Most of my beaver jobs are in the residential areas around our lakes. Most of the shoreline is riprap. What are your thoughts on using a fiberglass rebar drowning rod in the riprap?

Thanks, Wally

Is it caged or loose? If loose I’d use a feed sack. Anchoring into the bottom with fibre glass could be tricky.

I am not sure how you would attach the bottom end of the rod? The way I anchor in riprap is with brake rotors top and bottom, bottom rotors tossed out like normal, and assuming I can not get beyond the riprap on shore to drive a stake for the top, I use a rotor at the top and pull out enough chunks to get it down below a bit then pile riprap back on top of the rotor. This hides the rotor and is very secure - in fact I have to take the riprap chunks backs off of the rotor to pull it. With this system I am using a chain for my slide, but cable should work also - I just like the way chain lays on the bottom and does not need to be tight to work well. You might be able to rig something similar with a rod, but it might end up being as much or more work than using a chain. Any way I have managed to figured it, riprap requires some special equipment and finesse. A numbers fur trapper would just skip it and set elsewhere, but we control operators can not do that, we get paid to figure out a way and make it happen. I have had to do it enough times now that I have a special kit for it. One other thing I have is a set of 20 and 30 foot chains just so I can go up above the riprap to drive a stake. In residential or high foot traffic areas, doing that can result in tampering though if someone sees that chain and decides to start tugging on it.

I just got back from the lake. My rebar drowners will work, but the fiberglass will be used in creek or mud situation. I use to use drowning cables and a cinder block. The blocks got heavy to lug around. I have figured out a way to use my deer cart as a carrier for my gear. This should make it easier. With a baby sledge, I can normally sink a stake in the riprap.

Might wanna take something to buttress the fiberglass top you're gonna hammer on as fiberglass will splinter like crazy.

I think I would go with chain drowners and sand bags.

I may be using construction debris bags filled with rocks from the bank and cables.

I like chain because it can be switched up to long chain a trap if you haven't got deep water. I don't trust cable to work as well for that.