To all you who trap fisher and marten:

Planning a fall trapping adventure in the Adirondacks with my son and am starting to make marten boxes so it gets done before the summer gets away from me and it's November. I cannot trap these critters in my area, and have a couple questions.

1. I'm planning to trap spring beaver and freeze a couple to use for bait until I can hopefully get a couple fresh ones while we are on our trip. Does frozen beaver work "okay" or should I try to get a few fresh squirrels / rabbits before we set our traps?

2. I am planning to buy a dozen 155's for the use in the boxes since fisher and marten are both prevalent in the area we are going. My though was a 155 is more versatile than a 120 once I am back home on my trapline. Is a 155 a good choice or should I just stick with 120's? I can go either way, just not sure.

3. Will a #1 double jaw long spring consistently hold fisher/marten? I have a couple dozen of these for rats/mink, and might bring them to increase the number of sets we put out.

Thanks for the help!!

Good questions, ide like to follow this thread along.

Not sure how they would work for fisher as they are protected here in WA , BUT for marten the go to trap here is the KORO Rat trap. Should you go with these get rid of the cable that comes on the trap, as it has a history of pulling loose, and replace it with 50 inches of 1/16 7 x 7 that you know the ferrules have been securely crimped.

I strictly use 160s for Fisher if I was marten trapping I would use 155s for both. Also you can use 155s on the ground I will put lots of swivels fisher spin a lot just make sure you use a good trap not a weak trap like a duke

I have had fisher very lively in bridger 155s. Go with something quality and like ADK said, several swivels. I wouldn’t trust a #1 long to hold a fisher at all.

I use Belisle 160's
No kn the #1

#1 frozen beaver will work fine until you get some fresh. Be sure to keep the bait fresh on your line.

#2 Definitely use the 155's. And I would use an equal number of pole sets and boxes. Earlier in the season the pole sets will work best. Along with dirt holes. I like to have a pole set, dirt holes, and box at each location

#3 I use number 2's for the dirt holes

What size are the boxes you are going to use?

Making my own boxes. Been prototyping the semi-triangular box so they will fit inside each other. We will be driving the interior roads but hiking into set traps since I do not have off-road capabilities (and my son is a strong 13 year old, so he can pack stuff ha ha). Was thinking 12" deep but have will follow the DEC requirements for sizing.

Like others have stated, 155 will be fine for both Marten and fisher, as long as they are strong. Frozen beaver is good, get some lure with some skunk essence in it. I use both boxes and running pole sets but , I’ve found I do better with both Marten and fisher , set on the ground.
Remember, at least in the ADKs., If there is a heavy beechnut crop, set for Marten there on the beech hardwood ridges .

The boxes we/I use are similar to the boxes used on the 110 conni's

I think a 160 with correctly shaped trigger wires and floral wire across the wires would catch and hold both no problem. The wire helps to trigger the trap when smaller target animals attempt to enter. I have caught medium size male mink using this setup,

[quote=Fireplug]To all you who trap fisher and marten:

Planning a fall trapping adventure in the Adirondacks with my son and am starting to make marten boxes so it gets done before the summer gets away from me and it's November. I cannot trap these critters in my area, and have a couple questions.

1. I'm planning to trap spring beaver and freeze a couple to use for bait until I can hopefully get a couple fresh ones while we are on our trip. Does frozen beaver work "okay" or should I try to get a few fresh squirrels / rabbits before we set our traps?

First let me say I am not an expert and there are probably some on here that will have different opinions. That is fine and that is part of what makes things interesting.

Frozen beaver works just fine. Squirrels work ok but not much odor and really attract their kin.
Rabbit is fine. Fish is ok. There are some things that probably equal beaver but no one talks about it.

2. I am planning to buy a dozen 155's for the use in the boxes since fisher and marten are both prevalent in the area we are going. My though was a 155 is more versatile than a 120 once I am back home on my trapline. Is a 155 a good choice or should I just stick with 120's? I can go either way, just not sure.

The 5x5 body grip works really well and I like them. The 120 seems too small on some big fisher but I have caught a lot of mellon or jug heads in them. If I had 120s, which I do, I would not hesitate to use them.

3. Will a #1 double jaw long spring consistently hold fisher/marten? I have a couple dozen of these for rats/mink, and might bring them to increase the number of sets we put out.

A #11 will probably hold whatever steps in them but would not be my first choice. Some really like the #2 double long spring and it is a fine trap. Luckily you can really guide foot traffic with fisher. If you catch a few really large male fisher over the years, study their paw. After looking at a large male’s paw an #1.75 or #2 coil spring look pretty darn good. For small females or juveniles a #11 would be fine, but I would not set them without some hesitancy.

Good Luck
Mac

in my opinion the 155's are too small for fisher, although a lot of guys use them because they are legal on the ground.My go to trap is the belisle 160's For years I used 220's, but found they not always killed the smaller females. On the ground I like the sleepy creek dbl long springs.if possible, prebaiting really helps. I only use frozen beaver.,venison scraps as a secondary bait.Thorpe used anything he could get his hands on: beaver, coon, fisher as baits.I set mostly in the trees, but you probably will do better on the ground.As has been said, use quality traps, not that Duke junk..Use lots of swivels, I've had big males break the chain.
I use my own "secret" lure, but lures like "gusto", another by Night Owl, and Long Distance call by trappingtoday.com are all good.
Fisher can be over trapped.
I don't trap marten, so I can't comment on them.

Here in PA...We can use 155's without a box and can use 160's in a box with alot of rules (recessed trap and narrowed down box openings). Either way, bodygrips must be set in a waterway. So i was thinking of the 155's next year for fisher but was planning on Dukes as I've heard the Bridgers have too small spring holes. If not Duke, then who? I see that Belisle doesn't make a 155. I have a pile of Bridger 150's and they seem to be ok for rats and mink. Are there issues when you go to the two springs (ie.155)???

Belisle 120 with a pan trigger works great on both marten and fisher. When set 4 inches or so in front of the bait you get a perfect strike on marten and fisher every time. Marten will be a neck/thorax suitcase and fisher will be a neck/base of scull catch. That is because marten are standing on the pan and the fisher bumps the pan with it's head/chin while working the bait.

I use Duke 155’s and mb 450’s and have no complaints or issues. Fresh beaver the best bait . During the season I will fill a bucket with layers of bait and salt/borax to keep it from freezing.Good luck!

There are several 160's and 120's certified for both fisher and marten-belisle,rudy sauvageau LDL are a few.
I use 120's because my main target animal is marten with fisher as incidentals.
If fisher is your main target animal go with 160's.

thanks to all that contributed. It is enjoyable to learn what other are up to.

Mac

Go with Bctomcat and Boco experience
added together they have a Centurian of experience

one point that I may add is that I have been using just fish oil as an attractant......gone are those skunky coming home experiences are history

I use 155’s in cubbie boxes on the ground with barker conipans installed for fisher. The conipans allow the fisher to get farther into the trap before it fires. Also the cubbie box helps the trap springs push the trap onto the fisher resulting in a suitcase catch.
Beaver works. I also cut deer legs into 6 in h sections for bait. This lasts longer as mice and shrews can completely consume a large chunk of meat quickly. With deer legs the bone remains for odor.
Use Gusto or Hellfire at head height above trap for long distant call.
I also use a canine or mink gland lure in the cubbie

I've got one 155 Bridger and it seems fine to me, I've several 150s and they will work on marten but I would be leery of them on Fisher. I use 120s and they will take both quite well, but you will get some refusals from fisher. Which suits me fine since we can't trap them here.
It is the Bridger 120 that I always hear people complain about the small eyes on. They can be a pain but I am used to them and find them not to be a big deal. The 155s have a little larger eyes if I recall correctly.
A lot of people say to use only fresh bait, but I think I get better results with tainted bait. And yes frozen will work fine. I always take mine out a day or two before I set and let it thaw.

Thanks, guys. Got some ideas now. Main target is Marten, so Belisle 120's in a box sounds good. I've got a few 155's and 160's that I might use also, and a good number of # 1.75 and #2 CS traps that I'll set for fox/coyote/bobcat/fisher.

Once final question: Is an offset trap okay for fisher? I have a dozen 1.75 OS traps that I'd like to set in dirthole or cubbies but would hate to lose a fisher because the trap was not good for them from the start. I know that animals can sometimes pull out, but want to minimize that since we're only planning on a 7 - 10 day trip.

Thanks again!

Although I have never used them for fisher I would not trust them to hold a fisher. Fisher have a different (flatter/thinner) foot structure than canines.

Once final question: Is an offset trap okay for fisher?

I have caught many fisher in MB550 and 450 offset in my canine sets. I never lost one. As long as you have strong springs you will be fine.

I've caught two fisher on NO BS K9 Extreme Jr OS. No issues holding the animal.

Thank, guys. I caught one last week in a mink box, but had to turn it over to the DEC since my area doesn't have an open season. And, I forgot to look at its feet for the offset.

Caught a small female fisher this year in a Bridger 1.75 offset. No issue. Held just fine.

155 is a great marten/fisher combination trap thats primarily what I use here in Maine. And when it comes to bait a tennis ball size chunk of fresh frozen beaver or fish is my go to. My bait freezes eventaully anyway so ive never put much thought in if its frozen or not. But in my opinion fresh bait works best in Maine where in other parts of the country people prefer to taint their bait.

For fishah....I bend my triggah wires like this.

It allows them pesky red squirrels in and out ...without firing the set.

Plus there are no wires in the face of the fisher...and looks more inviting.

Plus the fisher gets into the trap deeper for a nice catch

That’s a 160

Jerry uses milk jugs..they stack inside of each other and are lightweight to cary..

Hers anpic of his set






A different set





He said the pine branches are more to hide it from hunters.

great pics guys

does the bent trigger wire go inside or outside?

Ebsurveyor showed me that bent wire trigger method and I tried a variation of it this past season as an alternative to coni-pans at quite a few sets. Always like to try something new and I'm glad I did. Very happy with it so far and may replace my coni pans with this method over time. I too like to catch the weasels!

Tried tainted bait for years with poor results. I start with fresh frozen meat (mostly beaver but also grouse and fish) and if it taints a little in the box so be it. It still works.....later in the season catch rates per trap visit go up anyway (less food in the woods) so that stinky meat seems to produce fine later on.

Success rates are so variable from year to year here that it is difficult to effectively evaluate different methods with unbiased results. Next year everything I did this year will probably be half as effective as the mast crop will be abundant and marten/fisher won't come to the sets as readily. This past year you could have caught them with almost anything late in the season.

Jeremiah

Also...with limits of 25 per trapper it can take a while to have enough observations to make a meaningful conclusion on what's working. Guys who put up a few hundred marten, if keeping good records, can learn a lot quick.

In my area the the best size fisher BG is a variable question. There are some VERY large fisher here. I caught one that was very hard to get back out of a 220! 67" long rug tanned. And I have seen others taken that were as big. But 95% of our fisher would get into a 160 if they wanted. I think one of the key things with BG's is to have them within a few inches of the bait so they will hit your trigger while working it no matter which trigger configuration you use. Farther away always had the potential of animal jumping thru for me, and more suit casing. It's circle triggers on most of my BG's now which I make.

The triggers bend to the inside of the box or wire cage ... towards the bait

I use a 160 for fisher and make a pole set with a cubby underneath it …. Put skunky call lure on the bottom of the pole …. Remember u can make a cubby on site instead of lugging boxes around …

Great thread.

Mac

Most of your questions have been answered but for footholds, if I were targeting Marten specifically, A #0 longspring (or jump) would be my first choice. A #1 LS causes excessive damage. Any fisher in a foothold is going to tear the heck out of your set and any trap used better be anchored solidly and have several swivels on it.

Bump

good read, I use duke traps, 160, for fisher, I put cables, on them with never losing one that I know of

Thanks to all for their responses. I filed them in my "If I get to trap them again" file. We moved to New Mexico, and now I have to learn how to catch bobcats, kit/swift fox and get better at coyotes!

X2
Keep the wires close together, on the bottom, about an inch apart. This allows a good chin rub/push.
Fireplug, Have a great fall season in the Adirondacks!

I catch most of mine in 160's and boxes but have caught a few in #2 coils.

A chunk of beaver is the best bait by far for fisher and marten.155's work great just bend the triggers wide apart and outwards over the bait.

ebsurveyor.Its all we have other than 160's or 220's and I hate them for marten and the exclusion cages we have to use them in compared to the 5 inch or smaller coninears.

Love them for Fisher before the exclusion cages but hated them for marten which are all in the same areas I trap.

The newer Bridger 155s are way better than the old ones. I have a few old ones that are 120 springs with small offset eyelets where one loop is bent one way and the other loop is bent the other way. Those ones aren't very good. The newer ones with 160 springs are great traps. I mostly run 155s I do have a dozen or more 120s with coni pans that I try to put in places I think I have a better chance on catch marten than a fisher. Those 120s still catch fisher its just not the right trap for them in my opinion.

Just picked up 2 dozen of the belislie 120's to try on marten and Fisher.Im also coming up with a 5 inch or smaller box design myself as I hate the hinged boxes.

At the spring rendevous in Brooks a prototype for a 160 size exclusion device without baffles and a 4 inch opening basically a oversized 120 size box was given to Shevenell Webb the fur biologist to take into consideration. The gentleman who presented it to her wants it tested in the wild for lynx not at the farm In gray. Who knows what will come of it but I'd love to be able to use 160s.

If that is where your conibear sits I don't care for how it can't snap forward when it goes off towards the Fisher or marten but away from them unless your sitting it back further then the picture shows.

Some trappers missed your post about moving but;
live goes on;
if you made those boxes you should consider that they will be deadly on spotted skunks and ring-tails where the real money is at selling

On my 160's for Fisher cubbies ..I run the triggah like this ..towards the bait..and on the top.

This helps let in the red squirrel and ermine ..without firing the trap.

When I want Fisher...I try to avoid non target critters

That trp needs to be run through the paint shop.

I used #155's, more versatile with NY regs. I used wooden boxes, flower pot sets an the Noonan wire cage. The wire cages are lightweight, easy to set up and worked well.



This Fisher never flinched, didn't even nocked the trap off the spike nail that stabilizes the trap.



I dipped me cages and the #155.



Get your wooden boxes done early and let them weather outside, makes them more stealthy.




Flower pot set are another lightweight option and take up less room in the truck.




I added swivels to my #155's and cabled them to the tree.
,


I used mainly tainted chicken thighs, Gusto and Lenon's All Call Fisher lure.

Best of luck to you on your ADK trip! Hoping to see great pics posted on Tman!

Sure wish them boxes above were legal here in Maine