Bait and lure for otter
#8084507
02/23/24 03:11 PM
02/23/24 03:11 PM
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Joined: Jan 2024
Posts: 292 North East Utah
That.darn.coon
OP
trapper
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OP
trapper
Joined: Jan 2024
Posts: 292
North East Utah
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What are you guys using for bait and lure for otter?
******* I save my sick days, because come winter, I'm gonna have a bad case of trappin fever *******
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Re: Bait and lure for otter
[Re: That.darn.coon]
#8084519
02/23/24 03:35 PM
02/23/24 03:35 PM
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 14,394 South Ga - Almost Florida
Swamp Wolf
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 14,394
South Ga - Almost Florida
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Don't need any unless you're setting pocket or dirthole sets for otter. Even then...no bait needed...just a curiosity-type lure (skunky, tonquin, mink musk). All bait will do is catch coons.
Set blind sets at crossovers and crawlouts.
Thank God For Your Blessings! Never Half-Arse Anything!
Resource Protection Service
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Re: Bait and lure for otter
[Re: BillNye]
#8084685
02/23/24 07:33 PM
02/23/24 07:33 PM
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Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 5,527 Aliceville, Kansas 44
Yukon John
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 5,527
Aliceville, Kansas 44
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I have caught them using shiny salmon skin wrapped around the trigger of a 330 suspended under ice. I hear a realistic fish lure with no hooks can work as well Just had a thought...anyone ever just use foil on the trigger?
Act like a blank, get treated like a blank. Insert your own blank!
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Re: Bait and lure for otter
[Re: That.darn.coon]
#8084985
02/24/24 07:21 AM
02/24/24 07:21 AM
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Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 2,801 Manitoba
Shakeyjake
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 2,801
Manitoba
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I’ve gotten a few otter under the ice this year in my beaver sets. Wanted to try baiting the trigger with a smelt or a Zman scented bait used for fishing. I would think it’d have to be scented because how well can they see in the dark, under snow covered ice? I’ve got some glow paint I haven’t tried yet either, say it glows for about a day…might bring it along this weekend lol.
Last edited by Shakeyjake; 02/24/24 07:22 AM.
Wind Blew, crap flew, out came the line crew
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Re: Bait and lure for otter
[Re: That.darn.coon]
#8085107
02/24/24 09:53 AM
02/24/24 09:53 AM
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Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 838 Washington
Jingles
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 838
Washington
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Being as can only use cage/swim through traps I have had success hanging fish carcass down stream flow of the trigger with trap completely submerged.
The job of a Patriot is not to protect his country but to protect the people from the tryannical government
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Re: Bait and lure for otter
[Re: That.darn.coon]
#8085143
02/24/24 10:44 AM
02/24/24 10:44 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,962 Oregon
beaverpeeler
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,962
Oregon
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To the novice otter trapper my advice is always the same: leave the scent and bait notions for catching coons and muskrats. Think blind sets and look for where they travel, pinch points toilets etc. When you do that you can start to catch otter on a regular basis.
My fear of moving stairs is escalating!
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Re: Bait and lure for otter
[Re: That.darn.coon]
#8087378
02/27/24 11:06 AM
02/27/24 11:06 AM
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,795 100 Mile House, BC Can
bctomcat
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,795
100 Mile House, BC Can
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Bait and lure is for other critters. For productive otter sets do as "beaverpeeler" suggest.
Last edited by bctomcat; 02/27/24 09:37 PM.
The only constant in trapping is change so keep learning.
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Re: Bait and lure for otter
[Re: Shakeyjake]
#8087447
02/27/24 12:28 PM
02/27/24 12:28 PM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 47,225 james bay frontierOnt.
Boco
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 47,225
james bay frontierOnt.
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I’ve gotten a few otter under the ice this year in my beaver sets. Wanted to try baiting the trigger with a smelt or a Zman scented bait used for fishing. I would think it’d have to be scented because how well can they see in the dark, under snow covered ice? I’ve got some glow paint I haven’t tried yet either, say it glows for about a day…might bring it along this weekend lol. Dont waste your time using all that gimmicky stuff. Make blind sets where they travel,at pinch points,or make pinch points like the Millette set,if you have the right locations to construct. That will catch every otter travelling a drainage.Gang set for otter and dont expect action right away as otter have fairly large home ranges,but always use the same routes when they come thru.Some places they only visit a few times in a season,other places as much as weekly.Pay attention to where and when you see otter sign in winter and you can often time them pretty close. Late winter they really move on top.Dead beaver ponds are good spots for otter sets at this time of year.
Last edited by Boco; 02/27/24 12:37 PM.
Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
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Re: Bait and lure for otter
[Re: That.darn.coon]
#8087839
02/27/24 10:27 PM
02/27/24 10:27 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,962 Oregon
beaverpeeler
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,962
Oregon
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I'm not saying that a bait can't catch an otter, but in my experience where I tried for years to catch otter (mostly unsuccessfully) baits were an extremely low percentage set more apt to catch other unwanteds rather than otter. Mostly otters ignored baits and other gizmos in my early experimentation.
My fear of moving stairs is escalating!
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Re: Bait and lure for otter
[Re: That.darn.coon]
#8087892
02/28/24 12:13 AM
02/28/24 12:13 AM
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,184 sseMinnesota
blackhammer
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,184
sseMinnesota
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Bait equals coon plain and simple. I target them In pinch points with conibears and have little problem getting my limit of four. A decent multi species day.
Last edited by blackhammer; 02/28/24 12:14 AM.
Ah,for the life of a millionaire,say some,but just let me stay a trapper. Bill Nelson
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Re: Bait and lure for otter
[Re: kytrapper]
#8088103
02/28/24 10:44 AM
02/28/24 10:44 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,962 Oregon
beaverpeeler
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,962
Oregon
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Hal Sullivan sums it up in his otter book to me. “ I don’t make otter sets, I find otter sets. “ Perfect!
My fear of moving stairs is escalating!
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Re: Bait and lure for otter
[Re: M.Magis]
#8088645
02/28/24 09:59 PM
02/28/24 09:59 PM
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Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 234 South Louisiana
Trappeur Gunny
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 234
South Louisiana
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I think everyone knows blinds sets are the best option for otter, but it seems like a lot of folks forget that not everyone traps with the same rules or habitat as others. Not everyone has beaver ponds and swamps to work with, many of us can’t use bodygrips unless they’re submerged. It can make finding good sets difficult. Theres always a spot or two that stand out, but throwing in a handful of “baited” sets doesn’t hurt either. The best set I’ve had was a pocket set dug right where they couldn’t possibly miss it. No bait or lure, it just was the perfect set up that they couldn’t help but check it out as they traveled a small creek. That one set caught four otter in 7or 8 days on a small creek thats barely ankle deep in places. Never stop looking for good blind sets, but some places just aren’t set up well. This right here is spot on. Where I live we have a lot of otters. The area I live is where they were live trapped and shipped all over the U.S. I trap crawfish ponds and rice fields, marshes, swamps, rivers, bayous and ....I can't say you should only trap otters this way or that, as I use several different methods and it is all dependent on the otters. Blind sets are good for certain conditions, but there are times that a pocket set or dirt hole hammers them. Down here they love bobcat gland lure. I set 220's and 280's in the dry woods, catching them moving from one area to the other. I set snares, foot holds, and body grips. LIke I said before it all comes down to the otters. You might be in the area they are just passing through or you might be in the area where they actually set up shop. I'm very blessed as I live where we have a lot of otters, various terrain and hardly any trapping laws. When I set for otters its gloves off and I don't follow what the book says, I throw it out.
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