How to retrieve a rod?

Yesterday was one of those days where everything seems to go wrong. Forgot my rainsuit top and gore tex shoes at the house. After waiting for the first round of sleet and rain, I decided to go for it anyway. Fishing (Catching) was not the greatest and an 1 1/2 into the day I’m idling over a closing dam and under a tree and WHOOSH out go my rods. I jumped up and caught them with my arm and 1 or 2 of them are gone! I semmer down and get the camera out and start looking but with the flow so high, the camera is 30′ down stream. 2nd idea, I’ll take my lure retriever and scrap the bottom and see if I can hook em. To much current. 3rd idea, 1 1/4 oz. caroling weight tied to a big treble and drag the bottom. You know that branches feel a hell of alot like a reel! Well 1 1/2 hours later, I bow to my knees, lift my head and arms to the sky and say “Go% D+$* I#, what the f^!@!!!” Went home and pissed and mouned to my wife and got limited sympathy from her. Told myself to get over it, but woke up at 4:00 a.m. and thought their must be a way. Now here’s where you guys come in. What experiences have you guys had with retrieving rods and reels and what have your success rates been? Any ideas on gimmicks or Red Green ideas would be appreciated. Thanks for the help. I’ll let you know if I get if back. Fishnut

Good Luck

If there’s that much current in the area you lost your rods, the chances of them being where you lost them are remote. I’ve only once lost a rod to the deep blue, and I got it back by using a deep diving crank. Use something that will really dig the bottom. Basically start where you lost the rods and work downstream. Good luck, I hope you get them back!

Can you swim? Go get them.

fishnut

Here’s a Red Green story, but true. A couple of years ago we were fishing out a canadian resort and I had just docked my boat. I was getting out the boat and my foot caught my rod and actually kicked it into the water. I grabbed another rod and started jigging for the lost rod, but no luck. One of my fishing buddies had a heavy sinker (about 3 inches long shaped like a minnow) with a large treble hook at the end. He jigged for the lost rod for awhile, then he said “I think I got it” until the end of his line started fighting back, then up came a 2l” walleye that was under the dock. We released her, but never snagged the rod!

jcd

After too much sun & cheap wine, I accidently flipped a rod & reel into 27′ of Mississippi water last year. I went home & made triangular shaped retreiver out of 5/8″ re-bar. It is 6′ wide at the bottom with 7 nasty weighted treble snagging hooks wired on. I went back the next day. Got my outfit on the 1st pass.

If you live close to Clinton, Iowa, why just come and borrow it. Otherwise, re-bar is cheap. The hooks about $1 each I guess. And a welder is handy to get the 3 pieces of re-bar together. If the water is deep AND swift, you better use heavier re-bar.

Good Luck!

I’ve got a $500 rod and reel in a lake that I’m debating on whether to hire a diver to get it or not. Went in last fall in 10ft of water and I’ve got 4 hours into finding it but no rod. Do you think it’s toast by now? A diver costs $100 an hour. ?????

Water is really dirty, too. City lake here in MPLS.

Fishnut…Come on, I would think by this stage in your life you wouldn’t keep screwing up so much. :rotflmao
You are a real dandy Haimes.
Just kidding bud. Sorry to hear about that. That guy with the idea about the rebar etc. sounds like a ok thing to try. I have a welder and torch at my shop your welcome to use. Let me know if I can help. See ya friday night if I don’t talk to you before.

I lost one last month when I was getting a snagged lure out of a tree a branch snapped back and threw one in the water. I quickly reached for it and found it floated.On good rods the tip of the butt usually sticks out of the water with the reel(casting) about 2-3 inches. I once was fishing a lake and saw a small branch in the water about 30 yrds ahead of me. I made a few repeated casts to the stick-up and no fish. When I was going past it.I looked to see how the branches layed in the water(4 next time)and saw it was a floating butt of a rod. I picked it up and it was a Falcon Flipping rod with a Shimano Curado.So next time it is raining and you are in shallow water, just check and see if your rods float. Mine have !