This is a Cat Tip I posted back in 2006. With our catfishing season just a month or so away this seems like a good time to post it again and pass the advice along to some of our newer catfishermen.
There are two of you in the boat, on border waters, with four rods out. OK – Time to move. Oh, bother!! All four rods are snagged. 80# test line, go ahead, tug those lines loose. $#&!, That hurts the hands.
Here is a little tip to help you break those snags loose. Take a healthy piece of dowel or an old broom stick and cut it into about 8″ lengths. As long as you are cutting make about 3 or 4 of them. Wrap the middle of each dowel with about 5 or 6 good wraps of tape – I use electrical tape.
Next time you get hung up, give yourself about 6′ to 10′ of slack, get well clear of the rod tip and set your rod in a safe place. Wrap that line around the middle of the dowel over the tape you’ve placed there. Snug up the line, the tape helps keep the line from slipping. Back up slowly and break the line loose from the snag.
I made four of my Snag Busters and have them scattered around the boat. They are like pliers in a boat, I can never seem to find it if I have only one in the boat. They don’t take up any room and you will need it most every night you fish.
THAT almost hurt my tummy from laughing.