Lure retriever...

[DAKINE198]

Whats the trick to get these things to work? I hung a crank in the tree about 12ft down and couldn't pop it loose. I got out my handy dandy lure retriever and proceeded to let it down my line. With my rod in my left hand and the line attached to the lure retriever in my right, I proceed to "thunp" my bait. I could feel it hit every lure every time but I was unable to get it loose. Now are you supposed to keep tension on your lure line? I felt it "knock" the lure then the line snapped...I was hopping it was stuck to the chains on the retriever but no such luck. How do you guys go about it, and what works for you?
Thanks

[Ray L.]

I use the lure retriever that is on an extention pole.

[Ron C]

If it has a chain, it ain't a Reel-A-Buoy.

The great thing about the Reel-A-Buoy is that the weight is large enough to completely surround a Huddleston, which takes it right down to the hook that is snagged. You don't have to "hope" that the hook(s) grab onto a chain like with some of the other brands.

I usually get directly above the snagged lure and let the weight slide down my line on a slight slack line. It usually knocks the bait free on the initial drop, but sometimes it takes a few thumps. After I feel the lure retriever thumb against the bait, I drop my rod tip and lower the Reel-A-Buoy rope about two feet and then lift them both back up slowly. This usually does the trick 99% of the time.

If it still doesn't come loose, I re-position my boat about 15 to 20 yards past the snag (i.e. the exact opposite side of my initial cast) and I repeat the process.

Keep in mind that lure retrievers do not always work. Sometimes your hooks are buried so deep that you just can’t knock it loose – especially if you got into a serious tug-a-war with the snag before you used the lure retriever. When you do this, you greatly reduce your chances of retrieving the lure.

The good news is that if you hung up your swimbait in the first place, you are fishing it exactly where you need to be. As Ken Huddleston once told me "You need to throw a swimbait like you aren't afraid to lose it, because that's where the big fish are". (Of course, my response to this [in jest] was: "Spoken like a true swimbait maker"). LOL.

Hope this helps.

[DAKINE198]

Hey RonC, If you have any more of those lure retrievers by the fed tourny put me down for one.... Cause the one I have just ain't cuttin it.

[Ron C]

10-4

I'm not the only one who believes that the Reel-A-Buoy is the best; check these out:

http://www.swimbaitnation.com/forum/toa ... 1&tid=6899

http://westernbass.com/forum/viewtopic. ... 380eb0d2ae

http://westernbass.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22663&f=3

[swimbait]

Search the cabelas web site for Snagmaster. Rig that thing on 1/4" rope. You'll get your bait back 99% of the time. Sometimes you'll bend your hooks out or break your bait but you'll get it back.

The other one I've tried is the hound dog, it sucks by comparison. Haven't tried the reel-a-bouy.

[Hugh_M]

Ron,

I would like to get one from you too. See ya Saturday morning.

[Hugh_M]

Ron,

I would like to get one from you too. See ya Saturday morning.