I’m not a beaver trapper.. I’ve caught 2 in 50 years.. we just don’t really have them here.. but.. a friend of a friend has beaver issues.. from watching a couple of YouTubes.. the v shaped floats look like the easiest way to capture them… what’s your thoughts about them? What’s the best lure to use… and lastly.. Will a 220 work, or does it have to be a 330? As I don’t have the first one.. lol thanks!

Never tried the floats but 220 is too small imo.

Ive caught many using floats. I make a mud pie on it, put in a peeled stick and lure with castor.
Mine also have a pvc pipe sticking up that a put castor in. Ill get pics later.
Ive always used 330's

Never used them.

Oddly, I have found them quite a few times while trapping. Sometimes still half floating in a pond, sometimes as part of a dam, or on shore.

Always wondered if they caught fur for the person or if they were put out, used for a bit, and the person gave up and just jerked the traps leaving the float.

These were shown at Coyote Days and he said they work very well. 330s I believe are the traps.
They had no water to show how they float.

Have used them, mostly on cattail lined shores, or brushy areas and they work with castor lure and a piece of poplar. Also in rivers that have fluctuating water levels.

I use 330 on my float and when ever I'm trapping beaver. IMO 220 is a little small.

I leave inevitably on shore tied to dead tree for the next year in a few spots

All but one of the ones I have found were long out of use.

So main purpose of a float vs a castor mound or chanel/run 330 set is what?

Lack of a good spot on shore or access to the runs?

Minkless,

I assume you are using a lure with that pvc. Are you adding any mud or peeled sticks, or is the pvc enough attractant? I build mine much the same but hadn’t thought of using pvc.

Rising and falling water levels is the main reason. I like to tuck them into a clump of cattails to block the back and sides off.

that makes sense

Some of our rivers are very rocky and faster water. Still have good numbers of beaver but other than some occasional back eddies there aren’t many channels to set. So the float is a nice addition to foot traps, that because of mountain run off and downstream hydroelectric dam activity, may be high and dry one day and under a couple feet the next.

Nice floats and some good ideas. I like minkless's folding float. Never used them but that is a good idea......jk

yes i put lure in the pipe. nothing else. i think beaver can smell better than most people give them credit for. and the white pipe for sight. that's 3/4 pex pipe, more flex in it than pvc.
im mostly trout streams, lots of rocks. water levels rise and fall alot. Allegany river is mostly rock also.

What the length of the “ legs”?

here how i make mine,






i believe the side walls are 37 inches long