Ponds freezing

[Kyle]

Went out this morning to set for muskrats. Unfortunately most of the rat ponds have a quarter inch of ice over them. Bigger ponds/small lakes have ice 30 yds out. Needless to say, I will be waiting until there is walk-able ice now. It's supposed to be below freezing at night all week with highs in the upper 30's to low 40's. At this point, I'm praying for either super cold weather to make ice quick, or warm weather to keep it off so I can get out and trap rats and hopefully keep the coon out and about.

Whats are you seeing/planning for?

[Random guy]

I had to break ice for two miles to get to my rat grounds on opening day?! Only to realize not a single rat. Not sure what happened but the 7 mile strech/area I trapped 300+ last year and have yearly is vacant. No rats, no Otter, nothing at all. Not really sure what to do. It is the only water in the area and if figured it would bea gold mine, not so. Looks like I will be scouting instead of setting.

[Kyle]

I just could sit around yesterday, so I decided to try it. Broke ice for 7 hours; it sucked. Found bank dens starting 10-15ft out from shore/water's edge. It was so muddy from walking around that it made it difficult to get a good set in front of the den holes. Tried some 1.5coils on a few houses/feed piles, and a few 110's with a potato on the trigger just under the surface of the water. I'm going to check them today, so I'll keep my finger's crossed.

[kobear]

It was exactly as I didn't want to see. But I got 80% of what I wanted to out. Didn't get many Sunday, the rats don't move around after the ice.

But this mornings check of a portion of my line was much better

and the forecast has the water staying open.

Funny thing was Sunday morning it was snowing but ponds I set the night before through ice we open that morning.

[Kyle]

this shallow water has the rats making way more bank dens that houses. It's tough to find them in mud. I'm looking forward to ice simply for the mobility factor.

[jigginjim]

I saw a guy had traps seet around a hut. I was wondering how to tell where to set the trap? I have had huts runs cave-in while walking around looking for the runs. I would like to find the runs with out caving in the runs.

[Kyle]

look for bubble trails, or set the trap inside the hut.