Organization - The Key to an Efficient Trapline

Organization

Here is the boat loaded up on opener.

Keeping your traps and equipment organized plays a major part on a successful trapline.  This is especially true when you start running a lot of traps over many miles.  If your goal is to trap numbers, you want to spend as little time at each location as possible.  Having to crawl into the bed of your truck and dig through a rat’s nest of cable, traps, and stakes to find something isn’t enjoyable nor is it a good use of your time. All of your traps and gear need to be easily accessible so when you pull up to a bridge or other location you plan on setting traps you can reach in the box of your truck and know exactly what you’re getting.

My truck is setup differently depending on if I’m water or land trapping, but here’s how I set it up for water trapping in right of ways.  In my truck I have two fifteen-gallon plastic barrels right behind the cab. Behind the barrels I have separate bins for each kind of trap I plan on using. The traps have been checked over to make sure that they are in properly functioning order prior to loading them.  I have another small bin that I have my extra bait, lure, trap tags, and small tools like a j-hook tool in along the side where I can reach it.  In the same area I also have set making tools like bodygrip setters, hammers, etc. If I’m beaver trapping I have my fiberglass beaver rods sticking out of the back of the bed so I can grab one or two without any trouble. The back section and middle area is where the fur ends up.

I have it setup like this so I can grab my stakes, traps, any set making equipment I may need, and lastly my drowning rods as they are the longest item.  If I have a partner trapping with me his equipment is setup the same way on the passenger side so there is very little passing stuff back and forth.  I also highly suggest to carry at least two of every important item like setters, drivers, and hammers to name a few.  It’s not if you will lose or break one, it’s simply a matter of when. 

“ If your goal is to trap numbers, you want to spend as little time at each location as possible. ”

The organization of something like the example of my truck above is more of a macro level.  The way you set stuff up on a small scale is also important. A good example of this is a set making bag for predator trapping.  Having all of your lures and baits in the same pocket every time saves the time you spend looking for the right one.  The same goes for having your hammer, sifter, and whatever else you lug around in the same position.  Little things like this don’t seem like much but they do add up when you multiply the time saved by a lot of sets.     

The jon boat after a good run on the river.