It's Christmas and I'm bored, so...

 

I went one day a few months ago and snagged on the branch of a fallen tree. The branch broke and I reeled it in  

 

Same day, same spot, I fish around this sunken limb that's in 2-3 feet of water. I usually can slip my T-rigged plastic over it safely, but I finally snagged it once.

 

It took me several minutes but I reeled in that sucker with 10 pound mono. Well no more snags there, though the fish don't have that hiding spot anymore.

 

One more, I wish I had this on video. You probably had to be there. Me and a friend were in his jon boat at Coyote Lake casting towards shore. He casted one so far and high that it went like 20 feet up into a tree. It seemed like it was a mile away too.

 

The funny thing to me is as soon as he cast it I could see where it was going. It flew up very high and slowly arced toward the trees. I looked at him and he just kinda watched it go. I said, "Dude what the heck was THAT!?" and he just replied, "I don't know" He didn't try to stop it at all.

 

That lure was gone. Knocked outta the park.

I get lures unless I have to fight off big cottonmouths.  Then, I’ll just break the line and come back later.

Every scenario is different. In the described scenario of the original post I would have broken it off and come back for it later. If I was fishing for money I’d make one attempt of getting it back before I would break it off.  Normal fishing, I would make a valid attempt just so I’m not leaving junk/litter in the water shed.  I get most lures back though, with having to do anything crazy.