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