muskrat floats???????????/

[creekchub]

i have some used weathered 2x4's lying around and thought i could make some muskrat floats out of them,  can anyone help?  (pics or plans) also i am wanting to know if these would be good to use in creeks and rivers and if in shallow water or deep water?  any information on there use will greatly help as  i have never used anything like this

[Bogmaster]

Chub,I make my floats about 2 feet long.I like to use something thicker than a 2 by 4,4 x4 is better.
 I take a  board and nail it across the 2 side boards--right across the middle.I then nail lathe across the ends on the bottom.I then take and staple screen to the bottom.
 The cross board on the top ,not only makes it stronger,but allows me to place a mound of vegetation on top of it.Along with some lure.
 The lathe on the bottom,keeps a trap in place on each end.I mount a cable loop on each side of the float.On the ends of my traps,I have a snap clasp---like on a dogs leash .This allows me to quickly and easily attach my traps to the float.
 I attach cable to the center of the float ,and place a weight on the end of it.make sure you leave some slack in the cable,that way the float has room to go up ,if the water rises.
 I use floats on bog lakes and ditches,but rivers and creeks would work too.
 If you can ,place the floats out before the season,this gives the rats a chance to start using them, and become accustomed to them.
 One of the keys with float sets--don't try to compete with natural resting places.
 I have had very good results with floats in certin areas,I have also caught several beaver on these floats.They can be a very useful tool ,in the right area.
 Tom

[Appleknocker]

Tom:
I have tried various styles of floats with very little success.  What areas do you look for to set your floats?  Thanks

[Bogmaster]

AK, I have had the best results by not trying to compete with natural resting places.On bog lakes,I place my floats anywhere from 5 to 20 feet from shore.I set them away from any floating vegetation or logs.By doing this,they are a good resting place for the rats.The floats set away from anything else,stick out and catch the rats attention.
 It helps if they are set up in the rats travel ways.
 Tom

[Edge]

I have found float sets to be quite inneffective when placed "too far"from cover on lakes that harbor large pike or musky.
Although "too far" will vary ,I think mine run about 7-10 ft off shore in such lakes.
It took me a while to figure this out,so maybe I can save someone else a few rats.......
One place I trap rats,is more like a "bog"lake,few if any fish over a foot....on these lakes I try to bunch my floats and just work my way around and off the lake.

Edge

[jim-NE]

I had good luck one year when we had some high water level fluctuations along a small creek. It rained about every 3-4 days and my pocket sets and blind runs were either completely underwater and out of commission, or were 2' up in air above waterline and inneffective for rats. I had some floats made from 10" square pieces of plywood with foam underneath for floatation. I drilled a hole in one corner and attached a wire to attach the float to an overhead branch with a long length of wire. The float rose and fell with the water levels, and I caught a few rats off of them. It wasn't my best producing set, but in this situation it was certainly helpful for fighting the water level fluctuations.

[Catfish]

I used to use them in Ohio. I would nail wood into about a 3 ft. triangle and tack chicken wire to the top. I would then cover the wire with pond scum, moss, and place 3  trap`s were I would leve lower corners. I have cought 3 rats a nite on some of them, and had other rats build up the moss pile. That set works real good in ponds.

[jim-NE]

Had a few coon visits out to my floats, too. Since the sets were far enough out from the shore, my guess is the coons swam out to investigate the lure or bait odors I had on those floats.
The debris scattered around from what was left of the floats was something to behold, too. ( had plywood and styrofoam float models wired to tree branches overhead...and you all know what a coon can do to a set after a catch. Looked like someone bombed my floats right out of the water and scattered the styrofoam for several yards in all directions. Be sure to stake 'em off solidly and use a decently holding model trap if you have any level of coon populations working same shoreline areas.

[MDCAT]

Question for the Bogmaster - You explained how you make your rat float traps.  How wide is the lathe at the bottom of the 2 x 4's to keep the traps from falling out and do you use any type of foam to keep them floating or will the pine 2 x 4's keep it floating?  Thanks again for your help. 

Mike

[Bogmaster]

 Mike,The lathe I used was probably an inch and 1/2 wide.Test your floars with traps on them to see if they float right.If they are to low in the water,some styrofoam underneath,will help lift them up.You have to watch when adding foam,that they don't flot to high in the water.
 A bit of experimentation is needed,but thats part of the fun.
 Tom

[MDCAT]

Tom, thanks for all your help.  I'm glad there is a forum like this, trappers helping trappers.  Will probably need help again!  I built a float trap this morning and it is going to work out great.

Thanks again,
Mike