Muskrat bait/lures

Ok. So ive read that carrots are great bait. And ive watched some YouTube videos that use toothpaste!?!? Anybody use that before? I was just wondering if anybody makes their own bait? What ingredients should i use? And then i would also like to make my own lure. Should i use the glands from my catches or is there some smells that they really go for? I bought some jarred bait that smells like black licorice but i havent tried it yet so i have no idea if they like that smell or not. Ive also heard that peppermint is good cuz its a strong smell. Has anybody used peppermint oil or extract before? Any help would be appreciated. Figured i would try something different this year and make my own stuff. Thanks

Lots of people stick with carrots and potatoes as they are cheap and readily available. I prefer carrots as they seem to preform better for me personally than potatoes

The black licorice smell is anise usually. I am a fan of that smell for rats but coons also are a fan. I like cracked corn when it can be hidden from birds. I like to keep the anise away from the set up in the air to help with the coons when I can. The appeal from bait seems to bring the rats the rest of the way. Apples are also a favorite for me.

Alright. Thanks for the answers. Does anybody have experience with making a paste type bait? Like maybe using carrots and potatoes or with molasses? Im looking for any paste type bait thats not runny. I thought about making an apple paste bait. Would i have to use sodium benzoate to keep it from rotting or would that not work?

I believe on this site one of the more knowledgeable trappers wrote about mixing lard and peppermint oil.

Don’t forget oranges lemons and limes

Apples and parsnips also work well for bait. I don't use a lot of lures or glands. Grab any Trapping supply catalog and read the descriptions on the oils lots of them attract muskrats by trapping beaver I can tell you popular bud oil they love so much I quit using it at beaver sets because I kept catching rats

You can use petroleum jelly as a cheap base to mix with peppermint oil or spearmint oil. I currently just have mixed 4 oz. of petroleum jelly to one tablespoon of anise oil. It is very strong and you probably only need a scraping the size of a pea per set I would have to say, but more in colder temps of course. Nice part too is that its homemade. I often find myself seeing lots of guys on her asking for tips and tricks of homemade bait making but they get flooded with people trying to sell them baits and lures. They might as well not of even answered the question because they didn't even answer it lol. Just saying, but either way one thing to remember is that oil only mixes with oil here. I did the same thing but with vanilla extract and it took twice the amount for the same amount of PJ, it was strong ut not as strong, but still very loud.

Thanks a lot for all the advice. Sounds like fruits and veggies are the popular go to for rats. Ive never used bud oil before... im gonna have to give that a try. I wonder what other scents you could use with petroleum jelly that would attract rats. Thanks again for all the help. Much appreciated 👍

parsnips stay white longer than taters so I prefer them and carrots

a lil bit of carrot oil and white toothpaste beside each other work well

you should have bout a dozen catalogs on your desk to begin with

hasn't your local mentor got you on that train yet?

I use carrot slices on muskrat stools and just oil drop at other sets, like on a rock or wood.

Wouldn't Pectin work better? since that's what's used in jelly and jam.

Traprjohn. Thanks for the input. I dont really have a mentor. I watched my old man trap when i was around 12 but he stopped after a couple years and has forgotten most of what he knew. I never got trapping catalogs but i suppose the next time i go to my local trapping store i could grab one. I didnt think to look in those since ive always just made my own baits. Muskrats are a new animal for me to trap so muskrat bait is kind of a new thing for me. Pectin is a great idea. I will have to give that a try

I'm the one who has talked about using lard and mixing It with peppermint oil. This combo stands up to even a heavy down pour. And the white color gives It great eye appeal. Some one told me that petroleum jelly doesn't allow the scent to escape. Popular bud oil Is a killer In the spring never used It In the fall.

But no one talks about using meat baits for rats. All those empty clam shells you see along the banks didn't get there from coon eating them. And a rat shank pined up under the bank will catch every passing rat.

The beav..
Great point with the lard. Ive never used bud oil before. Idk if we can use clams in mn. I believe that we arent even able to keep the clams shells. I will have to look into that more. I always figured it was the coons and mink eating the clams and leaving the shells behind. And i definitely never woulda thought about using rat parts as an attractant. Have you ever used them before? Would you set those with a body gripping trap or a foothold?

A rat leg pined to the bank In rat country will catch you some rats. But It will also catch every coon and mink that comes along. I would be more inclined to use a foot hold placed In front of that leg. A rat leg shoved back In a pocket set would also work.
You can also just make a fake pull out along the bank buy just using your boot to slick up the bank. Then place a chunk of bait or some lure. Something bright will give you eye appeal which Is important.Grape fruit rinds orange peels or parsnips. Apples are OK but they lose their color pretty fast. Cut a section of poplar and skin It up a bit and shove It into the bank.
Keep you trap about 1" under water deeper and you will miss a lot of rats.

Ok thanks. Just wondering if you use just the leg and meat or did you leave the fur on it? I agree eye appeal is very important! I wonder if one could use some styrofoam pinned to the bank for eye appeal. I know people use styrofoam for under the ice and it seems to work. I wouldnt mind getting some mink either

Wrap some of that bright green surveyors tape around a stake and stick It behind your trap. It sure works for me on my Rat stools.

Here’s what helped me shorten my learning curve by decades. Join your state trapping assn, Google it. ANd contact officers off their site and ask for a mentor to ride along and meet with. MANY states have their own forums. Like here in NC. And TN has 2 and Va has 2 also and KY too. A mentor helps Learn trap prep and techniques and tricks and the laws in YOUR state regarding jaw spreads, shock springs, etc, etc. Laws vary a lot from state to state so BEWARE of FB and utube. You can be shown things that are illegal in your state!.
This gets you in the info loop of FREE trappers ed classes and meets and fur sales/pick ups, and conventions. Then attend ALL YOU CAN, this shows folks you are serious and will be a good student. It sure helped open many doors for me and it could for you as well. ALSO, get several different trapping supply catalogs, like MTP, Dakotaline, Sterling Fur, FandT, PCS, Flemings, Northern Outdoors, Trap Shack, Schmitt enterprises, Southeastern outdoor supplies, JR & Sons, Grawes, rpoutdoors, etc etc, THEN circle gear you need, and give the catalogs to loved ones to buy your Birthday and Christmas and July 4 and Easter and Anniversary gifts. Explain to them, you want their money to go towards what you will use and need, as opposed to another sweater hanging in your closet. WORKS GREAT in our family.

Thanks guys for the info. I never realized that there was such a thing as a trapping mentor. That is something i will definitely have to look into! Im glad to learn as much as possible. Thanks again

MnMatt88, you mentioned toothpaste in your first post. FYI for several seasons I did very well at ponds and small creeks on rats at pocket sets and other sets with a couple cheap tubes of minty toothpaste. We bought ours for a buck a tube at dollar general and get something in mint or spearmint. A squeeze onto a finger and smeared it on a grasswad in back of a small pocket set put a lot of rats up for us. The mrs never complained about our lire smell on our hands either.
Jim

The rat lure that stands above all others Is Lennons rat all call. And Hudson seal Is a close runner up.
You get some wet weather and that tooth paste Is history.

Thanks for the ideas. If you mixed the toothpaste with patrolium jelly wouldnt it help it become more water resistant?

The first week of the 2004 season I caught a little over 200 rats and 16 coon on a small river in northeast Iowa. The lure-bait was sliced potatoes and peppermint oil from Blackies Blend. A fake rat slide was about the only set used. That pull out-fake slide has to be best rat set ever on moving water. Another simple rat lure is grind some rat pods ad a drop of Tonquin and mix with glycerine. Or just get Lenons as Beave said its great stuff.

Vaseline just seals In the odor and makes your lure less effective.