Karma's a beotch!

[BayouSlide]

Last week at my favorite heavily utilized public lake, I hooked and retrieved a sunken Shimano Sedona and BPS rod that must have fallen off a boat at some point. Felt sorry about that angler's bad luck, but perhaps a little too glibly thought that someone's bad luck is sometimes results in good luck for someone else. Easy to say when you're not the bad-luck-angler.

 

Went back to the same lake yesterday. Spent most of the day weaving in and out of cypress trees with low hanging limbs and moss...well you can probably guess the rest.

 

At the end of the day I was pulling rods and reels from the boat and putting on reel covers and rod sleeves for transport home when, with a sinking feeling, noticed I had one casting rod sleeve and a Shimano reel cover left over ?

 

Yup. A fairly new Falcon Mansfield with its Shimano Curado MGL and an out of stock crankbait painstakingly painted by a buddy were missing.

 

Despite the being worn out from heat I relaunched, foolishly hoping to find the proverbial needle in a haystack...you can imagine my thought process...among the hundreds of cypress trees in the portion of the 800-acre lake I traversed, which one might have reached out and grabbed this rod from the outside of my unsecured rod holder bracket. Hundreds of overlapping nav chart breadcrumbs from this trip and every other one in the recent past could not be disentangled. Motoring around with side scan set to 15 - 20 feet either side shed no light on where it disappeared.

 

Just goes to show what happens you get tangled up in karma. As my mom used to say to us kids when we got too boisterous, "First you laugh, then you cry." So true, so true.

 

Karma is a beotch, and I'll still wiping away tears for my lost cranking outfit ?

 

To rub salt in the wound, I have to look at the picture (below) I sent to my buddy yesterday saying his lure handiwork was about to get wet...cruel words, get wet, in hindsight. That's what you get for tempting fate by messing around with karma ☹️?

 

[gim]

Dang, that is a nice setup to lose.

[BayouSlide]

17 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Dang, that is a nice setup to lose.

 

To stifle the pain I would have gone searching for it today, but, go figure, had to get my wife's car to the body shop, along with a big check, post-accident (wife's fine, car no so much). Heavy thunderstorms about to roll in this afternoon, and more of the same for the next three days.

 

Yup, karma's a beotch and I just can't catch a break ☹️

[TnRiver46]

8 minutes ago, BayouSlide said:

 

To stifle the pain I would have gone searching for it today, but, go figure, had to get my wife's car to the body shop, along with a big check, post-accident (wife's fine, car no so much). Heavy thunderstorms about to roll in this afternoon, and more of the same for the next three days.

 

Yup, karma's a beotch and I just can't catch a break ☹️

The cypress swamp hides all things . Those are the stickiest things on earth

 

i’ve been stuck in them so many times I started using only weightless stickworms. Turns out they get stuck in them to

[BayouSlide]

7 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

The cypress swamp hides all things . Those are the stickiest things on earth

 

i’ve been stuck in them so many times I started using only weightless stickworms. Turns out they get stuck in them to

 

Makes me wonder about my sanity: what could possibly go wrong in a place like that. ?

 

 

[FryDog62]

18 hours ago, BayouSlide said:

 

Makes me wonder about my sanity: what could possibly go wrong in a place like that. ?

 

 

Gator’s telling his wife - There’s some good structure here and a pinch point where the two-legged smallmouth types come by frequently - and they taste like chicken... 

[GRiver]

I almost lost three rigs at the same time. I was pushing my luck with an oncoming storm, I took off heading for home. I was approaching a swell just as I noticed, the four rods on deck weren’t secured. It was just a little bounce, but enough to sent three rods over the edge, just hanging on by the reels on the gunnel.

I was able to save the rigs and put them away, but not before taking a wave over the side. It put about 10 gallons in the boat. 
Things  could’ve been worse, all because I didn’t leave when I should’ve. 

[BayouSlide]

8 minutes ago, GRiver said:

I almost lost three rigs at the same time. I was pushing my luck with an oncoming storm, I took off heading for home. I was approaching a swell just as I noticed, the four rods on deck weren’t secured. It was just a little bounce, but enough to sent three rods over the edge, just hanging on by the reels on the gunnel.

I was able to save the rigs and put them away, but not before taking a wave over the side. It put about 10 gallons in the boat. 
Things  could’ve been worse, all because I didn’t leave when I should’ve. 

 

Very glad you stayed safe and saved your rods. I was telling my wife how sometimes people lose several rods at a time running in rough water.

 

Obviously, you didn't tempt karma enough to drop her million-pound hammer on you. Wise man. ??

[Jmilburn76]

I could only imagine the heartbreak from losing that combo. A few weeks back I came home showing my wife the 4 lures I had just found with an MSRP of over $40. This week my side plate fell off an almost new Revo X and into the creek. I have it on film and know about where its at. The water is about 2' but is just stained enough where I cant find it. The only replacement I have found so far is a tad less than $40 shipped!  Id say 100% Karma.

[WRB]

Karma is a 2 way street, good doesn’t = bad.

Today you see pros who keep multiple rods on the deck use rod butt floats in case a rod get kicked overboard by mistake.

Sometimes we learn lesions the hard way.

Tom

 

[BayouSlide]

22 minutes ago, WRB said:

Karma is a 2 way street, good doesn’t = bad.

Today you see pros who keep multiple rods on the deck use rod butt floats in case a rod get kicked overboard by mistake.

Sometimes we learn lesions the hard way.

Tom

 

 

True, just kinda poking at the karma bear in fun to lessen the sting of a mishap.

 

Despite be an unusually careful person, I USUALLY learn my lessons the hard way.

 

But the best alternative is learning from the mistakes of others...that's why I've volunteered to be the poster child for the results of failing to secure rods adequately. ?

 

Hopefully someone will think twice and learn from my mistake ??

 

[schplurg]

This story isn't about me it's about the other guy:

 

I found rods last year at a local creek, 2 of them, not very good. I waited all day and nobody claimed them, they were just laying there in the open. I didn't want anybody else to grab them. I waited until it got close to dark, then I picked them up and left.

 

Couple days later I put a sign up at the creek with my number and email "Found rods! If you can describe them they are yours" I put a short video on Youtube as well.

 

After two weeks and no claims I bought a rod for one of the reels (Black Max maybe?). Bought an HMG. Love that rod.

 

Very next day I get an email. "Hey my buddy sent a photo of your sign - I think those are my rods!" He described them perfectly. To be completely honest there was a brief moment of mild disappointment. Not much and not for long though........

 

Dude drives over with his son. "Wow thank you so much! I had to leave the rods because my other son who is 11 had a seizure and had to be airlifted out of there"

 

Whoa. Now I figured since these were rather cheap rods that they may be someone's only gear. I really wanted them returned.

 

"His grampa gave him one of those rods. My son is still in the hospital (2 weeks later yikes). Hopefully we can do this Striper tourney next week but he's touch and go" I have no idea what his medical issue was I didn't ask.

 

Of all the people I was hoping would come for these.....I mean I thought it may be some jerks who litter all the time, I'd gladly keep their rods. But this guy....holy cow man. I was so happy to give them back. He wanted to pay me and of course I refused.

 

This story isn't about me. Yes it felt great but it's about how much the other guy really missed his gear. You just never know. That story blew me away.

 

We were gonna fish but I never heard back. I don't know what happened with his son. Hopefully they are fishing together.

 

So I bought a new Fuego to go with my now reel-less HMG haha. So this whole thing cost me $200!!! hahahaha but I love that combo and I'm so glad to have it.

 

**********************

 

My theory on karma is that it's actually one's conscience. If you kick a dog and feel bad about it, it may distract you so much that you step in front of a car and get run over. You feel guilty. It bothers you.

 

This explains why nothing bad ever seems to happen to evil people. They have no conscience, they are the only important thing in the world to them. Therefore they will always be looking out for the car. They care only for themselves.

[BayouSlide]

30 minutes ago, schplurg said:

This story isn't about me it's about the other guy:

 

I found rods last year at a local creek, 2 of them, not very good. I waited all day and nobody claimed them, they were just laying there in the open. I didn't want anybody else to grab them. I waited until it got close to dark, then I picked them up and left.

 

Couple days later I put a sign up at the creek with my number and email "Found rods! If you can describe them they are yours" I put a short video on Youtube as well.

 

After two weeks and no claims I bought a rod for one of the reels (Black Max maybe?). Bought an HMG. Love that rod.

 

Very next day I get an email. "Hey my buddy sent a photo of your sign - I think those are my rods!" He described them perfectly. To be completely honest there was a brief moment of mild disappointment. Not much and not for long though........

 

Dude drives over with his son. "Wow thank you so much! I had to leave the rods because my other son who is 11 had a seizure and had to be airlifted out of there"

 

Whoa. Now I figured since these were rather cheap rods that they may be someone's only gear. I really wanted them returned.

 

"His grampa gave him one of those rods. My son is still in the hospital (2 weeks later yikes). Hopefully we can do this Striper tourney next week but he's touch and go" I have no idea what his medical issue was I didn't ask.

 

Of all the people I was hoping would come for these.....I mean I thought it may be some jerks who litter all the time, I'd gladly keep their rods. But this guy....holy cow man. I was so happy to give them back. He wanted to pay me and of course I refused.

 

This story isn't about me. Yes it felt great but it's about how much the other guy really missed his gear. You just never know. That story blew me away.

 

We were gonna fish but I never heard back. I don't know what happened with his son. Hopefully they are fishing together.

 

So I bought a new Fuego to go with my now reel-less HMG haha. So this whole thing cost me $200!!! hahahaha but I love that combo and I'm so glad to have it.

 

**********************

 

My theory on karma is that it's actually one's conscience. If you kick a dog and feel bad about it, it may distract you so much that you step in front of a car and get run over. You feel guilty. It bothers you.

 

This explains why nothing bad ever seems to happen to evil people. They have no conscience, they are the only important thing in the world to them. Therefore they will always be looking out for the car. They care only for themselves.

 

Great story of a good deed ??

[Phelptwan]

Fishing a tourney last year my co-angler went for the net when I hooked a fish, and due to his usual sprawl of gear he caught the net on the handle of a spinning combo and flung it into the water.  He got a bit flustered about the whole ordeal and couldn't decide whether to help land the fish or go after the rod.  I flipped the bass in, and he dove in searching for the rod.  Couldn't find it.

[N Florida Mike]

Sorry for your loss, but hooking someone else’s combo didn’t cause you to lose one of yours. Maybe a little carelessness , throw in a cypress swamp , and you lose a combo.  I feel your pain though…

 I was fishing in my bass hunter once and got back to the dock - minus a combo. It was an older quantam reel with a bps rod , but it still bugs me. I remembered hearing a splash right by the boat but thought I had spooked a fish. I remember the general area. The water is around 5 feet deep, with deep mud and eel grass clumps. Just too lazy to look, or maybe it’s because it’d be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Family members have lost ( or stolen ) several outfits. Can’t prove it but I know. I miraculously found one at a pawn shop app. a year after it went missing…would love to know the whole story behind that.  They weren’t asking much, so I just bought it back to avoid it being in the police evidence room for months.

I dont wish bad on anyone but thiefs  will eventually pay one way or the other for their crimes!!

[Zcoker]

If there's one thing that I've learned from Kayak fishing: expect and anticipate everything!

[BayouSlide]

17 minutes ago, Zcoker said:

If there's one thing that I've learned from Kayak fishing: expect and anticipate everything!

 

Right on! And I'll add one more:

 

Don't expect Hummingbird Mega 360 and Side Scan and GPS tracks to find a deep-sixed combo in a 800-acre lake if you're not exactly sure where you lost it.

 

Tried twice before I could admit the futility of the quest.

 

Already have a new Curado from Academy and the Falcon is arriving tomorrow from Tackle Warehouse.

 

Another expensive life-lesson learned. ☹️

 

Can't say it's the only rod I've lost. Will make a long story short by saying I drifted taking while weighing and taking pictures of a 6.5 pounder I caught on a buzzbait at a different lake. After gently releasing it, supporting it by hand while it recovered enough to swim away, I looked for my buzzbait rod, a Lew's Mach Crush (my first baitcaster), only to see it missing. The buzzbait I removed from the bass had hooked itself to a nearby cypress tree (see a trend here?) and the rod got pulled off the boat and into the water as I drifted.

 

Retrieved the buzzbait but the line had broken. Didn't have the sonar capability I have now. Combo still there. A new PB bass was my only consolation.

 

Screw karma, it ain't the problem, I finally realize it's the danged CYPRESS TREES!

[TOXIC]

Up until last year on Okeechobee, in my 40+ years of fishing with a good portion guiding I lost a grand total of 2 rods over the side.  On Okeechobee we decided to run the lake instead of the rim canal and the lake was rough, really rough.  As the coangler, I had my standard 8 rods on the back deck strapped in.  Because we run rough water a lot, we developed a tie down system for laying rods down on the deck.  One of the straps broke and 5 of my combos went for a swim.  The only reason I didn’t lose more was that some tangled up with a rattletrap that got stuck in the carpet.  That one hurt.  ?

[BayouSlide]

10 minutes ago, TOXIC said:

That one hurt.  ?

 

Sounds like the worst place for losing rods would be a run on rough water in a lake full of cypress trees. ?

 

Seriously, even when you do everything right, like TOXIC, sheet can still go sideways on you in a split second.

 

There are only two kinds of serious fisherman: those who have lost rods, and those who will someday.

 

Best we can do is try to manage the risks. ?

[Darth-Baiter]

ouch...

 

that sucks.  I love that reel!!  I am bummed for you big time.

[BayouSlide]

4 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

ouch...

 

that sucks.  I love that reel!!  I am bummed for you big time.

 

Thanks, buddy, love my Curados too.

 

After two tries looking above water and below water at the lake, even chronically obsessive me had to give up.

 

Would have killed me had I left it hanging by the tip from a cypress tree.

 

Hope someone gets to dredge it up someday and enjoy it rather than it stay covered up forever in the silt.

[Darth-Baiter]

1 minute ago, BayouSlide said:

 

Thanks, buddy, love my Curados too.

 

After two tries looking above water and below water at the lake, even chronically obsessive me had to give up.

 

Would have killed me had I left it hanging by the tip from a cypress tree.

 

Hope someone gets to dredge it up someday and enjoy it rather than stay covered forever in the silt.

 if karma continues..who ever finds that rod is gonna lose....heck, his motor might fall off the transom. :D!!!

 

nah..it wasn't Karma bud..you just lost a rod.  you buying the same thing as a replacement?  

[BayouSlide]

6 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

you buying the same thing as a replacement?  

 

Exact same rod arriving tomorrowing from TW. Decided to go with a 7.4:1 this time on the Curado (lost one was a 6.2:1), already got it $20 off from a sale at Academy.

 

Will be spooling it up with 14# Sunline Sniper today.

 

Actually have one more of that custom crankbait my buddy painted for me ??

[Darth-Baiter]

Just now, BayouSlide said:

 

Exact same rod arriving tomorrowing from TW. Decided to go with a 7:1 this time on the Curado, already got it $20 off from a sale at Academy.

 

Will be spooling it up with 14# Sunline Sniper today.

 

Actually have one more of that custom crankbait my buddy painted for me ??

hahahhaha..  quick!

 

when I lost my favorite (at the time) drop shot rig, I was crying on the drive home to my wife.  I got home unloaded my kayak/gear...and immediately sat on the couch with my iPad and ordered the exact rig.  my wife looked at me and said, "you're ordering that rod right now?!!"

 

I might have growled a response back.  hahahha..  I understand entirely.  

[Spankey]

34 minutes ago, BayouSlide said:

 

Exact same rod arriving tomorrowing from TW. Decided to go with a 7.4:1 this time on the Curado (lost one was a 6.2:1), already got it $20 off from a sale at Academy.

 

Will be spooling it up with 14# Sunline Sniper today.

 

Actually have one more of that custom crankbait my buddy painted for me ??

The hurt will go away some after fishing the new set up. Good luck.