# What lengths to retrieve a lure?



## Yakkamat (Nov 13, 2012)

Gday all. I was having an unsuccesful fish from the riverbank yesterday when i noticed someone had snagged and left a lovely "bat" bass lure in a nearby tree. So being the creative type i decided to retrieve said lure to replace some of my lost lures from the past. Call it karma in some twisted sense. Now the branch was over an embankment about 12ft out of reach over the water. After several failed attempts including me losing my footing and sliding down 90deg embankment into thorns and water, i drove 5mins home and returned with a long tree lopping pole and proudly retrieved the lure, value app $18. Hurt my already injured back in the process but dammit i got my prize so pain is a small price to pay.
So what lenghts have you guys'n gals gone too in order to retrieve your fav (or someone elses) lost lure. I'm sure i'm not the only one to "get it no matter what". ;-)


----------



## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

I'm probably on the opposite end of the spectrum. If I can't reach it easily but know I've got something at home, like a pole, I'll tie it off to something so I can find it when I come back next time. (usually private property so not likely to get flogged)

If it's underwater, and I can't reach it with my arm or gaff, I pull until something gives (being aware that it could come flying up at me). If nothing gives and I can't break the line I just cut it off and leave it there. Not prepared to risk a stick in the eye or being attached to a submerged lure by diving down to it. I know plenty will get wet to retrieve a lure, I won't.


----------



## Guest (May 29, 2013)

I dived for one of mine that was stuck on Cunjee once. Normal human buoyancy and some wave action lifted me and pinned a finger on a treble, leaving me unable to reach the surface. Fortunately, despite one hand being pinned and the other holding the pliers on the offending treble, I found a way to get low enough to get a downward pull to retrieve the lure, so didn't have to rip the hook from my finger.

I always intend to buy a retriever. In the above circumstance none of the following would have worked from shore:


----------



## punchanello (Oct 6, 2011)

Depends on the lure. I'll let an expensive lure go, but I'll go back for a cheapy that catches fish.


----------



## Bretto (May 23, 2010)

I've seen reports on other forums of guys bass fishing from the bank in snaggy country going for swims in order to retrieve $15 lures. I usually laugh when I read their reports because they've always got a mate with a camera that captures the effort.

Normally if I can't jiggle the line to free a lure I consider it lost. I don't lose that many so I don't consider it a big deal. I have made one attempt where I got wet though. A very slow day at Coochin Creek - Very silty sand/mud. I ended up stuck almost to my hips. Got the lure back though.


----------



## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

----

QlpoOTFBWSZTWY3Xj9IAAEZfgAAQQAeAQCgikIA/79+gMAF1lraDU9TUwNKeTSZMQGQGp5Emmpk08p6j1DQaAMSZInpppHpqRppiD0eBJqnI42dat6ctgCSm6BtdrzhLazDzsHnJsnnKCyET+LjbhrgXn3OaVq2IrW6jo8OdO8kjamGPD1W1dloFHKGVFIJPndp3EUW5wQnYnLGx9c7yn3RP5bNcCTjsoYIMB9IF/Xf+xWWjFJJPkTwKEV7AlohseqZZIdfI3SXLVSyFx70q0hw6F+17+tlIQAe8xzIM3Cxdr6EpIIgBfWVcbLgKXKlCNme0l0yAxog3lFkaYN1z0zCsawwHF4DmCzjEYVYUVogzcFB3Abhr3FjQ66nnk44gPuU/XdsGwtRdBG5KEaVSSCwBe7BVo8ZcM0wwyZrlURz0hmRGCHZANZCSOI1q08iDQNVpHYTWgVIlmJlpsWM8KfsXckU4UJCN14/S


----------



## Junglefisher (Jun 2, 2008)

I've climbed trees and swum rivers to get lures back. 
I've even gone swimming in possible bull shark and croc country.
Murd and I cut a snag off with a handsaw once to get my lure back.
I've lifted logs out of the water.
I often use the paddle to try and get them back from underwater.
I never give up unless I have to.


----------



## Dave73 (Dec 3, 2006)

Few years back I was popping the shallow turquoise lagoon in New Caledonia and got a nice strike by one of those big coral trout which promptly buried itself in the bommie. Still connected to the fish, but no chance of getting it out, the deckie donned a face mask and went down for a look.

He followed the line down and poked his head in the hole, small cave and out came a bloody big moray eel, about as thick as his thigh!
He was laughing when he surfaced...

So we told him no fish was worth fighting a big moray for, but he simply grabbed the gaff, went back down and resurfaced 3 minutes later with lure, trout and all his fingers and toes.

Fun times..

Cheers Dave


----------



## vladimir (Jan 2, 2013)

thats why soft plastics were invnted for all those reasons .


----------



## ohagas (Dec 4, 2006)

That's strange. A couple of weeks back I was bass fishing a riverbank up near Kempsey when I lost a lovely "bat" type lure in a nearby tree. The branch was over an embankment about 12ft out of reach over the water. After falling on my arse in the cold water trying to get it back, I gave up. It cost me $18. I'd really love to get it back.


----------



## RekFix (Dec 30, 2011)

I've done the same with the tree lopping pole. A wayward cast ended 4m from the water in a tree. The area is only accessible by water. So I wasn't worried, I'll come back and get it
The following week went out and got it... Think I turned a few heads at the ramp with a big yellow pole with a saw on the end.

It requires some serious balance to saw a branch with a 15ft pole whilst standing and trying not to leave the comfort of the pro angler. Must admit I felt like a bit off a tool. If I'd lost it to a snag I wouldn't of cared as much... Out of sight out of mind I guess.


----------



## Yakkamat (Nov 13, 2012)

ohagas said:


> That's strange. A couple of weeks back I was bass fishing a riverbank up near Kempsey when I lost a lovely "bat" type lure in a nearby tree. The branch was over an embankment about 12ft out of reach over the water. After falling on my arse in the cold water trying to get it back, I gave up. It cost me $18. I'd really love to get it back.


If that was your lure you should be ashamed, it was tied onto crappy 4lb mono with a granny knot and cast in a rediculous location:lol: . I think the law of nature is getting me back, as i went fishing under a bridge yesterday. 2nd cast and my popper "clipped" a pylon and unclipped the snap-swivel. Popper floating down the center of river. That's a new one to me :shock: . Worse part was a bloke saw it happen too. Hmm,if anybody finds a new 60mm red and white popper floating in Port macq could you please catch some fish with it for me ;-)


----------



## mackayaker (Aug 14, 2010)

I dived in to retrieve a reidy's mighty mite of my mates in about 3m of water. On resurfacing with the lure in hand he took one look at me and asked what's that in your shirt pocket? It was my recently purchased brand new mobile phone.... He gave me the lure for my collection .... The $500 mighty mite.

Cheers Scotty


----------



## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

Fishing off the rocks for squid and my daughter got snagged, I asked her to hold my rod whilst I tried to free her jig, unfortunately it snapped so I said I would have one more cast and we would leave, she looked at me and said "I just cast yours and it is snagged now too", I was a bit pissed off so after a quick rant I stripped to my undies and dived in, followed the line and released the jig.
i felt better then.


----------



## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

keza said:


> Fishing off the rocks for squid and my daughter got snagged, I asked her to hold my rod whilst I tried to free her jig, unfortunately it snapped so I said I would have one more cast and we would leave, she looked at me and said "I just cast yours and it is snagged now too", I was a bit pissed off so after a quick rant I stripped to my undies and dived in, followed the line and released the jig.
> i felt better then.


Not sure we want to see photos of that Kerry  !


----------



## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

kayakone said:


> keza said:
> 
> 
> > Fishing off the rocks for squid and my daughter got snagged, I asked her to hold my rod whilst I tried to free her jig, unfortunately it snapped so I said I would have one more cast and we would leave, she looked at me and said "I just cast yours and it is snagged now too", I was a bit pissed off so after a quick rant I stripped to my undies and dived in, followed the line and released the jig.
> ...


Struggling to control yourself again Trev, worried a pick might be more than you can handle ?


----------



## bildad (Jun 20, 2011)

In Lake Hume in the Bowna arm there is a huge grass bank you can be 200m from the bank and it is still less than 10 ft deep.
There used to be (don't know if its still there) a fence that stretched way out into the water and it only had a single strand of wire not barbed. and many many people have snagged lures on this thing, including myself.
Well this particular day I wasn't going to lose my favourite HotLips Express so I backed the boat right on top of the fence line and no manner of tackle back work could get this thing off, so over the side I went.
Dove down felt the wire and swam running my hand along the wire to my surprise I felt quite a few things on the wire, came up for a gulp of air and went back down again, my mate was keeping the line tight so I new when I had my lure, when unhooking my lure I surfaced only to find I had a couple of extras in my hand as well, bonus.
Went back next day with goggles and snorkel and cleaned up must have pulled in 20 or more lures.
Every year at different times used to go back and snorkel the fence usually scored 1 or 2 lures but nothing like the jackpot first time.


----------



## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

I usually find more than I lose and have a drawer full of of them to prove it.


----------



## soloyakka85 (Sep 19, 2012)

oberon dam june long weekend snagged baltic minnow about 10 feet out and 4 feet down...can anyone say FREEZING EFFING COLD. But I got it back and then got a 4lb rainbow half an hour later. :lol:


----------

