Basically ice fishing traps sit over your hole in the ice and support a line with bait for catching the fish. There are many different brands of traps available on the market today and every ice fisherman should be sure to own at least one. You should always check the laws in your area to find out how many you can legally set up per person because the last thing you need is to cop a fine for too many.
Traps can be purchased for as little as $10 each and many types, sizes and colors are available. The trap is designed to hold the line and let you know when a fish has taken the bait. The flag will usually go down to indicate there’s a catch and you simply put the fish in your net and re-set it.
A problem with past traps has always been finding them in darkened conditions. Newer models today are being released in bright neon colors with larger flags and neon lines so they are easier to find and not so easily lost! Anglers have been painting their old fishing traps for years so they can see them in the dark and perhaps it’s time for them to splurge and buy some newer models.
Ice fishing is becoming more popular today and more people are out in the cold trying to catch a feed. For this reason you should also have a plan for uniquely identifying which traps are yours. While color is a good start, many other fishermen may have the same, so engraving or painting your name or license number is suggested.
An example of quality traps includes the Big Bob Neon. It sells for around $50 each or you can buy a pack of five for approximately $245. This particular trap stands five feet above the ice with the flag up, so it can be seen clearly from half a mile away. Visibility is especially important for fishermen who like setting their traps fairly far apart.
Shop around for the best traps to suit your fishing needs. It may not be necessary for a casual ice fisher to spend much money, but if you are serious about the sport, you will want the best. You get what you pay for and the cheaper versions will be basic and probably won’t last as long, but they still do the desired job.
