Fishing Forum

My Hardy Zenith rod finally arrived, and I was so anxious to try it out that I quickly grabbed my float tube and headed up to Little Dell. In my enthusiasm, I neglected to attach my rod leash and started getting into fish right away.

On about the 3rd hook-up, I was leaning over to release the trout and didn’t notice that my elbow had knocked the rod into the water. I removed the hook about the same time the sinking rod ran out of slack pulling the fly to the side where it caught in a nylon strap.

There I was with an expensive rod and reel down in 20’ of water with just sheer luck and a 6x tippet keeping me from disaster. I ever so carefully started pulling on the tippet hoping that I had set the drag enough that line would not just spool off the reel. Once I reached the furled leader, I knew I was home free and breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Lesson learned (at least for me): don’t fish with a float tube without using something to tether the rod because fly rods don’t float! [pirate]
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I lost a rod after hooking a big bow last year. I trip on a rock and keeping my balance let go of the rod. It went down some rapids and then the fish clearly came off. I almost caught up with it but before I could grab it went on downstream out of sight. I spent 20 minutes searching the area for it knowing it hadn't gone below a certain spot where it would have been shallow enough to see. I was standing there in despair in the middle of the stream and the rod appeared slowly raising up to almost a 90 degree angle a foot from me. Oddest thing I've ever seen on a stream. Didn't have to move just reach over and grabbed it. The hook was caught in some thick moss and had slowly come free and the butt end must have been against a rock. This allowed it to stand straight up as the tension gradually was reduced on the downstream rod. I thanked the Fishing Gods and promised not to keep any of the 20+ inch bows again for showing mercy on me. I had kept one the trip before and it was quite tasty. Those bows were stocked in 2005 and while there are few left they're all good size now.
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Wheeew glad to hear you got your rod back. While Ive never lost a fly rod Ive lost a few spinning rods overboard and man it sucks knowing your rod is right down in the water some were and nothing you can do to get it back. [frown][frown][frown]
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For a minute there my heart sank too! I have done the same thing and was lucky enough to grab it before it sank out of sight. So easy to do, and so hard to take if you lose it!

Riverdog, amazing! What are the chances??? You are one lucky man!
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OMG! My heart would have been pounding. While out at Utah Lake a couple weeks ago with TD, I dropped my Helios, it when down fast about a foot, I kicked my fin and it literally flew out of the water withing hands reach. I grabbed it but my heart was a goin'.

I did loose an expensive reel, trying to change out in the middle of a lake[mad] And a few years ago, I lost an expensive rod, reel and line. Layed it next to me while I released a fish on my Cardiac Canyon. dropped the fly in the water while I revived the trout and the rod took off....missed grabbing it by inches. I know a fish was on the line and these are good sized trout. I tried dredging the area with a huge fly. Never found the line, but realized, these trout loved that fly[:/]

The Assault will be a bad influence cause you can lay the rod down.
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Wow,Lucky you!
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