Practical ways to retrieve a rod from lake bottom??

[Senkopath]

Was out on the tube and my LDC/Tranx combo with a 250 tied on went overboard unnoticed however I do know the exact location. Just about 15 feet down. Can't let this one slide. Before I grab my goggles and dive down there, are there any practical ways to retrieve it? I was thinking one of those big fishing magnets. Idk but kinda feeling desperate here lol. Any good divers out by Perris Ca wanna make a quick couple hundred bucks? Lol 

[WaterWolf44]

drag the bottom with a heavy lead bucktail maybe with a treble. some fisherman retrieved my rod from the drink using this method

[captainhookset]

Mike Long that bissh 

[Dink whisperer]

Just dive I say. 15ft isn't that much. 

[SwingAway]

Drag a lure retriever with chains to snag the deps and pull it all up from that?

[AsaProch]

Drag the bottom with a heavy lead weight system or buy a big cast net and extend the throw line. I’ve gotten sunglasses that were on the bottom in deep water In that way.

[FishDr]

I think I'd either drag a weighted treble back and forth or maybe try the magnet (but first check to see if a Tranx is magnetic).  Failing that, grab the mask, fins, and maybe a light wetsuit and dive. If you do dive, take a friend who stays above the water but who is keeping an eye on you.

Edited April 18, 2023 by FishDr

[Tpreston]

Feel like the magnet or the cast net is the best bet. It’s all worth a shot before diving. gettin wet is the last resort for me. Idk how practical or easy it’d be to dive 15ft and look for the rod then hope it’s not snagged in somethin. we’re also assuming that it hasn’t drifted at all and you know the absolute exact location of it. Plus where I’m at the snakes are back out in the water. That time of year again 

[chevro1et]

I think @Jim137a knows a kid that does retrievals for about 20 bucks. 

Seriously tho, hope you get it back dude. 

[bigpoppabass]

I hired a diver to get a small outboard back. Runs like champ to this day. If possible find rig with underwater camera. I have lost several rigs below me in less than 10 feet of water and never found them. They get lost on the grass bottom. 

[SVT THUNDER]

I’ve been in this situation. I managed to somehow kick my 867 in the lake with a glide still hooked onto the reel. Hadn’t even fished it yet. Water was 11-12’ deep. It was around this time of the year. Maybe earlier because I dreaded swimming in the cold water. Anyway, I had my other rods with me and my 908 was the longest. I knew the exact spot that my rod went in. But I also saw the tip upright drifting around before going out of sight since the weight was all on the reel. So I had zero clue of the rods orientation. Took a Fast Sink Magnum Hardgill and tied it on the 908. Gave it about 4’ of line and just pointed the 908 down with the Gill and drug slowly until I could feel it hitting the rod. I then started dragging that area in X patterns until I could feel the weight of the rod and carefully pulled up. One hook had simply slid up the rod and caught under a line guide but wasn’t hooked. I was gentle dragging it to me but I got it back. Honestly don’t know how long it took. But it was long enough that I was psyching myself up to jump in that sub 50* water. Which I’ve done before but almost lost an eye diving in instinctively. Murky water and my swimbait was in a brush pile that had been sunk along with rebar in concrete and I took a hit right above my eye. Good luck on the retrieval. 

[riverrat_84]

You could use a long telescoping pole like a painters pole or a light bulb changer with snagging lines/magnets on the end. You could even get fancy if you have a GoPro or similar attached to the end for a visual aid. I’d imagine it would be easier on a boat though instead of a tube.

Edited April 19, 2023 by riverrat_84

[Senkopath]

UPDATE: thanks for everyone who gave advice and input! Appropriate all of you. Fortunately my buddy just sent me this picture text. He located my rod while I was here at work. Snagged it with a spoon lol. I was planning to try some of the things suggested and dive for it tomorrow if all else failed. No need now!