I’m primarily a coyote, cat and beaver trapper so while I can make decent rat catches they have not been my target.

For the guys with a lot of light traps or the new trapper starting out with lighter traps, #1s of the long spring, coil and jump varieties, how much extra weight would you recommend for rats on floats. I know from past experience some bigger rats can drag a light trap back up in a float.

I know there will be numerous responses to just use bigger traps. That’s well and good and what I would do until I run out of those, but if you’re using lighter traps, how much extra weight would you add to insure the rat stayed down? I’m thinking decoy weights. 4, 6 or 8 ounce?

Might be cheaper to wire a couple large nuts or some scrap instead of decoy weights. Some guys will use an entanglement stick to keep them in the water. I would think 6 or 8 oz would be more than enough for 95% of the rats.

In my case I have lots of lead to cast weights but you’re right some scrap would be cheaper in most cases.

Large railroad type nuts and railroad spikes seem about right weight. I used to know and old man that used them on #1 longs in the 70’s.

Decoy weights work good on 1 longs.

Add another 12" of chain.
I know It's just about impossible to target front feet but if a rat Is caught by the front foot or both front feet It can't climb back up on the float.

THIS^^^^^

Never had a problem drowning rats in light traps just use longer wire and tangle stick.

step up one size in chain and use longer chain.

and swivels, 4 old bolts inside of a chain link helps, open the link with a old round file so bolt will fit the expansion link (+ 4 ounces extra)

I always used long chain on #1 rat traps. Never had an issue. A tangle stake can help a lot in marginal situations.

Longer chain or heavier chain as mentioned helps. I saw a unique option once. A guy went to a farm auction and picked up about 70-100 of those corner glass insulators for eletrice fence. He put a piece of wire through two of them and wired the two to the chain right near the spring. I would guess that to be 6-8 ounces. I have never use 1 size other than stoploss so I don't have personal info to help out,
Bryce