Im making a fish / eel/ crayfish trap

[jon r]

This is how far ive got so far:

The whole thing is hazel wood and ive used some lime bark to bind it in places. Im quite pleased with it so far but im not sure how to make the enterance cones. Once ive got them in i will complete the cage. Any advice?

Many thanks!

jon

 

[leon-b]

that looks great mate, you always seem to be making or up to something its great especially as you are only a little bit older than me
keep up the good work
leon

 

[Fenlander]

Check out PatrickM's threads as they may give you some ideas Jon.

I've been making a few bits myself this weekend

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16ft of fishing net, 18ft Wych Elm inner bark braided fishing line, 1 successful bone hook (plus five that broke ), a fish/crayfish trap and a pump-drill.

I have to say that I think your trap looks rather more impressive than mine

 

[torjusg]

I think it all looks very good.

I have my ideas how you should solve the funnel problem, but it is a little hard to explain with words.

A closeup of the bone hook perhaps, Fenlander? I can't see it properly from here.

A tip for making successful bone hooks is to use toe bones, I'm not sure if I have made a tutorial of it on my blog, but if I haven't it'll be up in a few days (remind me).

 

[Fenlander]

I think it all looks very good.

I have my ideas how you should solve the funnel problem, but it is a little hard to explain with words.

A closeup of the bone hook perhaps, Fenlander? I can't see it properly from here.

A tip for making successful bone hooks is to use toe bones, I'm not sure if I have made a tutorial of it on my blog, but if I haven't it'll be up in a few days (remind me).

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Best i can do at the moment, but since take this pic this morning, I've thinned it down a bit more so will take a better picture later and post

I have an article on making hooks from the toe bone, but haven't been able to source any toe bones as yet

 

[torjusg]

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Best i can do at the moment, but since take this pic this morning, I've thinned it down a bit more so will take a better picture later and post

I have an article on making hooks from the toe bone, but haven't been able to source any toe bones as yet

No butcheries in the UK? I can get as many legs as I want from the different slaughterhouses around here.

My experience with these bone hooks is that the bottom needs to be very deep, since bone splits more easily than antler. With toe bone the "grain" follows the bend of the hook, making them far less prone to splitting. Also, then you don't need any drilling, you can do it all on a grinding stone and with a flake.

 

[jon r]

That looks like great stuff to me Fenlander! Have you done all that this weekend! wow!

Heres how far ive got now:
There is going to be an enterance on both ends. Is this a good or bad idea?

Because im planning to have the end cones fixed in place i decided to make a little door on the side to get the fish out.

Hope you like my work so far, there's still a lot to do!

Ive never made one of these before and its my own design. Do you think it's going to work?

Many thanks

Jon

 

[Fenlander]

Looks great to me Jon :You_Rock_ :You_Rock_ Are you planning to test it?

Torjus, my local game keeper keeps promising to let me have some, but has not provided any as yet

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I've been using part of a rib bone left over from making the netting shuttle and gauge, to make my hooks. Looking at that black line of charcoal, I think this one has cracked as well

 

[torjusg]

I'm afraid that one will not be strong enough, no.

Here is a toe bone hook. Sharp and very strong for it's thickness. I may have made my last conventional bone hook as this is much easier and better. The exception may be really big ones, since mammoth toes are out of supply in this day and age...

This one was made from the toe of a small moose. I'd recon one from roe deer would be considrable smaller. But small is good in my experience. At least with trout.

 

[jon r]

That looks like a nice hook Torjusg!

Ive made more progress with my trap. Heres the latest pics for anyone who is interested. Ive done all the outer cage and ive just got to make the one way doors and tweak some other bits. Then it shouls be done! How do you think its comming along?

 

[torjusg]

I think it looks extremely good!

 

[spamel]

That's looking fantastic. I can't wait to see it finished.

Wht do you guys do with the stuff you make once it is finished? Do you store it and use it when required, sell it, or dismantle it and reuse the bits? Just wondered.

 

[Fenlander]

Nice work Jon I am astonished that this thread has received so few posts

Torjus, nice hook mate. I've contacted two local game dealers and a deer stalker for toe bones, but no luck as yet. I may try a pigs toe bone instead. I shall take my hook with me in September to try and prove you wrong , if it doesn't break before then of course

Spamel, the items I've made are to be used.

 

[jon r]

once ive made stuff i always keep it! And then use them when i need them.

 

[fredcraft]

It looks really neat and professionnal !

I was wondering about the fact of trapping fish, does it count as fishing / trapping ? By that I mean, do you need any permit to use them (probably) ?

Thanks

 

[jon r]

Heres the finished trap....

I didnt have a clue how you bait a trap like this or what you even use as bait so i came up with this. Its a Pine cone stuffed with bread whick i suspended in the middle of the trap with string.

Now for the test....

Are these fish taking the mic or what! I didnt catch a thing which i found hard to beleive. I had the trap in the water for about 2 hours in total. Was this long enough? Please help because i want to get this working after all my troubble. What could i have done wrong?

 

[spamel]

You need to site these things craftily. From what I can gather, where traps like these were used, part of the river would be fenceed off with sticks driven into the river bed, forming a funnel through which the fish had to pass. The trap would be placed there and the fish will swim in!

I hope it does work for you in the end, you have put so much effort in to making it and it looks fantastic. Try a different area or faster flowing part of the river and you may get a bit more luck!

Edit: Love the pine cone bread device, what a fantastic idea!! Watch all of the freshwater fishermen start using them for ground baiting!!

 

[BOD]

I beileve it it is best to put in by the bank , entrance cone facing downstream and put a few stakes downstream flaring out.

Clever use of the pine cone.

Try something healthier and tastier than white bread or are the fish into white bread in that area?

 

[hanzo]

I have used a similar type trap pretty successfully for prawns. I used the bones from my fried chicken lunch for bait and it worked really well.

 

[British Red]

For something like crayfish I'd be trying something like offal or roadkill as bait. I suspect it would also work with fish - why not try some butchers trimmings?

Red