lorafa93 wrote:
I’ve been using chicken legs and thighs. Also used ground fish chum blocks. I’m planning on going in the evening one day next week. The traps I’m using are four door folding traps. I’ve been trying it during the day. I’ll let the traps sit for about 20 to 30 minutes and then check them out. I’m fishing while the traps are out. I’m hoping to get a skiff soon. Once I have a boat I invest in some traps that I can leave in the water.
I notice you asked where to try, not necessarily how or what techniques to try. My sister in law lived on Siesta Key in Sarasota and when visiting we used the pyramid spring traps from the sea wall near bridges. We always used chicken backs and tried to stay out of areas where the current was flowing too strong. That’s not Venice but probably similar locations could be found there. Mullet worked too and I think anything smelly would attract them. Night time was better for us.
On another note, my nephew is a commercial crabber in NC (small scale - 300 traps). He buys “flats” of menhaden to bait his traps with. There is something available at times where he buys his bait that’s basically just shrimp heads. He “sweetens” his traps sometimes with that. He lets his bait get pretty smelly before he baits his traps so scent definitely helps lol.