Lost a nice penn spinning setup two years ago. Was catching blues, cast it out and laid it on the deck for just a second. Before I could turn back around a big blue yanked it off the deck. At the speed it left the boat that thing was halfway across the lake before I could get rigged to snag it with another rod. We live and learn.

I've been lucky in the lost and found department, only lost two in 50 years of fishing fresh and salt that I didn't get back. On the other hand have pulled up lots of rods and reels lost by others. Funniest one I ever found was in Tampa Bay. Was prefishing a kayak tournament and paddling along the mangrove shoreline at low tide and found a spinning outfit that was lodged perfectly horizontal just below the surface with the line stretched tight, zig zagging through the roots. Figured someone had a rod jerked out of their hands by a big snook that made its way back into the mangroves at higher tide. Had a picture of it at one time but can't find it. Best I ever found was a GLoomis Greenwater spinning rod found in middle of boat ramp without the reel, again prefishing a tournament in Tampa Bay area. Tournament was cancelled due to approaching hurricane but I decided to fish anyway as I was already there. When the strong winds hit it was a mad dash by boaters to get off the water. I was the only car in the parking lot when I paddled back to ramp. The second to last guy off the water must have lost it as it was in plain sight. Tried to locate owner on fishing websites for that area but no luck.


I've put that rod to good use over the years.

Had just given one of my dad's (after he passed) rods to my pastor and watched it get jerked right out of the boat on Palestine.

Might have been the same rod I fished off of a brushpile on HAWL #2 and when I told my dad he wanted it back.

I lost one in Highsaw one day and the other guy thought I was an idiot when I opened the bail on a rod with a cork and tossed it over. He thought I was a genius after both were recovered.

I know how the loss hurts.
Just start offshore fishing and come back to inshore. We used to go through about 1000 a day in fuel, tackle and bait.
That was if nothing broke. Now i buy 20 dollar zebco combos and when the line get kinked or nicked i just buy a new one.