at two locations.

Stay tuned.

walleyed

My rats are starting to bite each other. Pulling all rat and beaver traps today.

Thanks ND FTA for posting the pics.

I appreciate it.

walleyed

You need a bigger lifejacket.You outgrew that one.
Nice catch of rats.

They don't make one that size, BOZO !!!!

w

Got a late start today due to a Doctor's appointment.

Checked my two new spots that were set on Tuesday.

Was 5 for 8 at Sandy Island Beach channel to the South Pond
and added a couple beaver sets there. Saw rats swimming
every where with the high water from snow runoff.

Was 6 for 9 at Skinner Creek Estuary so we had a total
catch of 11 rats from 17 sets with a couple 3 fired but empty sets.

Have a bunch of rats to flesh & stretch tomorrow and those 11 rats
to skin after their fur drys before the fans.

Supposed to blow tomorrow so probably won't get any more traps set
but we shall see.

Stay Tuned.

walleyed

A good read every year. Are you allowed colony traps? I used to catch a few but they have been wiped out the last two years. Was a lot of push-ups this winter on the big water when I was coyote trapping this winter so hopefully they are making a comeback.