How to make pig fish traps
I am going to try and explain how to build a pig fish trap, we call them pig fish traps because that is the type of fish we target. They will catch any type of small fish. You could catch bigger fish but would have to make them bigger with bigger funnels, be sure it is legal were you live, bigger ones are not legal in Fl...... We buy 1/2 inch hardware cloth, this is the first year in a long long time that we were lucky enough to find good wire, when you bend the wire you do not want the welds to break, you will spend a lot of time fixing holes if they break easily. First cut out the bodies of the trap, if you are building square traps, we like to cut 3 and 1/2 feet long by 8 inches wide
Count up 16 meshes and bend the wire, this will be one side, go to the other end and count 16 meshes and bend
The funnels are 4 inches wide, and 8 inches long, fold them in half ( be sure the meshes line up) and either hog ring or twist the wire starting at the bottom hog ring or twist the second wire and the fourth.
From the other side spread the funnel open, we have a big pair of scissor looking wire cutters and they work good for opening the funnel end with, just stick the pointed end through and turn till you get the opening you like. Anything will work for this, that is just what we use.
If you are making square traps you what to place your first 2 funnels in upside down and on the top of the wire, where the opening is at, put a funnel on each side, I have the wire turned with the opening facing down in this picture
We put 3 funnels in the square traps. The other half of the trap will be another wire that you bend like the first piece but this funnel will go in the center right side up and will be placed where the wire is bent, opposite of opening
Next you put the 2 pieces together, I found it easier if I secure the corners first by putting a hog ring in each. Then we used copper wire to lace the sides together.
My husband took the wire out of his trolling motor that quit working
After getting all the sides secured together cut out the openings for the funnels, we cut up the middle from bottom to top the across the middle sideways, like a cross, and bend the pieces in, I like to put a hog ring on the to hold in place. Now secure the funnel to the bottom of the trap.
We have not put the doors in yet so no pictures. All you need to do is cut out a square on the top and cut a piece of wire to overlap the cut out piece by 2 meshes all the way around, we put 3 hog rings on for hinges but do not squeeze them tight, where door will open and close easily. We make a latch with small bungy cord any thing stretchy will work, secure one end to trap and the other end we use a heavy gauge wire for a latch to the other end. We tie a rope long enough for the water depth they will be in to it with a buoy on the other. This is hog ring and hog ring pliers.
To make round traps cut the wire 8 inches wide and 3 foot long the tops and bottoms are 11 and 1/2 by 12 inches, you do the funnels the same way but only put 2 in them. Make a circle with the body, ( the 3 foot piece) overlap one mesh, put the funnels in like the square traps put the top and bottom on, you can cut corners and bend down or cut them to fit.
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@pennsif Thank you, I feel honored to be selected, I checked out what you are talking about, very cool. And I will be making some dandelion marmalade by @bucksforaging15
Traps are awesome!
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@ganjafarmer Thank you
Hello...
@myjob
Fantastic... and
Wow... there is quite a bit of handwork and skill into making these traps.
(:
@annephilbrick It is time consuming making them
I have no doubt it is very time consuming ....!!! It truly looks like it is for sure
:)
@annephilbrick yes it is time consuming, I am hoping we have enough left from last year that are still in good enough shape so we do not need to make many more.
Oh! Is easy to make 'em!!! I bet my dad can make some of those.... I still looking for those sandfleas!
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@blacklux yes your Dad could make them and sell to fishermen who want live bait. We put a half of a crab in them to catch the fish. Sometimes when we have no crab to put in them we use squid. I would say if you have not seen anyone with the sandflea rake you must not have them.