The chain links are just extra to hook a cable to , in the event I don't use the rebar itself as the drowner rod, I might push it out into deep water with a cable attached and staked at shore.

Trapper les, what is the significant advantage to adding cable to a drowning rod? Isn’t a rod with a lock the same same one way ride to the bottom as a rod with a cable and lock?

Where do you get 8' or 10' fiberglass rods ?

theres a salvage yard close by my area you can buy bulk fiberglass rod. 8,10.12or20' sections either in 1/2"or 5/8"diameter. They sell a lot to fisherman for bank poles. I believe I will have to find out a price breakdown on them.

Every once in a while you might have a situation where you cant quite push the rod in and stake it with a trap on the rod, because the lay of the land and water is too tight, or something, and the use of a cable and the rod as the outside stake just gives you another option.

THANKS for the pics les they explained it all to me

You really should have all in your pocket. Including a shovel to dig out a bank and put in a 330 where there is little chance for a deep water set. I have some areas where bringing in rods or finding rocks etc to fill a bag just don't work. If I have learned one thing trapping, it is to keep all your options open. Where I can use either, I prefer rebar over. I too, have had the beaver pillow problem. There are no weld stops you can buy from different trapping supply stores that make them easy to use or, if you are handy and have access, a little welding goes over easy(thanks Friar).

putting a gun rack on 1 front corner and 1 rear corner makes it easy to carry them lengthwise.
Only have a rear rack in this photo...the black V shape

I learned how to use a feed sack, and slid wire from Charles Dobbins book on Trap Fastenings. You shovel dirt from the trapping site into the bag, about forty pounds worth, then twist the top of the bag several times. Just below the twist, run your wire from one side out through the other, fold the twisted top down, then wrap the extra wire around the folded down twist as tight as possible. I have caught a lot of beaver with this setup, and have never had a beaver pull my sack out of the water. I was using Bridger #5 double long springs, and in water that is at least four feet deep, and I always try for a front foot catch, but if I get a back foot, in four feet of water, I can still drown the beaver. Make sure you keep your trap chain as short as you can. I also used nine gauge wire, like chain link fence wire, had no kink problems with that. If I were to go for numbers, this system would not work, but I am too long in the tooth for that any more, so I just work on quality sets, and enjoy the experience.

Long chain 'em.
Forget that nonsense !

Lt been waiting on your reply. I have a few spots dead would be best for me and my equipment. Now I realize I can achieve the same thing with long chains but I can never get or keep them completely submerged. Im kind of getting tired of fishing for beavers with cables. And frankly its a pain throwing weights out on snot slick banks. Just last summer I removed all my long chains .Had one I did'nt and had a first beaver got away with my trap and stake, stake was 32" #5 BRIDGER ON 5' OF #3 CHAIN large ring on the stake end. My only thought was theft or it half hitched the chain and was abel to pump it out.

I’ve tried weights. I’ve tried rods. I’ve tried fiberglass rods.


I gave other methods a fair shake, and the only method I see myself using going forward (short of exceptions) will be staked, adjustable cable sliders. Long ones. With adjustable cables, I choose the set location. Cables 15-35 feet long really give options. When I want to make a set in shallow water, no problem. I run my cable to water of sufficient depth, stake the top end, pull the cable as taut as possible, tuck away excess, and the set is made.

Stop is placed 36” from the the end and the deep stake is hammered in. Pulling the deep stake is easy—turn and pull.

The top end just needs to be secured somehow. Stake it, use an earth anchor, wire it to something—-just secure it.


Build snare KPs with a stop a foot from the bottom and you have a deep stake that functions as a slider anchor or as a snare KP. I can make either type of set (or both) with the same piece of rebar carried in. I don’t like having to deal with weights. If I use rods, I can only use them where water is deep enough. The problem with a LOT of where I Beaver trap, deep water is hard to come by! Many places haven’t been flooded very long, and to make it worse, I prefer staying out of the primary pond when possible. With long adjustables, I’m able to take advantage of set locations that I’d have to otherwise pass up, because I’m able to let them zip down to depth down the way. For my method of trapping, I can make more sets while having more options and carry less. Works for me.


What I described may sound complicated, but it isn’t. Easier to show than to explain.

Im not knocking rods. For those that use them and like them, great. As I’ve said, this method works well for me because of the types of beaver jobs I encounter most often. If I were Fur trapping, maybe I’d look at it differently.


Good luck to ya,

Les, I really like those links of chain as a stop. You’re having more options while carrying less, just like I described. You’re just doing it in a different way.


Cool. I think I’m going to try your chain links on some of mine!

I like the drowning rods system, quick, easy and lightweight, perfect for an older guy...

ttt

here's my smooth rod set up..the bottom rod is the end stop bout a ft from the bottom

and its work

Ttt

Rendevous' rig (see his pics ^^^^) is the way to go when building the rods.

For staking, I have tried the big washer welded on top, big washer welded on the side, flat stake swivel welded on the side, flat stake swivel welded where it will still swivel, short piece of welded link chain then the flat stake swivel....

After all those the #9 wire welded in a loop over the end like in Rendevous' pic works the best. No stake binding and 1/2" rebar stake goes in and comes out at various angles.