Lost my first rod and reel

[Boomstick]

So three weeks ago I was on a week long camping trip with my kids and we took the kayaks out. I had loaned my 7'1" H/F Daiwa Tatula jig rod and Tatula 150 to my youngest son so he could fish a frog and he got a couple of hits but didn't land any fish but was having fun with it. Since it was a hot day, we decided to anchor our boats by the beach and take a swim break. When we got back in our kayaks, he frantically came across the lake panicked because he only had three rods and started with four. Apparently, he had left the rod on the front off his kayak when we anchored and somehow it must have been knocked off - I don't think anybody could have swiped it because there wasn't anyone there to steal it. I searched the area he had anchored his kayak but to no avail.

To add insult to injury, I came home and ordered a replacement and the ETA was in time for my next trip (last week). The reel arrived on Thursday, but the rod arrived packaged poorly - the package was bent into a C shape and sure enough the tip of the rod was broken - I didn't even bother to check the rest I just sealed it up and sent it back. I checked my history and I did buy another rod from the same seller and had no problems. So I sent the rod back on the Saturday before I left for my last trip, as of 7/30 it was out for delivery but did not get delivered. A week goes by and now they are saying the package is damaged and it will be returned to the sender on 8/11, so I assume they're sending it back to me, yet the package was completely trashed when I got it. At this point, I'm not sure I am going to ever get my money back. Lesson learned - be careful who you buy your rods from I guess.

Fortunately I do have a pretty decent lineup or rods and I have been doing most of my fishing in small lakes and ponds that don't have an excessive amount of weeds, so I'm comfortable fishing up to a 1/2oz pitching style jig on my medium heavy (although I really like the H/F for the 1/2oz jigs) and I do have my 7'6" flipping rod for heavier cover, but what a bummer.

[BrianMDTX]

Wow. That sucks X2. 

[Spankey]

My dad did the same thing to me one time with a decent split grip Pinical rod set up I use to have. Out on my boat though. I was ticked, he felt bad. He had been wanting to fish the split grip. Crap happens. 
 

It was nice, great Smallie setup, but that was moons ago and not as nice as the stuff I fish today. Even for than it wasn’t high dollar but...oh well. 
 

It will come together for you. Good fishing. 

[NYWayfarer]

That's an awful feeling in the pit of your stomach when you lose a rod and reel.

 

Been there and it stinks on the bad rod delivery as well. I learned my lesson. All my rods will be from Tackle Warehouse. I can deal with the wait and not getting something on sale to have piece of mind that it is being shipped correctly.

[Mike 126]

Totally sucks. Did you tell the seller you were returning a damaged rod?  If it was further damaged on return then the carrier should pay for the replacement.  

[Jaderose]

Come close but never actually lost one.  It sucks but it also happens.  I tied a lure on for my daughter one day becmany years ago because she wanted to fish like Daddy.  It was a good one so I was reluctant but I did and told her to avoid one particular area.  She of course cast it directly into that area and I lost the lure.  I was mad. She was heart broken.  I saw how upset she was and I realized it was just a lure.  Whether a lure or a rod, it's just gear.  It can be replaced.  Yes, it's aggravating but my daughter and your son did not do these things on purpose, of course, and they CANNOT be replaced.    Spending that time with your kids is worth more than a million rods and reels.  Kids grow up and move on.  Your gear will be there.  Now you got NEW stuff coming!

[Bankc]

I lost one a few months back.  I got hung up on a submerged stump and paddled my kayak over to area above it to try to get it free.  It was next to some tree branches that extended out over the water.  Anyway, I wound up having to cut my line and when I pulled away, the tree branch grabbed one of my other rods that was sticking up and pulled it out.  I didn't even realize I had lost it until I got to my next spot, about 30 yards away and couldn't find it.  I went back to look for it, but the water was about 8 feet deep and there was a bit of a current.  I spent a good hour dredging the bottom and searching on my sonar, but never found it.  I returned home early and angry that day.  

The good news is it gave me an excuse to upgrade!  So all in all, it was a positive experience!  

[Herbert Lorenzo]

Yes it feels terrible to lose any rod . I left 4 baitcasters at a lake 20 years ago put them down and forgot about them when loading up to leave . The one that bothers me the most was earlier this year when the rod slipped out of my hand when I went to sit down and as it fell towards the water I reached out and grabbed the handle but could not hold on . Tried several recoveries but never was successful . Like the bumper sticker says .." lt happens "

[cheezyridr]

i lost 3 rods at once, many years ago.  i was fishing below a bridge near my home. i heard some shouting, and i looked up.  1st wife was on the bridge, and as  was usual for her, she was upset about something.  i reeled everything in and and climbed the stairs to get me to where she was standing. i dont remember what she was mad about anymore, it was ages  ago.  i had my rods leaned on the rail as we argued over something that was probably stupid. she reached over, grabbed my rods, and threw them off the bridge.  if my son wasn't there, i might have thrown her after them. hahaha.

funny thing is, i snagged one of them about a year later.  it was garbage, but i brought it home to show her anyhow.

[Fishes in trees]

Every so often you lose a rod, not every season, but, for me, a couple of time a decade for sure.  It is never on purpose, always an accident, the saddest thing is that there is generally a decent reel attached to that rod.  I think that the appropriate phrase is  -  pay to play.    Losing a rod every so often is part of the dues that you have to pay in order to be able to get out fishing and be away from people from time to time.

[DitchPanda]

I almost lost my omen black dropshot rod awhile back. Was fishing for bass and had thrown it out with a bobber and crawler hoping for a walleye or a few gills for lunch. I turned to make a cast and when I turned back I saw my rod fly out of the forked stick and into the water. Had to run in almost up to my waist to catch it. Was a channel cat about 7 or 8lbs.

[Sam]

Yep, lost a nice Shimano Curado and a BPS Extreme medium heavy 6'6" rod when I was fishing my double secret pond about 5 years ago.

 

Was in the raft floating in the middle of the pond, which is about 20 to 25 feet deep, and when I casted my crankbait it hooked the rod and off she went into the wild blue yonder and plop, into the water.

 

I now have a strong magnet that I take on my boat to fish out whatever I drop overboard. So far I have been very fortunate not to have to use it.

Here is another way we can lose or rods and reels.

 

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/1592633457410/alligator-steals-anglers-rod-and-reel-combo-swims-away

 

[GreenPig]

I cast a very nice light spinning rig about 15 yards a few years ago. I was throwing a big swimbait and hooked it on the back swing. Dove for 30 minutes in 18 - 20 FOW to no avail. Ordered a new one when got home.

[Boomstick]

13 hours ago, NYWayfarer said:

That's an awful feeling in the pit of your stomach when you lose a rod and reel.

 

Been there and it stinks on the bad rod delivery as well. I learned my lesson. All my rods will be from Tackle Warehouse. I can deal with the wait and not getting something on sale to have piece of mind that it is being shipped correctly.

I have bought about half my rods from Tackle Warehouse, and the other half from a vendor (I think it's SportsmansOutfitters) who sells on Amazon and Ebay, and I have never had an issue with either. I bought one other rod from the same vendor, and that rod came in a rod tube, so I don't know what the hell happened this time but it shouldn't have gone out packed how it was.

3 hours ago, GreenPig said:

I cast a very nice light spinning rig about 15 yards a few years ago. I was throwing a big swimbait and hooked it on the back swing. Dove for 30 minutes in 18 - 20 FOW to no avail. Ordered a new one when got home.

Funny, last trip he got his jig stuck on a rock and had a birds nest. The wind picked up and the rod fell in, two seconds later he went in after it. Learned his lesson this time, but maybe that's because it was his rod - and the one he uses the most as well.

9 hours ago, Bankc said:

The good news is it gave me an excuse to upgrade!  So all in all, it was a positive experience!  

Yeah if it was a cheaper rod I might see it the same way however I really like that rod. It's the rod I use for casting jigs and skipping jigs and it casts them very well.