Guys,, figured it’d be nice to see some opinions on how you prefer trap placements for your pocket sets.
I love them and if I can,, I’ll put in a pocket with a drowning rig more than any other water set.
I leave my trap a little bit more out , in front of the pocket instead of inside the mouth.
I don’t remember where I had read it, but the writer said that they believed more mink simply check out the hole instead of actually going in a little further to investigate.. setting up on the outside will catch the ones who are simply passing by.
I think it’s also helpful in catching incidental coon and muskrats and the occasional otter.
I do use the expanded pans with guide sticks.
How do you guys prefer your trap placements and why?

I like to make mine more like a walkthrough unless it's specifically for mink and muskrat and I'm not putting any bait an lure, in which case trap goes more into the hole

Outside edge of the hole, because not all the mink will go in the hole, but most of them will hug the edge of the bank

I always set just outside, mostly because the hole isn't always the same size, The most important thing is to bed the trap solid, I think.

Do any of you guys also use the expanded pans??
I did make a few out of dollar store spatulas for my #2 double longs because they were wider than the barkers mink pans.
Didn’t work as well because it made the pans way too heavy and it was too light on pan tension,, even after bending the dog up.

loose jaw right against the bank.