Something learned from The Bogmaster and other pic's

[Macthediver]

Here are some pictures from todays trap line run.
First one is the "Rat Snapper" having just been used, this is something I picked up from the Bogmaster himself. Beats trying to tap a rat in the water.




#2 Rat caught along high bank using a board stuck in the bank for trap platform. My brother inlaw learned this little trick 30 years ago from a guy he partnered with one fall.



#3 Trap back on the platform picture isn't focused the best or you'd see a lure holder to the left on the bank. The water against this bank is knee deep on me. one step out and it's over my waders.




#4 Our 26 rats for todays first check,, not as many as I would have liked but not to bad for the water being way high.




Mac

[Bogmaster]

 Good going Mark, how much competition di you have along the banks?
 Those snappers work great,we always have 2 or 3 with us.Just snap the rat and snapper and rat go in a bucket.Your stoploss can be reset without waiting to make sure your rat has expired.
 A 160 on a pole works well for coon.
 Tom

[Macthediver]

Tom
I wouldn't say there is any big competion, pretty much the same usual guys at the landing when the boy and I went out. There were two new young guys (brothers I found out) I haven't seen before this year they went east of us. With the water high almost every thing we have out is against a high bank. With so much water some islands are underwater and I'm running the motor in places I usually can't drag the boat. Right now we are more spread out with sets than I've ever been, just to get them out. Biggest problem is no place to move anything to once we've caught a rat off a spot. The water has been dropping a couple inches a day now, so were just moving traps that don't hit to were with see new tracks. Pretty much all we can do. We are at 46 rats for the two days checking, Not great but it could certianly be worse. Tomorrow I'm going to run the gps and see just how far we are motoring the boat each day.
O yeah when we came into the landing yesterday there was a new guy there. He was loading his boat back up to leave, got so frustrated with the high water and seeing so many trap stakes he never set a trap. I think it's kind of funny because with the high water the stakes are really spread out. Wonder what he would have thought of a year were there really was lots of guys and multi colored stakes at every rat house?


Mac

[Bogmaster]

Need to bring this to the top--for those who are looking for pics ogf the snappers.
 Tom