Pond Boss Forums PHOTO GALLERY Image Gallery Fish Trap 2.0

Okay fish trap version 2.0 is ready! The pictures show the funnel entrance, the handles on top, and the variable size opening to allow me to vary the size of fish I am going after.

I used schedule 40 1/2 inch PVC for strength and 1/4 inch stabilized PVC netting. I found the lasco 3 way 90 degree corner joints and the 90 degree elbows at the local big box store. I got the netting from Stoneycreek.

The trap tubing is air tight and floats well. I am working on an anchor so I can place the trap anywhere in the pond and set it for any depth.

I will also be adding an attachment to add my Go Pro HD to film the fish activity by the opening. Of course, if I get any good video, I will post them!

To remove the fish I have caught, I simple have to untie the 550 cord and open the trap door.

The trap will be stored in the barn when not in use.

Any thought on how to make this better?

If the zip ties are close enough together around the perimeter to prevent fish from squeezing out, the only way to make it better is to get it in the water and show us how it works!

IIRC, I believe the white zip ties aren't UV stabilized, and usually break within a year when out in the sun.....

LOL, It gets the acid test in a day or two! I let you guys know how it does. I am unsure if the zip ties are stabilized, but that is okay as I am sure that by next year I 'll have made a few corrections. By then I will go with a more permanent tie down system that can stand the sun's rays.

Now, that is neat. I'm impressed.

That is really cool. Bet you can't wait to get it wet.

Boy that is a first class fish trap, nice job.

With a minor change it could be used as a cage for small fish as well. Nice Job !

Guys, thanks for the kind words, it floats really well in the pool and I plan on going to the farm tomorrow to christen it in the pond as soon as I get there.

Ewest, can you give me more info on what you mean about a cage? Are you saying that if I close off the entrance I could "hold" fish in it for a while, IE. it is big enough to hold fish for a while? If you look close at the entrance, it is easily removable and I can add a sealed end very easily ( that was part of the design ). Or am I off base?

Thanks again, I'll post more after it get baptized!

Exactly. Yes it is big enough to raise small BG or FH.

Thanks for the clarification.

Fish trap 2.0 got baptized today in 6 feet of 54 degree water up close to the cabin and it was a hugh success!! The first time it was in the pond, I left it in for about an hour and a half and caught 2, 7 inch Pumphinseed BG and over 30 2-3 inch CNBG!! The second time it was in today I left it in for 45 minutes and it caught over 20 2-3 inch CNBG. They all looked healthy and had good color. The water has a PH around 7.1 and ALK is above 30.

Here are some of the fish:

second catch

First Batch!

I'll dunk it again in the morning down by the dam. I'll let you guys know how it does there as well.

In short, I am very pleased with the efforts!!

Great results! Did you bait it?

Can you post some more pics or details on how the funnels are constructed and function..
Thanks alot looks awesome
BGK

You have PS down there? Where'd you get them? On my computer, both of the pictures look alike......

Esshup,

I only put up the CNBG pics yesterday but I have updated the album, here is the link:

https://plus.google.com/photos/101370842485428298303/albums/5703981182166812321

I added a few more pics of the trap's door and the fish I caught today and yesterday.

About the PS, I do have some, I catch them from time to time and they seem very healthy. One of the ones I caught in the trap yesterday seemed to be full of eggs(that pic is in the updated album on my Google + page) ! I have several pictures from this past summer of several PS some filled with eggs caught in our pond. I will gladly post those pictures if there is any interest. I am unsure where they came from, they could have come from nature or from our stocking.

Omaha,
I use Tortillas as bait, they stay together for a long time and the fish seem to like them!

BGK,
I added a few more pics showing the door in the album, just follow the link and browse all you like, if you need other pictures, let me know and I do my best to get them for you.

All,
I also added my Go pro HD camera to 2.0 today. I got a few good seconds where I could see fish swimming past the camera, but the water was really too cloudy to get good video but the concept is sound. I will try until I get some good video and then I'll post it to my You Tube channel for you guys to see. I did find out that some larger BG swam into the trap and got out later before I pulled it up, so I believe I need to modify the opening. Any suggestions on a opening size to allow the fish in, but discourage them from getting out? The opening is currently 5 and a half inches tall and an inch and a half wide.

For Josh M,
I added a few more pics showing the trap and its door and I will try to do a how to when I Build the next one. It will get worked on this week if possible.

Thanks everyone for the ideas and thoughts Please keep them coming!

I looked on the page, and to my eyes, it looks like if they aren't small BG/CNBG then they are a hybrid cross with a GSF. Unless I'm missing something. I didn't see a PS.

Esshup, what about the two larger fish. I was told last summer that they were PS. Was I mis-informed ?

I love to learn, so if I was told incorrectly, please let me know what they are and how you could tell.

Thanks

Brian, have you checked out the Common pond fish primer (sunfish edition)? Should help get you familiarized on some of the differences between the various sunfish out there.

Thanks, very cool!
Now I have more work to do!

B

That is a very nice trap you should look into building and selling them.

Also I would have to say the larger fish are HBG, as they look just like the ones I stocked in my pond 2 years ago.

If you have LMB you may not have much of an issue in the long term, since you also have CNBG that will out number them later.

I also thougth the eyes looked large on the CNBG, did anyone else think that.

Again great job on the trap and I look forward to trying to build one as well.

I'm thinking that all 3 fish are some sort of GSF Hybrid. With what, I'm not sure.

Mr Hello,
I think shipping costs for the finished trap would be way more than the cost of the trap, and I think some people will want a different size trap depending on their water, but I am willing to give out the plans. I am also working on another trap with slightly different dimensions to see if there is any difference in the catch in our pond.

About the pond, I did stock LMB last year and we are going to be doing an electric survey of the pond next month to see how the fish population is doing. I'll post pictures and some commentary when we get the results.

Esshup,
Thanks for the update on the fish, I am still very new at fish ID and I will gladly learn from those who have been there and ID'd that! For now I am using the pondboss poster, posting pictures on the site and asking for help, or talking to local experts. Give me a year or two and I should be making far fewer mistakes!

I also think the 3 larger fish above are HBG. The smaller ones appear to be all BG or CNBG. As far as I know, BG and CNBG are hard to tell apart when they are immature. Those most familiar with young CNBG may be able to provide more information about separating these BG varieties as smaller individuals.
Nice trap. It will be very interesting to see your results comparing the two sizes of your design of trap.

I've been giving a lot of thought to your fish trap. I'll send you my shipping address. Send it up to me so I can evaluate it for a couple of seasons. I will send any suggestions I might have, and I'll do it all for free!

One thing that ESSHUP mentioned was the cable ties. He is right about the white ones not being UV stabilized. Generally, the black ones are UV stabilized, but not always. Look on the package, or if mail-ordering, they will state if they are UV protected. If you go to this page, you can use a filter to search for UV stabilized versions: Cable Ties

Anyway, thanks for posting. That is a great looking project.

Ken

This looks great.. I built a heavier one (sits on the bottom of the pond) for catfish made of material mesh. The mesh is pretty rough on the fish who become trapped in it. I like the netting you used and might give that a try. I have an abundance of yellow bullheads in my pond and going to try to reduce their numbers, that's the reason for my trap.

Ken, thanks for the link to the cable ties, I have bookmarked it. About shipping the trap, I have some bad news, since it has already had fish in it, FedEx can't ship it without it being sent as a fish tainted item, so maybe next time (I was looking forward to your insight) !

About fish trap 2.0 lite, it is done and it has been baptized as well. It worked well. I was able to catch 4 size class of BG and CNBG from 2-3 inches all the way to 8 inches in the same trap. Several of the fish seemed to have eggs in them and all had good energy and really nice body shape. I will be posting a bunch of the pictures later today on my Google+ page and I will post a link for those who would like to take a look.

"2.0 lite" is 2.5 feet by 2 feet by 1.5 feet in size and it floats just like 2.0 does. The opening is on the top and the entrance is more elliptical at 5.5 inches tall and 1.4 inches wide.

Side note: We caught another 2Lb LMB yesterday in yet another location in our pond while we were soaking the new trap. It was caught on a hook baited with a piece of hotdog. That LMB received tag number 1!

Lance, I built my traps to check on my BG population. I know my CC are doing great as I catch them all the time from 10-18 inches They are very healthy and this summer are going to be dinner when they reach 2+ pounds!!