Other than the usual glue type traps, has anyone had any success with ANY kind of live trap for snakes, bought, homemade or other?
I have a customer with a little coi pond. At least two snakes eating her goldfish. I'm a grab them when I see them guy, but don't have all day to wait for a snake to show itself.
The pond is lined with flat stones all around,
If I were to float a minnow trap with black plastic over it, would a snake use it to hide? Any ideas appreciated, silly or serious.

I've had great success using minnow traps aka eel pots for watersnakes. The exact scenario you describe.

In free flowing with resident native fish I bait for minnows which in turn is the bait for the snakes.

Koi ponds you're going to need some sacrificial koi or other similar minnow bait.

Fully submerged for a kill trap or tuck in a short cut of pool tube float, enough to float the trap, for a no kill set.

Location is everything as in all things trapping. Travel routes along weedlines, current seams, shade lines under overhead structure, near basking locations, etc..

Good baits for minnows, dry pet kibble in a panty hose material bag, cottonseed meal where available. The idea is ultra slow release of bait to draw them into the trap.

Thanks Warrior. Do you ever catch multiples?

Often

Like you a grab em and go guy, yes even the rattlesnakes after all isn't that what the catch pole is for? Although in the crawl space was a little exciting.
Catch pole, drop in a doubled gunny sack and out they go

I keep four of these (https://www.amazon.com/Gees-Feets-G...8433f59ab2fdeef148550b9&gad_source=1) set in my yard all year around since we often get some warm days in the winter. I have caught several species of Alabama snakes, and lizards, including copperheads, eastern coachwhip, black racer; even catch a small chipmunk once on a while.I haven't caught a rattlesnake in them yet though. I don't know if it helps, but I usually bait them with a bait called JUST MICE.

This is a fiber mesh trap so could be damaged by rodents and other gnawing critters. It should be good for Koy ponds and other small ponds.

https://www.amazon.com/ieasky-Crawf...P1RLRRZ-&hvexpln=73&gad_source=1

Thanks guys, I'm going to try the first minnow trap that Ron posted, I have one of those.

The one Professor Ron posted is what I use. Believe I got a dozen of them.

some pretty cool videos of guys using snares and spring pole sets for catching snakes

Well, hasn't worked so far. I put a goldfish in the trap. Goldfish is gone. Don't know if it swam out, or a snake got it, and the snake got out. It's not a huge snake. I tried to grab it with snake tongs before setting trap, almost fell head first into coy pond lunging for it, lol.

Fine mesh long handled minnow nets are great for catching snakes in the water.