summer muskrat lure

I can't find all the active holes in a pond so have set some 1.5 coils on platforms on a fiberglass pole. I can't seem to get the rats to be interested in my lure (Musquash) or apple bait on this pole. Any suggestions for a summertime lure or better bait. I try to keep the bait covered so I don't attract ducks to investigate.

Ole, my luck with bait and lure for muskrats is the same as my luck with women...I was lucky to catch one in 50 years.

I'm with Paul, I never had good luck with bait or lures. Mostly blind sets. This time of year there is plenty of food for them.

Thanks. I don't feel quite so inadequate now!

Try some Lenon's Muskrat Super All Call

Carrot.
Or spearmint toothpaste according to some on here.

Any thing with a Minty smell will get their attention I find. Might try a brush float as well.

You make your own brush floats I assume?

White foam imo atracts muskrats best

White board or box. just a little rat gland very little, mixed with persimmon and mint.

Actually yes I do. Use whatever is on hand.

Strongly recommend Caven's bread and butter with a dropper. Put one drop on a carrot and will really get their attention with the scent and eye appeal.

While they are now defunct, back in the 1980's a place called Deer Creek had cheap lures, and one I ordered as an All Call. It was castor based, some licorice and I used it on rats, on floating platforms, using the H frame design with trash a rat recognizes as a pile in the middle and a #1 long spring on each end. Nail with a head cut off to keep the traps on. I could not keep the rats off of them. Any all call with that base should work ON LOCATION.
I would suggest the first priority is to make something the rat will crawl up on as that is the main attractant to them. They are curious little things and will investigate things that seem useful to them. As you mentioned you can not find the submerged holes, get your tile spade out and make some at waterline where they can see, and will feel comfortable from predators in having some cover.

Anything today that would compare to that product?

Lennon's All Call on location worked. TX

I got some of that, thanks. I placed a MTP order over a certain dollar amount and was allowed 1 free oz of lure. That's what I chose. Good to know only 1 drop is enough.

Muskrats are easily trapped by wiring a 8 X 8 X 24 inch squirrel size trap to a plank and baiting it .
There's a few little tricks to make it click, but not much.
I learned this trick from Dave Vinke of Washington state.
I've taken several hundred that way, all of which were relocated.
We don't have large populations like many areas.