Been so long since I targeted (non-nuisance coon) I had to think about this. Early, pre-freeze up: 1pint fish oil and 1 oz. shellfish oil. Good squirt above and in the pocket with a carp head. Also in the water if using what Pete Askins taught us to add. In baited bodygrips after freeze up, Blackies Boars Delight on every set. Turn around if I left home without it! Midnight Bandit cut with feed grade molasses in a squeeze bottle. I also liked his Sledge Hammer as a change up in cold weather.

Carman's Nocturnal- mink like it also. Hawbakers always makes me feel young again.

Dave Scifres Coon Tar. Dave Eckels has a great concoction that is pretty secretive.

Night Bandit

Walleye101, I remember Bob Gritski, seen him at some of the first Minnesota Conventions I went to in the early to mid 1980s. I used Crazy Eyes, it had a real unique odor, came in an amber bottle I think and I think only available in 4 oz bottles. Bob Gritski also had a book out, So You Want to be a Long Liner. If I remember correctly, I think he was out of Tabor. SD at that time. Not sure whatever happened to him. That's going back 40 plus years.

Those first Minnesota conventions I went to, right after I got my driver's license, we would walk around the booths in the dealer buildings all day, looking at everyone's photo albums and wanting to buy everything.

I remember Jeff Dunlap's Dad selling supplies at those Minnesota shows, he was out of Michigan. Ludy Sheda always had a big setup, he would have canopies coming off of his trucks, his workers slept on the ground right in the booth.

We don't sell a lot of 'coon lure, our best seller is probably Blackie's Night Bandit, or Boar's Delight.

Really hard to beat a chunk of fish in a pocket for water trapping coon and mink.

I remember old Ludy Sheda. He was always trying to wheel and deal. What a character from years ago. Always trying to give away fur coats.

Thanks Gerald, I was beginning to think I imagined the whole thing, but I still have a couple of bottles if the coon price ever takes off again. When Bob quit showing up to conventions I was able to track him down and asked if he would sell the formulation. I don't recall the price, but it was too much for a small time trapper so I passed. I do recall the formulation seperated quickly so you had to shake it up vigorously every time you applied some.

Yep, I remember Ludy and his carnival barking as well. Good times.

And the fish in the pocket is still the best water set. When you see one with a bullhead head you know it's one of the Waterville guys.

I the 50 years I have trapped, I have never purchased coon lure. Carp chunked up and put in coffee cans and put in the freezer until needed. When making a set (pocket set} usually. I take the lid off and let ithe can fill with water from the ditch with the chunks of carp in it, and shake it up and pour it around the hole then pin a chunk of carp in the back of the hole. This simple set has caught me many coon and mink over the years. No coon will walk by a chunk of carp and this carp juice water this makes.