Losing your expensive swimbaits! What do you think...

[radicalrat]

How many expensive/valuable baits have you lost? how did it make you feel? and most importantly, what preventative measures do you take in losing/throwing your expensive baits?

 

I seem to find myself weary of throwing my pricier baits even in places I know they will catch fish. I have great worry of getting them lost in the depths of the aquatic bass lands for all of eternity & reserve extensive use of certain ones. Being a college student just makes it super tough for me to re-up on a 200 dollar swim baits. Just wanted to hear some of your guys' ideas/stories /recommendations on this topic.

[evans_usmc69]

Only lost a few 8" hudds, hudd 68 and a 7" TT that was custom painted so far....knock on wood It's just part of the game, if you don't throw them where they are going to get bit, why even own them? That's to a certain extent as well, I'm not gonna let a $200+ bait sink where I fish because there's so many trees in the water it's almost a sure snag with trebles. But if I find a nice semi shallow flat(10-15') that I've fished before, I'll prolly let it sink a little further down. As long as you retie often and don't have a ton of bad luck at once, then you should be ok.

 

So here's my advice:

 

1.Retie often! After every tree I hit with a sinking bait, I retie if there was tree on line contact. Line is a lot cheaper(the kind I use anyway) and easier to get than baits.

2.Invest in a good plug knocker. Haven't had to use my 44 mag, but I have it in case I need it.

3.Don't be an idiot. If you're fishing from shore, don't try to make that hero or zero cast unless you are man enough to swim out there and get the bait when it hangs up.

4.My general rule is hard baits closer to the top, soft baits closer to the bottom. Soft baits are usually a lot cheaper to replace.

5.With all that being said, trust your skill. If you know you can put a bait into a tight spot 90 times out of a 100 and your desperate for a bite, go for it

[TheGoodCat]

I've swam out more than a few times retrieving my wake jr after getting it hung up on fallen trees along with a few swims for cast offs. Since I've been messing with braided line I've been re-tieing every 20-30 casts(just an estimate). That being said I also leave a little more tag end on my palamor knot than I usually prefer, just in case...

 

If I get hung up on a huddleston I'm usually not to hurt when the time comes to break myself off on the snag. Overall I don't get too upset losing a swimbait. The worst that has ever happend to me is I sent a mattlures hardgill flying off into the darkness one night after a cast off from braided line. Since then I'll never use anything less than 65#for swimbait applications, lesson learned.

[unbreakable_bassin]

Lost a 250 flash trout because of braid, learned my lesson.

 

Getting on a tube or a boat takes a TON of risk out of losing baits.

Now just worried about breaking em. Haha! Broke my possum yesterday and I've broken a nez large rat in the past (just the bill, which I hand cut and replaced later on.)

 

Gotta get those rats right up on the rocks to get em...I order another bait and learn from my mistakes. It's all a learning process. At a certain point all of us are going to loose some baits along the way. If it means a giant in my future that's all that matters to me.

[chefjayson]

Retie Retie Retie change your line often! Check your gear before you go out. Always make sure your not wrapped up on your tip before you cast.

[Maxwell S.]

My good friend lost a brand new LDC and a Shimano 300 DSV to a huge wave.... He now has rod straps.

[Top Ramen]

I cast off the first three 8" Hudds I bought and have lost several spendy 3:16 hard baits. I now carry a mask and fins with me in the boat and I don't hesitate to go get lures.

[radicalrat]

Haha! Such awesome replies already, definitely shining some much needed knowledge on me! Much appreciated baitdudes.

[CombatWombat]

So far I've lost a BA Armageddon and a modified freestyle trout. I felt nothing.

 

 

 

Haha. Just kidding. I felt sick to my stomach.

[chefjayson]

So far I've lost a BA Armageddon and a modified freestyle trout. I felt nothing.

 

 

 

Haha. Just kidding. I felt sick to my stomach.

LOL took me a second till I read down the post!

[radicalrat]

^^^ Same.

[SWIMBO]

I have made plenty of cast where I said" if I get bit how n the hell will I get that fish out" I'm wreckless though even with pricey baits..there made to be fished I've bounced freestyles and wakes off rocks,docks,boats beavers I just say o well if I break it or lose it it's all in the game

[vikingbear8]

My fishing buddy and I have collectively lost an absurd amount of pretty high end stuff. So we have a only floater policy for the pricey stuff. Im pretty sure a scuba trip is in order though once the water clears up to get a freestyle, 10" TT, and maybe a glidiator

[Top Ramen]

I also have lure retriever I made out of one of those sturdy telescoping aluminum poles that people use to change really high light bulbs or paint ceilings. I think it goes out to 18 ft. I figure it will reach 95% of my hard bait snags.

[R8R]

Lost a few hudds and recently a negotiator that got stuck on the fishes face and before the bait went into the abyss the fish jump 3 ft in front of me with in reach of my net. Oh well at least I caught some fish on it before I lost it.