TS-85 or Bridger 5 Longspring ??

For Beaver ,.Which do you prefer and why ??

I can't comment on the bridger specifically although I've had good success with 5 long springs but when I decided to up my game with drowning set ups I did my homework and most of the high end beaver trappers I consulted with in Canada recommended the TS85. I ordered some to play with and couldn't be more impressed, frankly haven't had a miss yet or an empty trap at the end of the drowner. They have a huge jaw spread, very nice pan and are reasonable to set. Going to order more for the spring nuisance season now that I'm settled on my choice.

TTT for more attention to this inquiry.

#5 bridger, they just hold.

On another site I’ve had trappers say that the TS-85 allows pull outs ,... have any of you experienced this ??

Nope

There are 2 different camps on this TS-85.
I had some and I only used them for a couple of months and had way to many pullouts. I switched to MB 750s and all my problems went away.
The choice between the TS-85 and the long spring I would be using the #5 long spring.

Are you referring to pull outs of traps tethered hard at the shoreline (if that's legal in the U.S.?) or pull outs at the bottom of a drowning set up?

Bottom of the drowning cable.

I prefer the bridger #5 double longsprings. They hold awesome, and they’re easier to set by hand when you’re in precarious positions. My hands just aren’t strong enough to set a #5 coil over my knee.

Yes, same as Beav.

I can't speak specifically about the Bridger, but I like a #5 DLS. I use Dukes because they come stock with a PAWSI pan and center swiveled base plate. I can set them by hand. If you ride the pan up the dog, you can wedge the loose jaw underneath the pan as a safety of sorts. This allows presetting them and not having to worry about it firing. I also find a long spring to be more stable in the bed. They weigh more than a coil and that helps at the end of the rod.

I have no experience with the TS85 but I do have a couple MB750. I need a setter to set them and I really do not like working between the jaws due to there being no loose jaw. However they do bed in tight places easier than a long spring.

Wasn't there talk of making TS85s legal in Wi?

I use(d) Bridger (and Duke) #5's... But that was due more to lack of options than preference. TS-85's exceed the legal jawspread here.

Out of the two #5 longs I felt the Bridger was of better quality... But if you wanted all the bells & whistles that the Duke came standard with, you were out more money once you upgraded the Bridger's.

Probably not much help, but I offered what I could.

Mike

Do a search of this site, there was a good long thread discussing the TS-85 pull out issue. That was not long after they came out. While I've not put any in the water I've talked those many who have and handled the trap myself. I really do like how they feel in hand, especially the light springs and ease of setting. I really do want to like them but those light springs combined with their reputation won't let put my hard earned money to the test when I know there are so many better options out there.

I didn’t care for the bridger 5 long springs at all. The coil springs are awesome though. I’ve heard a lot of people who swear by the ts 85s, and others who absolutely hate them.

long spings take too much time
aka.....old school for beaver

I have never used Bridger 5’s, only TS85’s and never had a sprung empty trap like some have mentioned. All of them get rigged to 1/2” rods and it seems to be about time I drop one in it either catches and holds or stays where I set the thing. I have OCD over trap beds, so I take time to either stomp, rake, or somehow make a decent flat spot to bed the trap.
It is a habit of mine to boil and wax beaver footholds with the rest of my gear. It is just part of the deal.

Someone deleted my post from last night with some dam good info on how to modify the Duke 5 making it useful which is near about the same trap as the Bridger 5. There is another trap which was referenced that will out perform both of those 5s so someone must not have like something. Wasn’t the TS85.