01/15/2024
Every fall as deee season starts winding down, I start my annual chore of bait for the upcoming ice fishing season. When I first began this practice years and years ago, I used the traditional traps that you see on sale at the big retailers for 30 bucks. I always had to scramble and trap bait for prolonged periods of time in order to get an ample supply for my family and I. Then I started to “work smart and not hard.”
Pictured below is a “clover trap”-and anyone who has trapped bait with one will talk your ear off about how effective these things are. The switch from standard traps to homemade clover traps has cut the amount of time I have to spend trapping bait in half. These bad boys have much more volume, allowing for the capture of many more shiners and suckers. I’ve also noticed they allow me to catch larger bait-something that is extremely important to me as someone who predominantly targets northern pike through the ice.
With the cost of bait these days, more and more people have been reaching out and asking me about these clover traps. A lot of folks have seen them sitting in the driveway when they come by to grab the gear I’ve been working on. Gone are the days where a dozen large shiners are under $6. Suckers cost well north of $1 a piece and the same goes for jumbo Goldens.
These traps are worth every penny. They’ll pay for themselves in a season-EASY! You don’t need a fancy tank to keep bait-I use a garbage can with a filter and aerator.
I offer other designs (Z-traps, classic, etc.) and can customize the order for your specific needs. It’s a great way to get out and enjoy nature-plus catching fish on bait you’ve caught yourself just makes the whole experience that much better. Reach out with your questions/requests and I’ll get to work building a trap for you!
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