I am hoping to do some river trapping next trapping season and I am thinking drowning rods may be my best option. My questions are what diameter and lengths do you use? Also what are you staking through on the top end? I was thinking of welding a large washer on the top and then something on the bottom so the trap can't slide off the bottom, but then how would you get your trap on over the washer? Sorry I'm very new at this. Thanks for any help.

There was an article some years back about this onein Fur Fish and Game. I made four of 'em and have only used them once because i like conibears a whole lot better. With that said their going in the water this weekend. First and foremost dont use rebar if you have a steel supply or local welder get some 1/2 inch cold roll round. Make an L shaped lock like a Berkshire snare lock the short end of the L needs a hole drilled 9/16ths the long only needs to be as big as what your connecting with I use C Clamps. I wield a large washer at the top end. Slide the L on from the bottom upside down then heat and mash the bottom end to keep the lock from coming off. Then I take rebar and cut it to about 18 inch and wield a small bar on the end to make a T. Attach the trap to the pole, set you trap stake down the pole and collect hopefully. Might to to get some pics up in a few days to show ya what I mean.

Like R.D. said, 1/2" rebar, 10' long is a good length for most situations. 3/8" with much use turns into a straightened pretzel, and will bend easier every time. Also, you need the backbone of 1/2" to get the rod into the bottom in hard bottom situations. Rebar works just as good as cold steel and is cheaper. I weld a stop up 18" from the end. Washers welded on the top end are fine, but you will have to have your lock on permanently if you do this. I do it this way, and just use mighty hooks for attaching the trap to the lock when needed. In the picture, the bend in the rod is there only because of the weight of the trap. A small bend is helpful though to make sure the rod is clear of the bottom and the lock can slide smoothly to the bottom.

I know the rerod is used by some people but I'd use the smooth rod too. I have some that are 8 feet long and of 3/8 rod. They are easier to bend but work fine. 8 feet rods are easier to haul around. I think a 10 footer would be better but have not had problems with the shorter. Also, I know there are posts of this in the archives. You can use drowning rods for beaver to muskrats. I have a few of the 3/16 rods like Schmidt used to sell for coon and mink. Never liked them too well though. Josh, you didn't say what you were gonna use them for so I assumed you ment beaver.

Thanks for all the help so far guys. I did search the archives for "drowning rods" and wasn't having alot of luck. HDK I will be using them for beaver and coon. I do have access to cold roll steel round stock at work, but I would have to check on pricing though.

Rebar works just as well, and is a lot cheaper.

That's what I was thinking Goldy. I could check the pricing at work but I just did a little searching online at rebar prices, and that is looking a lot better. What types of businesses would sell rebar locally? Menards or Farm and Fleet possibly?

Yep, Menards is good. Take a hacksaw with you, buy a 20', and cut it in half when you get to the parking lot. One 20' is usually cheaper than two 10'.

Here's three types of locks I use. They all work well, but the bottom one is the easiest to make. 1" thin-wall tubing with a piece of flat steel welded on to attach your trap to. Or if you don't have a welder, MTP sells a kit called the "Bauer no-weld drowning system" that has all the locks and stops. All you need is the rebar.

Spring is in the Air (Not) but posts like this make a guy feel like it!

goldy
I have been using smooth drowners for a long time, and was going to make some new ones out of 1/2" rebar. I tried to make the drowner lock out of 1" square stock, but could never get it to lock on the rebar right. could you or someone give me some lenghts of the locks and angle cuts (if any).
THANKS

Hmmm. I remember having that problem years ago too. Can't remember for sure what I did. Did you use the thin-wall stuff? Most of mine are about 1" - 1 3/8" long, thin-walled, with an angle cut in the front, with a tab welded on the front. No problems now. The square tubing lock may not lock up well on smooth rod, just to let you know. If you do use it on smooth rod, keep the tube short, like 5/8".

yes i used the thin walled ones mine were close to 2" they seemed to work fine when the groves on the rebar were going in the right direction. but when they wern't the lock would go up the rebar and not catch.

Tim kresel, From Bookylin Park MN.has carbon fiber drowner rods any length custom made, 1/4 the weight of steel re bar. He also sells carbon t-top stakes the greatest set up yet!

No I haven't. Mine lock up real well without it.

Beast- I cut my square tube locks only 1/2" long

When they are long they cannot pivot far enuf to catch
The shorter they are the more pivot

I just measured my locks. They are 1" on the bottom, 1 1/2" on the top. They lock tight instantly everytime. If your using thick wall tube and longer than 2", I can see where they might not lock instantly. Anything less than 1" and I would think the lock wouldn't slide as easily on rebar with all the grooves. Also, if you're just using your finger to test it, you aren't getting a true test. Hook up a trap with a chain onto the lock and try it. It might be different.

Thanks for getting those measurements. I will give both of them a try

Also found this on The Beavs website for another idea on drowning rods without a welder, thought I would share with everybody.
Drowning Methods from The Beav

Here's another way if you don't have a welder, you can get them from MTP.

Here's what I use.

Nice set up Tim! I like using cold rolled material for drowners as I have a lot of it on hand, the smooth metal was hard to get square tubing to lock up on so I came up with this solution...


The clip hooks on to your trap chain fast, and lock up is instant on any material...

Nice looking, Jason, I like the rebar and my locks cause they also work on chain. Have you tried yours on chain?

I bend some of my rods at a 150 degree angle at the bottom stop(18" from end). This allows for a better angle into the bottom of stream and keeps rod up from bottom where it is a flatter bank contour. Like shallower fast water areas for mink. Straight rods often are so tight to bottom that slide gets stuck.

Some of my rods are bent up so bad they could be pretzels, but they always bend to what I need them to.

Tim, Thanks, but no I never have tried them on chain, would have to change the I.D. of the circle dependent on chain size but I can't see why it wouldn't lock up tight if sized properly. I'm with you though that a longer pipe or tube would go down a chain faster, and smoothly to the bottom!

Jason
I use smooth rod too and use a 1" piece of 1" x 1" x 1/8" angle iron for the lock
3/8" rod-- gets a 1/2" hole to slide on the rod
and I put a 3/8" hole for the snap link

Another great idea, something thin locks up fast on the smooth rod!

Sure does Jason!
The beavers won't tell me how fast it locks, they're just waiting at the bottom