lure retriever

[BUCKEYEone]

First off I have to believe that this question is one that has been asked a few times before.  However, I searched and didnt come up with much from previous posts.  Do any of you actually use a lure retriever?  I'm rather new to bass fishing, so I've lost a few nice new lures shortly after purchase.  The vast majority of previous fishing experience I have is walleye fishing on lake erie, so we didnt lose much out there.  Anyone swear by products like the E-Z lure retriever or anyone swear off retreivers in general?

[NBR]

I carry 2 in my boat. One is an extendable pole used in shallow water, off the bank and out of bushes. The other is on a heavy line that I drop down to the lure and pull it free. I use the pole more often but it isn't effective much over 8 or 10 feet deep.

Both are over 20 years old. The pole came from BPS I can't recall where I got the other one.

[Avalonjohn44]

I fish from shore mostly, and have found retrievers to be nearly useless.  It is hard, from shore, to get the proper angle for the knocker/retriever to slide all the way to the snag.  Since I bought it, I have only retrieved one lure with it, lost 2 others.

[Supermat]

I had never used lure retreivers until a couple years ago. I was out with a friend and got a lucky craft stuck tight in a rock pile and was about to snap it off when he pulled out the retriever. 10 seconds later I had my staycee back... I was sold!

I currently use two retrievers. I have a pole for shallow water applications and then I have a "traditional" knocker on a cord that I made myself. I went to the store and looked at the available knockers, I then made my own with a 1 lb weight so that I could hit the baits harder in deep water.

[Marty]

I fish from shore mostly, and have found retrievers to be nearly useless.  It is hard, from shore, to get the proper angle for the knocker/retriever to slide all the way to the snag.  Since I bought it, I have only retrieved one lure with it, lost 2 others.

I have fished an awful lot from shore at the Erie Canal in spots that have wall-to-wall, crankbait-eating rocks. The slide-down-the-line retriever was worthless, but a telescoping pole is very effective (mine is about 20'). It can be clumsy to use, but that's OK, I have saved about 60 lures, which has to be worth at least $250300.

[.dsaavedra.]

i have a bps e-z lure retriever (slide down the line) and it is worthless...waste of 7 bucks. the poles look like they might prove themself though.

[Avalonjohn44]

Looks like I'll try the pole!

[basser89]

I have one similar to the BPS e-z lure retriever and it's saved me countless times! Sounds like I should pick up a pole retriever as well.

[Stringjam]

BUY A TELESCOPING POLE!  At least 20' if you do any deep cranking.   I also have a heavy knocker......tried that for about a year or so about 10 years ago or so, and compared to the pole, they suck.    If you can't get it with a good pole, you probably won't get it with a knocker.  

BTW.....I fish crankbaits every time I'm on the water, and I only lost ONE crankbait this year (and that was just because of my own impatience).  

[twors]

I bought the BPS E-Z Lure Retriever and while I've only used it twice, it did do the job. I bought the cheap $7 version and if I was to buy again I'd get the deluxe $10 version with the reel cause mine is currently a tangled mess.

[Jig Man]

I bought this thing from BPS and didn't like the $.50 spool so I put it on a broken rod and an old reel a friend gave me.  It looks like a bait grabbing tool but I guess I am not smart enough to use it because I still haven't gotten a bait back with it.

[fishfordollars]

I use the Bill Dance Advantage. It has small chains on it that will grab the hooks and works very well. Sells for about 15.00 but will pay for itself in a hurry. Looks a lot like the one in the picture above. Just run it down the line and pump it up and down until you grab a hook and it will come up. I keep mine on an old fly reel.

[Munkin]

I bought this thing from BPS and didn't like the $.50 spool so I put it on a broken rod and an old reel a friend gave me. It looks like a bait grabbing tool but I guess I am not smart enough to use it because I still haven't gotten a bait back with it.

I have the exact one and these work great when in a boat but they suck if you are fishing from shore! They work maybe 25% of the time from shore because you cannot get the weigh to slide right. The other thing I use is a telescopic light bulb changer ($5 big lots) for lures that are caught in trees.

Allen