Muskrats in the house

[Pikeslayer]

If you have spent anytime at all in a spearhouse dreaming of that big gater,then chances are you have been visited by the dreaded RAT"climbing out of the hole and scaring the heck out of you!nothing recks my day worse than getting chased out of my house by a rabid rat set on takeing over!Any tips on how to deal with this?

[MJBo]

spear it!

[Pikeslayer]

We did when we were young,Im sure theres a law that says I can"t now!

[Ralph Wiggum]

I don't see why you couldn't spear it. I sure as heck would!

[MetroSteve]

I reccomend netting it and using it as a decoy. Maybe even quick strike rig and weight it. Now that would be cool to watch.

[Pikeslayer]

Them are all good ideas but there is a trapping season on rats so im sure theres a law about spearing or netting them, besides they bleed alot and cloud up the water real bad so you cant see or spear for 20 min.!!

[Random guy]

They are a protected furbearing mammal so yes a season does exist from Oct. 28th to Feb. 28th legal methods are the only way of taking such game.

They may hiss a little and scare the heck out of ya but just give them a nudge with your spear and they will be happy to leave. The little feller is just looking for a litte air and rest.

[MuskyBug85]

good to here from you again on the "Real Fish" forum. did you get that goofy cat stuff out of your system yet? Jonah

[Pikeslayer]

They may be small but when they are up out of the hole and running around the floor of my house,they can realy upset my plans of a good day spearing!They also make a mess under the house with there weeds and peeing all over, they realy do STINK!!!

[Random guy]

Jonah, well I sold the Stratos and am working on setting up aa jet proplelled riverboat, so I guess that tells ya. Fifiteen years of fishing musky hard kinda burnt me out.

Rats DO STINK, no doubt about it. Try putting pieces of harware cloth over the hole when you leave. Granted it is a pian in the butt but it will keep the rats from coming up. When it is time to spear the hardware cloth is flexable enough and cheap enough you can nock it out with the chisel if it freezes into the hole. Normally the ice should be high enough to keep it out of the water.

[Pikeslayer]

Thanks for the tip Jon. but whats hardwhare cloth I never heard of it befor and where can I buy it?

[Random guy]

Hardware clothe is the heavy duty window screen. Normally it has 1/4" openings and galvinized. Places like Fleet supplies, garden supply companies and some hardware stores stock it. It is the same stuff they make minnow traps out of. I hvae also used light expanded metal (the iron mesh they make anti theft windows or cat walks out of)

P.S. Don't steal a piece of off your grandfathers minnow trap supply, I did many years ago and I think I'm still in trouble.

[Pikeslayer]

Thanks for the tip about Grampa! but I am the Grampa in this family!I used to use chicken wire but like you said it gets to be a hassle!!so I geuss im back to square one.PS I also tryed jamming firewood under the house to fill the gaps to keep them out but they somehow wiggle in!

[Random guy]

You are talking about a animal that will chew its leg off to get free if it gets in a pinch, yes they are determained.

[Pikeslayer]

I was wondering if maybe there was a scent that rats dont like!

[Ralph Wiggum]

We had them building unrelentless in the transom of our pontoon this summer. They are a real PITA!!!

[Random guy]

Quote:

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I was wondering if maybe there was a scent that rats dont like!

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I wonder if any of the products for keeping critters out of the garden would work? As tough as those rats are they will most likely just use it for dressing on their salad.

[cjac]

I'm just happy to see Jonny Flippin P back in the house! No, I'm not calling you a muskrat!

Great to hear from you!

[GatorBait]

LOL, I had one of those suckers come up a 8in hole one year. I about passed out, it scared me so much. I saw bubbles coming up the whole, so I'm looking wondering what was going on, and he flew out of that hole. I think every resident on the lake heard the high pitch scream as I bolted out the door. Oh, thanks for the memories. I'll never forget that. That's how dealt with it, gained my composure and went back in with the gaff, but we went back in the lake. phew!

[Professional Edge]

John P.

You are designing your own jet river boat? I am interested in what you have done if you are willing to share. I am starting to become a river rat after my last outing on the Mississippi. Smallmouth have become my new friend. Still love muskies but those 20 inch smallies fight in current.

Now I have to finish my fly rod so I can catch one on it. Not sure how I will react to that.

Hope all is well.

Keith

[Random guy]

Not myself, I have sent about a 1000 requests for options to a company that makes them custom built.