Haha, just experienced this yesterday. Trapping a spot for a friend before the season closes later this week. I ended up pulling the cable over the dam, kinda crappy but I made it work.
Some good ideas here that I’ll be trying in fall.

Boco, Thanks for the idea but I agree with some of the comments above that the wire seems like it would take a fair amount of time longer to set up and I would have to adjust the top stake every time I pull in my drowning weight to keep it tight. There are plenty of places that getting the stake in the ground can be very difficult so leave the top stake in place would be ideal. Thus my question to begin with. I also want to stop make my set in under a couple minutes and that does seem to practical if I am making the drowning wires on site. If I was only running a few traps or had more than a 24 hour check would change things as well as I would have more time to make and tend each set.

The Beav, Your washer idea seems feasible but do you have any issues with the cable kinking where is goes thru the washer. Especially if a raccoon get caught in a mink set or by chance an otter.

Wolfdog91, Thanks for your detailed plan. Is there a reason you ended up with a 12" cable going from the lock to the stake end as opposed to a shorter or longer piece? I figured shorter section might be better with the cable loop directly by the snare lock.

Thanks everyone,
Schmattz

I never remove the dryland stake(s),just re wrap the wire to tighten after replacing the deepwater pole after each catch.
Very fast.takes longer to take the beaver out the trap.

This looks like it’s worth trying out. Think I got all the stuff to put one together. The cable Im using has gotta be close to 1/4”….lol. I used #4 copper C crimps to make loops. Tried Bocos tree anchoring the deep end on a job a couple weeks ago. Once it’s hammered in with the axe, could barely pull it out the next day. Shouldn’t have to haul a brick & big cable too often anymore.

ShakeyJake,
When your drowning stake is too hard to pull out (I tend to go overboard when driving them) pull your bank stake and grab it on either side of the wire so it is like a big T handle and allowing some slack in the wire/cable give it a few sharp yanks. This gives you considerably more pulling power and will jar the drowning stake loose.

You dont have to drive it in that hard,lol.
I shove them in by hand,and when pulling most come out with a couple twists and a pull.
have used bearcats method on the odd stubborn one.

After my first and last time I used a drowning rod, I figured I’d make sure it’s in there good…lol
8’ rod I bought in Michigan. Wanted to try it out, should’ve gone to the dam.

54lb momma, I won’t post the vid though…

That spot is more suited to a 330 than a drowning set.
Too far to deep water.

As long as she ain't square shy.

If you want to build adjustable cable sliders that work well and last, I recommend building them like this with a few changes. First, ditch the trap swivel as the sliding lock and instead use a 1/8” camlock with a short piece of cable that has a 4” piece of flat stock or comparable toggle. This makes swapping traps easy as can be, no tools required. Secondly, make the main cable a couple feet longer than you think you’ll need. When you are able to make sets wherever you want and can also reach suitable submersion depth, you’ll be thankful for the additional length. I prefer an adjustable loop on both ends, sometimes the top end loop (when adjustable) is good for attaching to something on site, rather than a stake.

Make sure you install a slide stop of some sort on the main line at least 18” from the end, you do not want catches to be able to reach your anchor, at least I don’t, ever.


7x7 is handy, and galvanized cable is cheap, but… 1/8” stainless steel 7x19 cable is a lasting investment. It’s not outrageously expensive, at least if you shop around, and it will outlast galvanized cable by a long shot. The 7x19 cable is more flexible than 7x7, and when it’s kept guitar string taut, it can be used over and over and over. While we’re on the subject of 7x19, in my experience there is nothing better when it comes to extension cables and bodygrip cables. Good luck

[/quote]
First, ditch the trap swivel as the sliding lock and instead use a 1/8” camlock with a short piece of cable that has a 4” piece of flat stock or comparable toggle. This makes swapping traps easy as can be, no tools required.

Make sure you install a slide stop of some sort on the main line at least 18” from the end, you do not want catches to be able to reach your anchor, at least I don’t, ever. [/quote]

Can you explain your slider/trap attachment a bit better? I understand your using a cam lock rather than a swivel as the slider but I am not understanding the flat stock. Where and how its used and how your attaching the trap to it that you can quickly change traps

Can you explain why you dont want the trap going to the end of the cable? I can understand if its solid staked then animal might be able to get leverage and pull your stake but if you are using a weight I cant figure out why it matters.

Thanks,
Schmattz

I think he's sliding the flat stock through the swivel on the Trap for the connection to the drowner cam lock drilla hole in ceter of flat stock, run the cable from the cam lock through the hole, put a stop on the cable, now slide the flat stock through the swivel on the trap. If you go to the wilderness forum click on Ted's trap supply at the top of the page, he makes some toggles called H.O.T. Latch. They look like a pig tail. Bob Best used to make toggles also.

1/8” x 3/4” x 4” flat stock. Hole for cable to pass through drilled in the center. I attach a short piece of cable to the submersion camlock, pass it through the center hole of the flat stock, and then I secure it with a washer and an end stop. To use it, I manipulate it so that I can get it to pass completely through a trap or snare’s end swivel.

A slide stop on the cable is to prevent the catch from possibly tangling at the deep stake or being able to reach the weight. Necessary? No. Better with than without? I think so. If the submersion rig (cable/chain/wire) stays taut and the catch doesn’t entangle, everything works as intended. When there’s a slidestop creating a gap between the weight and the catch, it acts like a longer rope for a boat anchor, at least that’s the way I see it.

I make all mine 10' and if I want the critter to stop at a certain spot I crimp a piece of wire on it.