I am in the process of building a few rebar rods. Question, is it a good idea to have two different stake connections on the rod. One on both sides so if the other end comes out of the bottom the beaver cannot pull it sideways through the water.

Yes...that would be a benefit if staking in shallower water too....would keep beaver in the water.

I just made one like that a week ago and think I'll be making more.

All of mine are rigged for 2 stakes on the bank end.
Staking conditions vary greatly here. Soft/silty spots can be cross staked like a dirt set.
Takes packing another stake, but I really using 2 stakes.

What is the distance you figure between the two top stake connections? I had a bad time with a couple drowning rods on the bank end, rods were on a bit of shallow slope into what I thought was deep enough to work.

Why not just use a longer stake? For me it is important to have a small enough top stake opening to slide the drowning lock on and off the rig.

I weld a nut on the top for the top stake and a nut on the bottom to keep the lock from sliding off. Like Nimzy stated, top nut is smaller so I can get the drowning lock on the drowning rod.

In a spot that is questionable for solid anchor, I wire a second stake through the stake hole (washer, nut, whatever you used for the main stake) and pound it in about 2 feet above the first stake.

This


And this


Is what I do.

A lot of times I just add a piece of wire to staked rod and wrap other end around root or small tree.

You can also weld a 1’ or so piece of light chain to end of rod. Use chain that will fit through lock but with large enough links for stake to go through. You can use the first link for staking in solid soil and add 2nd stake to any other link in poor soil. I actually didn’t like this system due to the time it took to feed chain through lock and the extra chain flopping and getting caught on everything in the boat. Might work for some though.

Exactly how to be efficient. My top is large enough to X two 3’ - 3/8” stakes.

Two 18" re rod stakes & a 6' double snap cabled to a dead tree, or float drag

My idea is to put the drowning slide on the rod and it stays. Add the trap when I am setting. Just trying to make it simple and quick.

The Hammer ( username) makes a no weld drowner rig and an add-on side stake holder
They also work on chain.

The point of double staking a drowning rod isn't about keeping the beaver from pulling the top end. Its to keep the rod from spinning of the bottom comes out of it's too steep or hard to get it wedged in. Hopefully it keeps the beaver down long enough to drown before making the rod too much of a pretzel.

Why would you want to remove the locking system?

The 2-staking system works well. One stake at the bank and the other about 6" from the bank. Having part of the rod on the bank isn't a problem. This way you can pull the stake that is in the water and just Roate the rod back to the bank. No reason to stake the deep end. In most cases you don't even need waders or hip boots.
And if you want to remove your locking system, just use a cable clamp the deep end.

I find it hard to believe that this setup would hold a 80-90 or 100 pound beaver.Not that I catch a lot that size but I’m ready when it happens versus slapping something in hoping for the best.My two cents.

A 80lb beaver won't last long swimming at the end of a 1/2 re bar drowning rod. Especially when you have a 10lb shash weight attached to the trap.
And if we weighed the majority of our beaver we would find very few even hit the 65 lb range.

Where does an 60# rear foot caught Beaver with an 8’ 1/2” rerod drowning rod going to go ? I maybe see 1 in 50 pull the terminal end of a rod !

He will be 8’ away from the stake at the end of the drowner waiting on the bank.

I worry about them pulling the bottom end up because most the areas I trap are very soft silt and peat. I do have a couple of spots that is gravel so that might be a different issue.