Im throwing around the idea of making a couple pre made drowning slide cables but ive got a couple questions though
1. Is it a good idea
2. What size cable should I use to handle everything from mink to beaver.
3. What length should I make them i understand every situation is different but what would be ideal to cover most situations

premade is always better, more work at the house = less work in the field.
3/32 pretty easy to work with , 1/8 will hold up longer.

If you want them to last a long time, get them in stainless cable.

I make mine at least 10 foot and I make them adjustable you keep them tight as possible.
We covered most of this a few weeks ago here on this topic:
https://trapperman.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/8514257/cable-drowners-for-pockets#Post8514257

I premake all mine from 1/8” cable.
It’s overkill for mink obviously, but it holds up way better than 3/32” if you get a beaver that pulls a stake and kinks it up.
I make mine 8’, 10’, and 16’. I don’t think everyone needs them that long, but I trap mainly ADC jobs on rights of ways so I deal with not being able to get into drowning deep water for a ways from a culvert, as well as wanting to get a beaver way off the road to hide him. I make one end adjustable in case I want to go around a tree root, t post, sandbag, ect on my drowning end.
I take colored zip tie when I make them to tell how long each one is. It’s easier to grab them off the shelf when I know exactly how many and what length I’ll need for a particular job.
I’ve had some I made last year that are still going great after 300 beaver or so in 2025.

I make mine from 1/8” cable and make them 10 foot. I’ll add an additional swivel/drowning lock to some of them mounted reversed so I I can shorten the cable if I have deep enough water and don’t need the extra length. Like deep holes on a narrow creek.

Some of my areas require much longer drowner cables. I have a couple dozen 25 footers set up with the reversed swivel/drowning lock. It’s comical to be pulling in a cable that long with a beaver on the end of it. Feels like you’re pulling cable forever.

I don’t have a lot of mink opportunities in my area but normally I just use one of my 6 foot extension cables and no slide lock and let the current and trap weight take care of it. Unless I’m concerned a coon may get in it.

I was thinking id make them 10 ft with a loop at each end and a drowned with a quick link attached i was thinking 3/32 but if 1/8 is better ill use it

1. Is it a good idea YES
2. What size cable should I use to handle everything from mink to beaver. 1/8 holds up better but is overkill on mink.
3. What length should I make them i understand every situation is different but what would be ideal to cover most situations. I have 5' to 12' I keep them rolled up in a bag. when I make the set, I know what length I will need and I can tell by the size of the cable (rolled up) which one I need. . I crimp in loops at each end. for where I trap, I use a quick link to attach a pre made pogo. Push that into the bank then fill my drowning sack. Toss that out or walk it out.

Thanks im hoping to run a small road line (10 stops 34 mile loop) next December for a couple weeks and want to stream line my process. For speed