Have You Ever Got Your Gear Stolen?

[DILLY07]

Apparently, I just got couple things stolen out of my truck. Nothing big but makes me angry when people steal things. 

 

Anyways, I had to take my truck to a private mechanic to get couple things fixed. I usually put every gear I have in my truck but I took out my Denali Rods and 2 bags of lures and culling systems and everything I have. You name it. I took everything out of my truck expect a plano box of topwater that had Strike King Sexy Dawgs, Live Target Frogs, Jackall. I didn't think of it cause the box was in the back of my bed. Had 3 panfish rods, to take a break of bass fishing for a little bit while I'm on the bass hunt. I also got my spinner baits stolen, had couple of War Eagles, Booyahs, Strike Kings. Yep all of that stuff stolen. 
 

I'm just glad I got my rods and everything that I use every day I use in the battle for bass. 

 

Thing is my private mechanic shop is in a bad part so-called ghetto in my town that consist of gangs, druggies, thieves. You name it. I wasn't thinking at all.

 

Now, it's time to make a trip to Bass Pro Shops in Des Monies, IA to restock on topwater and spinnerbaits.

 

So, this happened to me. I'm now curious that did your gear or work horses ever got stolen? 

[Fishing Cop]

Just a few days ago, my son and I have just finished fishing and went to eat at a local restaurant off the beaten path and I parked the truck and boat across the small road, hoping I could see it. When we came out, all of my son's rod and reels were gone along with my worm tackle box that I left in the open. He had his poles propped up in the boat so he could remove them when we got home. He was devastated. He said, "Daddy, my poles mean everything to me". I was heartbroken for him and still am. Now I am trying to find some replacements for him. It has been a sad couple days at my house.

[Coherence]

I've never actually had anything stolen from me, but I have found (what looks like) evidence that someone tried to cut the lock off of my trailer and take it. I have a gunlock securing my trailer and it looked like someone had tried to use bolt cutters or something to cut it off, tons of metal was dented and freshly scratched off of the wire. Replaced it immediately, but it is crazy to think someone tried to steal my trailer straight out of one of our state parks...I can't imagine what I would have done if they had succeeded - no idea what I would have had to do with my boat.

 

People getting their batteries stolen out of boats is a HUGE problem around here apparently, I store my boat in a closed garage, but I know a few guys in my bass club have had batteries taken out of their boats which were parked in their driveways or in their yards...

 

I'll never understand people who steal stuff (especially non-essential things like batteries...I could understand food if they were starving...maybe) 

[Nelson Wormefeller]

Thing that gets me is that it is likely other sportsmen stealing the stuff. Probably the same lowlives that litter shore fishing spots and ruin it for the rest of us.

[Maxximus Redneckus]

Batteries fetch 10 bucks each around here at the metal recycling place .put you have to have a drivers license to get money now .it helped some.I've had a few things stolen but I'm paranoid so nothing big

[everythingthatswims]

Had 2 or 3 junky ugly stick combos stolen from my brothers and I from the beach when we were very young (left them in the back of my dad's pickup) and ever since then I have taken VERY good care to make sure nothing can get stolen. Looking back on it, the rods were only about $15 each but to me at that point in time, it was the end of the world and I definitely learned my lesson!

[Kevin22]

Talk to the mechanic. He should have insurance against theft at his place of business. 

[hubshooter]

I've been fortunate in the sense that I haven't had any fishing equipment stolen, however, I did have some of my tools stolen out of my unlocked tool box one time. After that, I lock everything down short of a cardboard box when its not in my garage. Hate to hear about your gear though. Hopefully you can replace it at minimal cost.

[papajoe222]

I rented a mooring spot for the week-end at a big marina while camping at the nearby state grounds. On the second morning I was horrified to find my trolling motor, battery, portable gas tank and all my kid's fishing gear gone. The only thing that kept the thieves from walking off with my outboard was a cheap padlock.

I ended up getting next to nothing when I filed a claim with my insurance, because I had signed the short term lease that included a clause that the marina was not liable for lost or stolen articles.

[aavery2]

I had about 4000 dollars worth of tackle stolen out of my friends boat when we stopped to eat at a small restaurant.   I felt like a kid that had his new bike stolen, my homeowners insurance covered a large part of it, so I was able to purchase the things I needed, but there were a lot of custom baits and things that are not made any longer that I will never see again.

[Jason Short]

Besides my buddies raiding my tackle bag every now and then I haven't had any real issues. Where I live the only stealing problem we have is some amish kids that want a little extra money. But I haven't ever had anything stolen.

[Fish_Whisperer]

My experience... http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/123514-some-good-news-today-theft-involved/

 

The op... Fish_Whisperer, on 14 Aug 2013 - 15:16, said:

 

A couple weeks ago I was fishing near my favorite hole, and left the bank to walk bout 15 yards into the water .   I used to carry a shimano tackle bag, holding 4 utility boxes full of lures and a space full of bout 100 bags of plastics.  Since I was going in the water I went ahead and put my wallet and brand new galaxy s4 phone in it , and while fishing, seen two young guys making off with my gear.  I tried to catch up, but no luck, gotta tag number though.

 

An hour ago the detective came by and I was able to positively id them in a photo lineup.  i valued the gear at 500 easily, and the phone priceless, as it held a memory card of the majority of my 1 yr old daughters pictures.  They really wiped me out, and since then I have bought one utility box and stocked with jig heads,  t-rig hooks and a small array of grubs, tubes, and a few swimbaits and worms.

 

Through my years of fishing, I have learned that tackle comes and goes, but I'll only have those pictures in my memory until they fade away one day.  Boys had never been arrested (just hadn't been caught yet the detective said) and what they thought was just some fishing equipment turned out to be a big chunk of my life.  600 dollar phone  added with the tackle and these boys have committed a felony.  

 

But at least the law got em.

 

[RAMBLER]

From me; a 12 hp outboard off my boat, in my yard, while I was home.  Sherriff deputy said they thought they knew who took it and that they had probably already smoked everything they got for it.  Never did get the motor back.

Later, at a public landing, someone took my trailer license plate.

From someone else; I met a guy, at a boat landing that had a houseboat.  He and his wife wanted to spend a romantic night, on the water.  They put the houseboat in and anchored, within sight of the landing.  In the morning they came back to the landing to find their trailer with all four wheels missing.

[deaknh03]

In my younger days I was moving from a duplex into my own home. I kept my rod and tackle box in the shared basement. On my last trip to retrieve my stuff, I went into the basement and found my stuff gone, the only person having access was the tenant sharing the basement with me. Of course he won't answer the door or his phone, so I took a little creative revenge. I took a full bag of rocksalt, dumped it in his washing machine with a little soap, and turned it on. At the very least it made me feel a little better at the time.

[Fishes in trees]

I was at a tournament once, 2002 at the Lake of the Ozarks - Millstone resort - where over night, thieves hit a whole row of bass boats moored over night in their covered dock.  I lost half a dozen or so rods & reels - value well over $1000.  Insurance didn't cover it because they weren't "locked up" even though when the sold me the insurance it was common knowledge that my boat didn't have any lockable storage.  Lesson learned - several guys lost a lot more than I did.  Thieves never were found.  Now I am very careful were I leave my boat in the water - for the most part I don't.  All gear gets locked up in the fishing truck if I'm at a motel.

[geo g]

About a year ago, one of the touring pros had all his tackle and rods and baits stolen from his truck between competitive fishing days. When his competition heard about it, a large group chipped in and lent him gear and baits for the next day of fishing. Things like that give you a wonderful feeling about the future of this country.

[Bluebasser86]

I had all my fishing gear stolen on one occasion and my boat stolen in another, none of it was ever recovered. I don't leave gear in my truck and if I stop somewhere with gear in my truck or boat it never leaves my sight. We all know we have a lot of money invested in our gear but you never realize how much until you suddenly have to replace it all. 

[Catch and Grease]

I had a 250$ trolling motor stolen and a 2.99 pack of trick worms.... Funny thing is that I was a lot more mad about the trick worms than the motor, like seriously why take a 3$ pack of worms.

[slimshad]

Makes me sick reading these.  Had a buddy have tools and things stolen at Guntersville.  They used a crow bar and popped his fiberglass bed topper.  The flat ones.  So the $1000 lid was busted and all his high dollar tools were gone.  Another guy had some rods stolen right in our cabin parking lot.  They got in his boat and only took the rods with good reels on them.  All Shimanos.  Makes me think and want to make sure my stuff is locked up or brought in fo sho.

[Jd_Phillips_Fishin]

A long time ago when my dad went camping with friends he left his boat in water right next to there camp site. Well in the middle of the night someone took his prop off and replaced it with a differant cheap prop.

[slonezp]

I had all my fishing gear stolen on one occasion and my boat stolen in another, none of it was ever recovered. I don't leave gear in my truck and if I stop somewhere with gear in my truck or boat it never leaves my sight. We all know we have a lot of money invested in our gear but you never realize how much until you suddenly have to replace it all. 

And it's important to have pics of the gear and keep your receipts for the insurance claim. 

 

I had stuff stolen once from my last boat. The boat was a tin fish and ski that was more ski than fish. What little storage it had wasn't lockable. I brought all the gear back to the house except I left a few boxes of soft plastics in the boat. The boat was parked in the marina parking lot covered and well lit for the thieves to see exactly what they were stealing. Came down the next morning and the cover was partially off. I didn't realize anything was missing because I thought I brought everything back to the house. I get on the water and realize all my soft plastics are missing.

[Cryoglobin]

Roll n' lock bed cover and a locked tailgate.  That is how I store rods, reels, and tackle.  A few have tried to force entry, and none have succeeded.  Those bed covers are worth the cost, IMO.  They are mostly waterproof too.  In fact, when I want something safe, I remove it from the cab and put it in the bed.

[Bluebasser86]

And it's important to have pics of the gear and keep your receipts for the insurance claim. 

 

I had stuff stolen once from my last boat. The boat was a tin fish and ski that was more ski than fish. What little storage it had wasn't lockable. I brought all the gear back to the house except I left a few boxes of soft plastics in the boat. The boat was parked in the marina parking lot covered and well lit for the thieves to see exactly what they were stealing. Came down the next morning and the cover was partially off. I didn't realize anything was missing because I thought I brought everything back to the house. I get on the water and realize all my soft plastics are missing.

A very good point. 

 

If you have insurance on your boat, which you should anyways, make 100% sure that it covers gear that isn't locked or bolted to the boat. A lot of insurance policies won't and I've seen it too many times when guys don't know about it until it's too late. I had to change my policy so it would cover my rods and tackle because I have a small boat with no locking storage so nothing but the boat, motors, and depthfinder would have been covered in an accident or if it was stolen. 

[G8RBob]

Three punks stole my boat from the lakefront behind my house.  The dumbies were trying to remove a 40 h.p. mercury when a neighbor spotted them.  They ran, no harm done.  Bought a lock and chain.  

[Sam]

No.

 

I keep rods and reels plus electronics in the house until the day I hit the water and then put it in the SUV to transfer to the boat at the launch site.

 

Load boat the day before I go out and cover the watercraft while in my driveway.

 

I can only imagine how devastating it would be to have your gear stolen or destroyed.

 

I guess I am a little paranoid about my gear and protect it as best I can by using common sense and realizing that there are creeps out there.