I have lost ice rods over the past two ice fishing seasons. I have a ten inch auger. This has also happened to me with a 6 inch hole. I also have rod holders. I have turned my head, or not been paying attention a few times and the rod has been pulled through the hole by a fish. It is frustrating. Anyone have any suggestions or ideas?
Leave the bail on your reel open.
When they go down put on a jigging rap and do some big sweeps and most times you can get them back. Fish usually drop the bait and your rod is right under the house.
Cell phones and wedding rings aren’t so easy to retrieve.
Leave the bail open, Maybe tie a 3ft length of braid to something sturdy and the other end to the rod?
My son has lost a few rods down the holes when he was young. We got all but 1 back with jigging rap.
I have only lost one when I was hammered and didn’t realize till morning. Good rod holders make it impossible to take the rod out unless you want it out.
My brother lost the same rod down the hole twice on the same trip. His buddies hooked the fish that pulled it down the first time with the rod still attached. The second time he didnt get it back. LEAVE THE BAIL OPEN!
I had ~4’ bungie cord in my boat and icehouse when I brought little kids with me. I would c-clamp it to the closet spot next to where they were fishing and looped the other end around the reel. Saved a couple of rods. Might be time to invest in some nicer rod holders. There is no way the rod can come out of the holder I have without braking the holder. The holder also swivels at the handle so when you get a bit the whole rod moves. This has helped my son since he normally pays more attention to the game he is playing than fishing. The whole rod moving really stands out. I open the bail if no one is watching the rods.
I have lost a rod down the hole and recovered it. It was the first time using an inline reel. I opened the reel and laid down the rod to go pee. Came back to see the rod sliding across the ice into the hole. The spool didn’t free spin since it was laying on the ice. 
I keep one of these with a long rope in the truck. Comes in handy getting stuff back. And not just ice fishing!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DGTBL57/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
-J.
I keep one of these with a long rope in the truck. Comes in handy getting stuff back. And not just ice fishing!
Yep I have one in my fish house. Tried to use when I lost an extension for my auger down the hole. Just couldn’t see it even with a camera and did not get it back. We did get a friends knife back though.
A baitfeeder reel would help. They have super loose drag that makes an audible clicking noise, so you will be alerted to the line being taken even if you’re not watching it.
When I was a little kid grandpa had a bunch of the cheap stringers with the clips. The stringer would get clipped to the kid, and the reel. I think you can still get them for about 2 bucks.
lanyard your rods. Some boot lace works great.
A guy on Etsy is selling what they call “ice hole liner”. my wife got one for my young son for xmas. no lost rods since.
my favorite are the people who have lost a hand gun down their hole. 
have not heard that one!!! dat would suk!!!
there are several of them on this website. 
You can get hole sleeves with lids to keep items from going down. Svens sleeves has both wheelhouse and direct on ice models. It’s what I use when I take the nieces and nephews out ice fishing.
my favorite are the people who have lost a hand gun down their hole.
Not the same as shooting fish in a barrel? 
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