Long story short - I left two rods and reels somewhere on the bottom of Conroe today. Very frustrated at myself but there�s truly nothing I could do about it now. I would say I could get better setups but while they weren�t the most expensive ones available they were still probably $400 combined and I was very happy with them. And I�m too cheap to spend more than that for two rods and two reels anyway. I�ll replace them one at a time over the next few months but it�ll take away from what I was planning on spending for a new depth finder.

Just angry at myself.

If you fish, it will happen.

Sorry for your loss. I know the feeling.

I don't understand,..how ?? and you could do nothing,..??

In 40+ years of fishing from a boat, I've had exactly one rod go in the water - I kicked it overboard myself when I stumbled. It went into about 12' of water. I recovered it within ten minutes, maybe even five.

Keep in mind that many rods will orient vertically when dropped in water where they don't tangle with obstructions. They act somewhat like a quill float. Any buoyancy in an attached bait typically helps insure this, but the weight is concentrated near the butt, and there's some void space inside most blanks. You end up with a vertical target that has a chance of getting snagged by an appropriate bait that comes in contact with the rig. I've known of several that were recovered this way. This is more likely if you have a reference point (such as a tossed marker) or can deploy shallow water anchors immediately.

Thats incredible, Incredible.

That it was, and it was my newest combo at the time! I should have bought a lotto ticket that day when I got off the water, lol.

Nothing in the story about how it actually happened. Rods are lost all the time.

Thus adds to the treasure trove of the lake...it is amazing what you can find on some lakes even if the water level is down 5-10ft...the amount of lures, fishing equipment and personal belongings are endless.

I have cast out before and had the rod snap off and everything go flying.
Except the handle,which is all thats left that I am holding in my hand.
These things happen

I had this happen once.....and I actually recovered it.

I have lost two rods and was able to recover both of them...lucky I guess.

I have 3 in Lake Palestine in 30 years of fishing , all due to Hybrids, only
one was my fault , other two to guests in the boat.

$#it happens

MO

Ok I was hoping to spare you the long story but some would like to hear. So here�s part of a note I sent a buddy who also fishes Conroe...

� I was fishing the north end early and the longer I was out the stronger the wind got. I decided to give the south end a look and if nothing else do a bit of exploring. It was choppy but not overly rough so I was cruising along at a pretty good clip until I got to the 1097 bridge where I slowed to headway speed to go under the bridge. Once past the bridge I�d just got back on plane when I heard the distinct rattling of a rattle trap which drew my attention to the port side front deck where I had three rods on the deck. Notice I said HAD! Somehow, the three rods that were previously safely secured by the rod keeper were now ONE which was halfway back down the deck. Two were missing. Off to Davy Jones locker! I was a little more than aggravated and probably invented a few new cuss words as I went through my entire vocabulary of cuss words which, according to my wife is quite extensive. Probably somewhere between $3-400 went to the bottom of the lake and when or where they fell off only the fish know. I�d been hauling A since Cagle and honestly never noticed when they were gone as I was watching the water intently since it was borderline how much I could push it in my little boat. So, if you happen to snag an Abu Garcia Veritas 7 foot rod with a Johnny Morris reel (worm still on the hook too) or a 6.5 foot Speed Stick with a Johnny Morris reel and a lizard on the hook you�ll know the poor bastard who donated them to the lake.�

I don�t know but I�m thinking I might�ve not had them completely secured in the rod keeper and it came loose and when I put it back on plane I hit a rough wave which bounced them over the side in 30�+ of water by the bridge. I just don�t see how I�d have not missed them before that. I was concentrating on the water but it�s in my peripheral vision if nothing else and running a four stroke I think I�d have heard something prior as it�s pretty quiet.

I've lost one over the side
it landed in a brush pile in 20' of water. 45 minutes later I got it back.

Hybrid at Bridgeport took one all star rod and an ambassador out of my hand once. Drug a 3 point grapple for hours trying to snag it. It�s still on a waypoint. Coattail flipped a Calcutta on an all star in 30 fow but snagged it with the grapple the next day. A buddy was tying on my favorite lure that isn�t made anymore and dropped it in 35 fow. He had just commented that it was a $35. Lure. He didn�t pay me though. It happens.

You were very lucky to get a rod back out of 30 ft. of water! .....better story than mine for sure!

A couple of times I've tried snipping the tag end of line after a lure-tie, and cut the standing end instead. Have you ever tossed a lure over the side as you get up after tying? I did, and said goodbye to those. At least they weren't expensive ones!

Back in my younger days, I lost several rods while bank fishing for catfish. I found the best way to get them back, was to take another rod, and cast out a chain-type stringer with the snaps open.

Two weeks ago I lost a 500 dollar rod and reel and a 250 dollar pair of costas, rod strap came loose in some rough water and the rod bounced out, had the sunglasses in the console cup holder and they flew out, it was rough, I was very pissed.

Wow, that's a good idea !

^^^^^^^ YUP!!!

I kicked a rod in one time while fishing Conroe. Luckily we were hybrid fishing on one of the many humps and I was able to tie on a 1oz weight with the biggest treble hook I could find. After about 10 minutes of casting and dragging I actually hooked the rod in the grip and was able to retrieve it.

Had the same thing happen on Conroe as well. Rod keeper didn't keep. Brand new Concept A on a No. 8 Blackout rod somewhere at the bottom of the lake. Didn't notice it until I got to my next spot and it wasn't there. The good Conroe giveth (not very often) and the good Conroe taketh away.

I sure feel your pain. I lost a very nice ultralight at Lake Murray in OK a few years back. Kicked it overboard from my little 12 foot pontoon boat. I watched it sink forever in that super clear water. I tied on a slab and fished for it forever but never got it.

I also remember as a kid my parents took me fishing at Bull Shoals in Arkansas. The generators were off and the fish were not biting so my mom set her nice Mitchell 300 rod down in the front of the boat, as Dad's boat had no rod holders. Something jerked it clear of the boat and it ski'd arcoss the surface for a few feet then went under never to be seen again.

Just get another one.

A friend and i were fishing Rayburn back when it first filled up, I probably had a Zebco 33 and he was using a Johnson closed face reel. We were moving and his lure fell overboard and when the line all fed out it jerked the rod overboard also. Don't remember if his lure floated or we fished up the line but he got the lure in the boat and piled all the line up in the bottom of the boat until he got the rod back. He sat down and was able to rewind all the line back on the reel. I left a rod in Cooper in its hey day when all the timber was standing, dragged out by low limbs. Lost three in Toledo Bend, was able to recover two of them. Kicked one over the edge and tossed one out while deploying the troll motor. This past April a thief took three rods and my tackle box and my son lost 9 rigs. Broke the lock on boat storage while we were waiting for rain to stop. This was near the cafe at Six mile turnoff. b

I took a couple guys fishing in my boat several years ago, and the two guys I took were not much of fishermen. Neither had anything to fish with except a closed faced zebco. We were drowning minnows by some timber in about 25 foot of water and not catching much. One of them was having trouble with his reel, so I took it from him and was working on it. I laid my pole on a casting deck. I hadn't had the reel in my hand for 5 seconds when my pole (not one of my more expensive ones) gets jerked on so hard that the reel end flew up in the air and the whole rig does a nose dive into the lake. I chalked it up to experience and got another pole and resumed fishing. About 15 minutes later, the other guy catches a small crappie. When he gets it in, there is line tangled around it. We pull the line in, and low and behold recover my pole. I reel in the remaining line after we untangle expecting some monster on the end. The culprit was still on the hook. He was a channel cat that might have measured 8 inches on a good day.

been there on many occasions. wont be the last time it happens...hazards of fishing

Have lost one also, it hurts, then off to the sporting goods store....

knew a guy that used to go diving on fork, hell he would come up with a virtual tackle store at the end of the day.

Lost one temporarily to Ray Hubbard earlier this year... Fortunately it was in less than 10 ft of water & I was able to retrieve it by dragging the bottom using another rod with a slab tied on...

A good friend of mine & I were fishing from a dock for catfish in a private lake last year & he was using two rods... He would cast out one, then lean it against the railing while casting out the second rod... Next thing you see is the first rod go flying over the railing, across the water & disappear into the lake... Never got that one back...

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.