[d-el]

As a novice bass angler, I have already lost my fair share of lures this season. (Including that really nice crankbait that was way too expensive, but looked so sweet, so I bought it anyway and lost it in 2 minutes of fishing). I imagine my experience is not uncommon.

Does anybody have experience with the various lure retrievers out there? There seems to be two styles.

1. Slide down the line, hook lure with chain
2. Pole

Do these things actually work? If so, any particular ones that you can recommend? If you know of a reliable one, please let me know because I am definitely in the minus column on lures lost this year!

 

[Jeffonc]

I've used the slide down the line style - a really heavy one without tentacles. Works more than half the time, but not quite all the time. Lost one of those once though too - I couldn't knock the bait free so I ran it down upside down to try and snag the hooks with the twine. Snagged them alright, then broke the twine when I tried to pull it free...

I've seen a lot of recommendations for "pocket rocks" as being effective at freeing crankbaits. These are made by attaching a heavy bell sinker (1.5-to-2 oz) to the small end of a big bass clip (or even a paper clip). Hook the big end of the clip to the line, let it slide down and bump around on the bait. Sometimes have to jiggle it and it will often shake the bait free (depending on how hard you set the hook against whatever you're stuck on). The best thing about these is that they cost next to nothing.

 

[Crummy]

"Plug knocker" is a must when jiggin' deep for walleye's. It has saved me alot of money.

 

[Nantahala Fly Fishing]

If someone would invent one of these to get flies out of trees, I'll take one!
My clients have decorated every tree, near every stream in the Smokies with one of my flies. I keep telling them that squirrel season is closed!

 

[d-el]

Just by looking at the devices, I bet the pole style works better, but it would be a pain to have to store that in my little canoe.

This one looks interesting though, collapses to 3.5 feet......

Go-Get-It Fishing Lure Retriever : Main

Anybody played with that one?

 

[sinker man]

Buy a 3 section cane pole and use the bottom two sections and some heavy galvanized wire to make you 1 if you like to fish shallows. You will have to drill and pin the joint to keep it from pulling apart in use. For deep water make you one up with a couple wires run thru a 4oz egg sinker. One wire gets bent up on each end and wrapped 21/2 times around a nail and broken off . These wraps are wrapped open like a compression type spring (ie. valve spring). The other wire is wrapped back around in a circle Thru a large bead and back thru the weight to come out parallel to the other end of the wire. Grab both wires in the center with pliers and double back toward the egg sinker. Now grab the 4 strands where they enter the egg sinker with your pliers and use a nail to twist an eye to hook your retrieving line to. Make sure the twist are tight here. I'll try to make up one of each and post pics soon if anybody is bored. lol

 

[Coach D]

I think I followed you sinker, but do you have a pic you could post?

 

[backlash]

If someone would invent one of these to get flies out of trees, I'll take one!
My clients have decorated every tree, near every stream in the Smokies with one of my flies. I keep telling them that squirrel season is closed!

Having decorated a few trees myself. I'm with you on a fly retreiver.

 

[sinker man]

Coach D haven't forgotten it's on the to do list for today. I was thinking about it a few min, ago and decided to check and see if there was any interest and lo and behold it popped near the top. I've been busy working the last 3 days. The heat has been tough but today I got the day off and cool weather. Fishing tommorow so today I'll fight with the camera and try to get some pics of making a few plug knockers of various designs.

 

[Coach D]

Thanks man.

 

[sinker man]

Here are some pics of a couple. The egg is the simplest good one I could make but the torpedo could save the day and all the componets can be cheaply purchased or scrounged.

 

[Jeffonc]

You're the man sinker man - get those babies on the e-store! If you could get dampeoples to put a pretty airbrush job on them you guys could make a killing. I'll take one in white, with a scarlet block-O and a little green buckeye twig.

For that matter, dunk 'em in red, paint a white #8 on the side and we could unload a trailer full at Richmond this weekend!

(sometimes I wonder why I'm not a millionaire... but then I read some of my own material and it all makes sense again)

 

[fojoloy]

Al---You are our hero! Now if you can convert and train a few tackle monkeys to climb trees for us--you'll be on your way to the second million.

 

[sinker man]

Actually I use a male squirrel monkey to fetch lures and flies that other folks lose on the trout streams. He learned by watching .

 

[Coach D]

Thanks for the pics sinker. May try to make one during the week.

 

[backlash]

If someone would invent one of these to get flies out of trees, I'll take one!
My clients have decorated every tree, near every stream in the Smokies with one of my flies. I keep telling them that squirrel season is closed!

Here ya go !!!. I was in the Cabela's in Phoenix last week and lo and behold what did I find? A Fly Retreiver for Nantahala Fly Fishing.

This little treasure was offered in Cabela's first catalog in 1961. The catalog was a whopping two pages thick.

 

[Hogg Tyed]

I want one of those fly retrievers

 

[zooker]

i use a stump knocker a extending handle with a steel pig tail on the end.. removed lots of lures from trees and power lines with it..

zooker

 

[lefty]

power lines?!? careful there!

 

[d-el]

Thought I would give this thread a bump....

My Father got me a retriever from Cabelas for my birthday:
Cabela's Lure Retrievers

I am pleased to report that I can knock $4.69 off the Total Cost of Ownership of it, as it successfully retrieved a Jitterbug out of a tree last night. (The lure was lodged up in that tree last week, thought I would give the retriever a try....

It was actually my buddy's lure, it was a joyous moment as the lure was returned to his tackle box.

So far, I am impressed with the device, although it sure is a pain to bring out in my small canoe. Fully collapsed it is still 5.5 feet in length. (And the GF has deemed it quite the eye-sore leaned up in the corner of the room)