Rockport Miracle - 20 Jan 2020

[Piscophilic]

Fantastic ending, thanks for sharing!
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[JArner]

That was a great read. Thanks for sharing.
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[Jig-fisher]

I've had those sick feelings before as a pole has been lost. Ive never been able to get them back though. Congrats on the fish and getting the pole back!
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[gofish435]

Thanks for the report and great story.

What started out as a bad day turned into one that your family won't soon forget.[]
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[Hazzy_Hazbourne]

Congrats on getting your pole back! This miracle happens to a few fisherfolk on occasion. One of my daughters has lost the same pole through the ice twice and caught it back.... twice! My dad lost one to a fish from shore and was able to catch it back. Sometimes the fish gods upon you.

Thanks for sharing your fun story! Definitely a memorable occasion for all involved and your kids will talk about it for years to come.



Here's the thread to my daughter's story:
http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gfo...le;#917560
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[Jaws42]

I didn't see any ICE SPIKES on you or your kids, mabey you forgot,not sure but its a MUST that everyone on the ice wears the spikes if some one breaks thru great story I have seen that happen its cool
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[backyardboyt.v.]

Thanks Bertum13, that was a fun time, I am glad you came over when you did so we could the that pole back to you. Here is the video of the miracle if you want to see it. Starts at 2:48
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3fTrcH...subscriber
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[SkinnyLynnie]

A similar thing happened to me at Scofield some years back. A fish pulled my pole through the hole in the ice, but a while later, we pulled in a line that had the other pole's line hooked on it. Some careful pulling, and we retrieved the "lost" pole.
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[JeepNut]

One trip up to Current Creek I drilled some holes where another group had fished the day before and when I ran my camera down I saw a pole and reel. So I sent down a castmaster and after a few tries I snagged the bail on the reel . It ended up being a brand new pole and reel that some fish must have stolen the day before.
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[RockyRaab]

I bet I've said this 50 times...tethers. A four-foot piece of cord will keep you from ever losing a rod again - bank, boat, or ice.
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[Cowboypirate]

Hey Rocky, my bride uses the 4ft tether technique on me. Its kept me around for 30 odd years. So your rule has many applications.

Now back to figuring out how the heck she tied this knot
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[RockyRaab]

I hear ya, brother. When women say "Tie the knot" they are not kidding! (Our 50th is this summer.)
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[MWScott72]

Great story - glad you got your pole back! I have never been so lucky, unfortunately.
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[joatmon]

I meant to respond earlier, but wanted to attach some photos of my “tackle tether”. I started making these last year when catchinon and I went to Flaming Gorge on an overnight icefishing trip. They also came in handy while catfishing last summer.

Simply a pair of small carabiners and about 6’ of paracord makes a nice tether. You can attach the cord to the carabiners using a double half hitch or a bowline knot. The tether can be attached to the bail on your bucket or an eye hook on your sled. It can also be looped around a tree or auger and hooked back to the cord. I simply attach the other carabiner around the pole just beyond the reel.

See attached pictures of a tether deployed on a recent icefishing trip. I do make these and give them away to people I fish with. I owe obifishkenobi one from our Echo Reservoir trip!

Feel free to copy or improve my design. I spend 96 cents for a pair of small carabiners and under 4 dollars for a 50-foot length of orange paracord (both available at Wal-Mart), which will make 8 tethers.

I’m glad to share with you if you see me on the lake. Remember to secure your stuff!
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