Lure retrieval

Hey guys and gals,

I had the misfortune of loosing a Mattlock this past weekend. Any recommendations on lure retrievers?

Thanks

Sorry for your loss!…No help here, but curious what is so amazing about the Mattlocks that they cost $100/ea? Genuinely interested – not looking to start something.

I have something similar to the one pictured, available on eBay. I’ve saved thousands of dollars in bass, walleye, and musky lures with that thing. I’ve had two of the extending handle Frabill retrievers and don’t recommend them. They are not as effective (can’t pull a bait off that requires a great deal of force to extricate) and are a pain to stow, but I still keep one in the boat to retrieve lures that are stuck in trees or snags on shore. If you decide to buy the lure retriever pictured, attach it to heavy cord or light rope and use a small electric cord winding device from the hardware store to manage the line. An old baitcasting reel or auto retracting dog leash also works, but not as well with the heavy diameter rope you’re going to need to pull Mattlocks off of snags. Hope this helps. Good luck!!

Attachments:

1. 

   23712C39-CF0E-4D3B-BA04-F45F111FC7A4.jpeg
   

100 bucks? I think I’d be going swimming!

Maybe a snag hook and a camera?
https://www.tackledirect.com/tackledirect-weighted-snag-hook-10-0.html

I appreciate all of you taking the time to share your thoughts and humor. I think the method that makes the most sense to me is the retriever knocker that Brian mentioned. I think I’m going to try to attach the head to a retractable dog leash. Gino mentioned the swim method. That thought also crossed my mind but it would have been more to hide my tears! Jake, the Mattlocks and Headlocks walk, or wonder erratically from side to side as they are trolled. The Mattlocks generally start to walk at slower speed then the Headlocks. This walking action is often what causes the baits to get big. There are other baits that walk like the supernatural baits for less money but I’m a fan of wooden baits. They all run a little differently which I also think is pretty cool. I’m new to musky fishing so anyone please correct me if I’m wrong.

An auto-retractable dog leash as a cord management tool is great in concept – I have/use one for my bass/walleye lures – but they have limitations you need to know about for musky sized lures.

First, you’ll need to get one that is corded and designed for a ‘large dog’ to insure the cord is as heavy as you’ll need. Then look for an extra long leash as they often are only 15’ long or less. The longest I have found is 26’. That sounds like a lot, but with wind/waves you’ll have trouble staying directly over the lure – which is usually required for extraction. That means if your bait is stuck 18’ down and the boat drifts 8’ in any direction, then your suddenly out of cord.

You’ll also get the retriever stuck on or in whatever the lure is stuck on occasionally. While I’ve not lost mine yet, I’ve had to pull so hard to recover the stuck retriever that I was certain the cord would break. I feel a thin rope or heavier cord would be stronger and more apt to be recovered, along with the lure…which will at times require you to bend out large hooks to recover. Thats a lot of force for which a dog leash was never designed.

So, while the concept is good, I have often needed or wanted a longer and stronger cord – and that is with bass sized lures. You’ll likely find you want these things even more with musky sized baits and hooks.

I may not be an expert at catching fish but I am an expert at retrieving deeply snagged lures! lol There is a little art to it and sometimes a little brute force, but it’ll work to retrieve 95% of all lures provided you are patient and don’t give up too soon.

x2 what Brian said

we use a weighted/chain/knocker such as the one pictured. if you can track down Jerry Borst, his are the best around.

when trolling LotW in the fall, it probably gets used 3 times every day – and it’s the only reason we’re willing to risk Headlocks, Bluewaters, and Kirbys in the rocks. it has paid for itself 100 times over.

we use 1/8″ nylon braided rope that we wind on a standard buoy marker, that way if you drop it overboard it’s not lost.

Thanks again guys for sharing lure retrieval wisdom with me. Nothing about musky fishing is cheep! I think if my wife knew I lost, or evened owned a $100 lure, that be the end of my short musky fishing career.

we use 1/8″ nylon braided rope that we wind on a standard buoy marker, that way if you drop it overboard it’s not lost.

[/quote The marker bouy is great idea. GTK

A friend of mine made one like in the retriever knocker pictures above. I have it attached to 50’ of 1/4” nylon braid. It has saved my lures countless times and I’ve only had two that I couldn’t retrieve. One was hung up in a fish attractor on Cave Run and the other in a deep fall down on my local lake. It has saved me 100’s of dollars in lures over the last 3-4 years.

The retriever actually got hung up in the fish attractor as well but I tied it off to a boat cleat and used the outboard to pull it loose. Moved the fish attractor about 20’ before it came off.

There’s all sort of DIY swimbait retriever plans out there from the California swimbait crowd. Some of their largemouth bass swimbaits make Headlocks look cheap!

Many are very similar to the one Brian Fitzpatrick posted. I’d probably just get that one, or have someone at the local metal shop make it for $5-10.

Thanks gentlemen.