Same by me, on friday I had 2-3 inches of good ice, yesterday 1.5-2 with 2 inches of water on top, today the cat tail/marsh areas had like .5" ice, on an inch of water on another .5" of ice so i broke through a lot, the more open areas still had 2-3 inches but softening fast.

I set some bottom edge sets out a week ago and have caught 13 rats,5 mink, an otter and beaver. The otter was caught just above the hips in a 330 so he almost made it all the way through. He broke my wire and pulled my stakes and took the 330 into deeper water. I had to go back home and bring a hook on an 8' long pole and chop out about 40' of ice above the beaver dam before I hooked him. Very nice, large black otter. It was worth the effort. I'm going to start installing cable on my 330's to avoid this in the future. Good job on the coyote Beav. Wish the price had been much higher when you sold. With all the snow we just got, not sure how much I'll chase the coyotes with the cable restraints. Good luck to all of you.

Ice conditions look to be spotty here, been waiting for good ice to set on.

Rolling the dice......On the ice!

Dang nimzy. Gettin after it

Impressive catch Nimzy!

Good to see a nice catch Nimzy. Hope your ice stays hard and safe.

Bryce

Thanks fellas!
Heard it said winter rat trapping is a crap shoot. Must b my lucky day!
Far as that ice staying hard....I hope it gets rotten, just not when I’m on it

Yeah im at the point now I either want the ice gone or solid this in between thing is gettin old.looks like itll be gone before it gets solid lol

One more check and you should have em all nimzy

I was going to wait until the week of xmas to set a trap, but I might shake off the dust a little sooner.

Keep up the good work fellas with all the photos. Feels good to be out on the line with you.

I thought I would do better today.The beaver weighed 65 pounds and it seems like someone caught all the coon around here cut the tails off and let them go.

Sold 97 rats to Trevor Barnes today in New London got a $2.80 average
17 2xl 4.50
39 xl 3.00
1 damage 2xl 1.50
3 damage xl 1.00
3 med. 1.00
34 LG 1.50
All where put up on wire
Didn't make alot of money but had a good time .

63.5 pounds on the biggest beaver and 4 rats. Had one beaver take trap down to end of drowner and got the cable pulled into swivel.I just put j hook in vise and pulled as hard as I could and it won’t come out.Got a toe for a souvenir.

Got pulled today, all but 3-4 sets. One area has a lot of springs and too much open water, thin ice and deep ooze. Did get 18 rats on this last check.

Now we wait for more cold temps.

Bryce

I pulled my traps too u til the ice melts all the way. Falling through or needed to bust through gets old every other step. Should get a few days of open water in then a week off until theres ice again

6 beaver and 4 rats.Every trap had to be moved since water raised- good time’s.

Snowy owl checking out the sunset. Another nice day in the marsh

Nice pic Nimzy

Got call other day from guy I've known for some years. Said had beavers cutting trees on his shoreline wanted to know could come try catch some. When made my last post with beavers was doing same thing different freinds place. The place weeks back was on creek where wasn't frozen over. This place is back water off Mississippi river. So I was immediately wishing he would called before was dealing with ice. But being it less than mile from.my house decided would go see what I could do for him. Yesterday I went put 4 traps in where beaver been coming up out the ice. Was several years since I set for beavers when I went to the creek and messed around there. Been even longer since did any trapping under ice. Even though look like a mouth breather in the photo. Guess haven't forgotten everything. Not sure why caught the beaver so far back must flew into trap house high speed? But as my son said caught it so still counts. Had two other traps fired one had stick in it. Could been rats no idea. Added two more 330s so will have 6 to look at tomorrow. Still haven't figured out where I put my good digital scale for safe keeping? So thinking may sneak this one in put on my wife's bathroom scale. I'm told it's highly accurate. Just afraid if do that it will some how get younger and weigh 25-30lbs less. LMAO!





One more to add to grinder for sausage.

Mac

Did a few long ditches that had been trapped before and we got 11 rats in two checks. Went into the area today to check stakes we used for marking 16 days ago and most places okay to walk, still open water in many places, lots of springs in that area. Did run a shore line for a couple hours and got 4 dozen sets out. Sign is marginal.

Bryce