How much does the lure have to be worth before you'll go swimming?

[livin2fish]

I don't think my PFD would allow me to get deep enough.  Never learned to swim.

[Hook2Jaw]

I don't buy baits expensive enough to consider swimming for them.  When I was younger and wilder, I used to spear trash fish in the Ogeechee river.  I also speared plenty that weren't trash fish.  I once dove a deep slough and came face to face with about 8 or 9 foot of gator, and retired my fins right after.

[LonnieP]

I had a $400 rod and reel go overboard last year and I didn't jump in after it so I'm definitely not going swimming after a lure.

[Mobasser]

I don't own any baits worth swimming for, plus, I don't wear swimming trunks when I go fishing.?

[Todd2]

I fished with a buddy from Texas for many years..he'd go in for all of them. I remember he saw an old crankbait that wasn't even his. He got out to get it..slipped on some rocks and went down. He got the old orange plug, but forgot his pager was on him...lol. (Back in the pager days)

[gilkeybr]

If its possible to get back and the situation is right, i'll swim for anything.  I've swam down 8ft to get a Ned rig.  But if the water/air is too cold and I don't have a bathing suit...i'll break off just about anything.  All situation specific.

 

But I always keep a pair of swim goggles in the boat just in case the mood strikes.

[Teal]

19 minutes ago, gilkeybr said:

If its possible to get back and the situation is right, i'll swim for anything.  I've swam down 8ft to get a Ned rig.  But if the water/air is too cold and I don't have a bathing suit...i'll break off just about anything.  All situation specific.

 

But I always keep a pair of swim goggles in the boat just in case the mood strikes.

Be careful.  I've seen alot of "good swimmers" not go home.  Just please be careful, as much as I wanted to go after a 7inch bull shad last week, I left it there.  My family is more important than a 50 dollar lure.   Dont trying to down you, be like you said, if you are gonna do it, make sure conditions are right and that you have someone on boat with you.  Be safe. 

[JediAmoeba]

12 hours ago, Glaucus said:

When I was a kid I swam in rivers for fun and still swim in lakes to this day so it's no different lol

I agree.  When I was younger I used to fish a few swampy areas and creeks.  I wore old shoes and would wade up to my waist.  I didn't think anything of swimming out to unsnag a hook.  At the end of the day I would have to pick off hundreds of little leeches sometimes - that was worse than swimming for a lure.

[NYWayfarer]

58 minutes ago, gilkeybr said:

If its possible to get back and the situation is right, i'll swim for anything.  I've swam down 8ft to get a Ned rig.  But if the water/air is too cold and I don't have a bathing suit...i'll break off just about anything.  All situation specific.

 

But I always keep a pair of swim goggles in the boat just in case the mood strikes.

I doubt our southern fishing friends will do that.

 

[Log Catcher]

Like @LonnieP I lost a rod and reel years ago and wouldn't go swimming after it. If a lure is so expensive I think I would have to swim for it I won't be buying it anyway.

[Hower08]

I went waist deep in a half frozen lake for a vision 110. 

[J Francho]

I use a plug knocker for baits.  I have a few Michigan Crickets for combos that go over.

[Choporoz]

I have never gone in after a lure...or a rod.  Wife went in after a phone once.

 

I think you're all looking at this wrong.  Once you learn that lost lures are opportunities to visit Tackle Warehouse, you'll start breaking 'em off.  To be honest, it is more about fishing time on the water for me.  I just won't spend 15-20 minutes of fishing time trying to get lures back any more.

[Spy]

Back when I was shore bound I got to the point where one day I'd had enough after losing three new hard baits in a handful of minutes. Now I'll go in after anything but plastics without a second thought but I grew up swimming in everything from cattle ponds to the mighty St. Croix so it doesn't really phase me, confidence is the key to safety and success. 

[Columbia Craw]

More than the cost of a funeral

[Glaucus]

3 hours ago, Columbia Craw said:

More than the cost of a funeral

I'm a strong swimmer and have mostly always fished shallow ponds and rivers fit for wading. I guess it depends on who you are and where you fish whether you'll even consider it or not.

[kingmotorboat]

I fish a murky river in south Louisiana, I'll pass

[schplurg]

23 hours ago, Hammer 4 said:

Where I fish, your not allowed to enter the water. I once had a 8" Hudd fly off my line, didn't even think about trying to get it back.

I knew this was in Cali before I even looked up to see who posted.

 

I haven't jumped in the water yet, but here is me throwing large rocks trying to free a jerkbait on the San Joaquin River. I wasn't catching fish and I was NOT going to give up a lure, even a cheap one. Sometimes it's just because.

 

 

[Rpratt]

Never for a lure, unless it's right there and I can see it and my plug knocker just refuses to do its job. I have had to swim after a guy who kept falling out of my boat....twice in one day. Yeah, I don't fish with him anymore...

[Smalls]

Definitely depends on water temp and the area I'm fishing. I've went in for a Bullshad a few times that I eventually lost to a snag in a different lake I was positive I'd come out with some mutation if I went in. 

[Smells like fish]

Some folks have nightmares of monsters and ghosts but my bad dreams are about hanging up and losing lures, so I'll do everything I can to rescue a lure no matter how cheap. I  am cheap! 

[JediAmoeba]

28 minutes ago, Smells like fish said:

Some folks have nightmares of monsters and ghosts but my bad dreams are about hanging up and losing lures, so I'll do everything I can to rescue a lure no matter how cheap. I  am cheap! 

Cheap, yet an enabler of buying.  I think you are in cahoots with the bait monkey mafia boss..

[Smells like fish]

34 minutes ago, JediAmoeba said:

Cheap, yet an enabler of buying.  I think you are in cahoots with the bait monkey mafia boss..

I have no idea what you're talking about but... Our philosophy, we call B.A.N.A.N.A.S. 

Baits Are Nice And Not A Sin

or as my buddy the Don says Ooo Ooo Ooo Eee Eee 

[Bankbeater]

I have never gone into a pond after a bait before, but I have walked around the pond later in the year to see if the bait has floated free of its snag.

[Smells like fish]

5 hours ago, JediAmoeba said:

Cheap, yet an enabler of buying.  I think you are in cahoots with the bait monkey mafia boss..

Btw/ I got 1 word for you... Lucky Craft tungsten mh-2s spinnerbait! Err, yea 1 word. It even comes in its own clear hard plastic lucky craft branded box. I feel like I need a cigarette after just typing that...