I made a real idiot mistake this week. I took my 12" long nose 45 degree angle needle nose pliers that i have owned for 30 yrs and tossed it from the bottom of a culvert bank to the top of the culvert where we had our gear and chairs set up and it hit the railing on top and fell into the water.

I was so upset with myself that i stripped down to my boxer shorts and my fishing gloves and jumped into the culvert. This is a lake in minnesota on sept 30th at sundown and i didnt care how cold the water was i was determined to retrieve my pliers.

I jumped in and it was actually warm, i didnt even have a cold shock when i went in. Water was over my head but if i stood on a rock it was up to the middle of my neck. The wife held onto one end of a 10 ft stringer while me the other end to try to steady myself.

I was in for 30 minutes looking, taking breaths and diving down to look but the water would stir up when i did that and without swim mask i couldnt see much.

Minnows and such were nibbling on my toes and gills and bass were surrounding me as i was stirring up the bottom and the sides of the culvert that was loaded with mussels and gunk.

I struggled to get out because the shore line was rocky covered with zebra muscles and the side of the concrete culvert was plastered with mussels so i chose the rocks while the wife pulled me up with the stringer.

I didnt find the pliers but i did feel very refreshed and got dressed minus the boxers and continued to fish which was very productive.

When we got home i had sore toes and still hurts to walk today due to the mussels cutting my toes and now realize just how sharp the mussels are to be able to cut line. I have since went and bought the old original Baker Hookout style pistol grip with serrated jaws to replace my favorite pliers.

 

 

I once hooked one of my rods on the backswing and cast the rod into the water. I was sick about it. My brother reeled a 5/0 EWG hook all the way up to the last guide on his rod and scraped around on the bottom until he hooked the rod. It was November in WV and neither of us were going swimming for it.

Not a chance. Unless it was a heirloom but then again I wouldn’t be throwing it if it was. Glad you made it out in one piece with only sore toes. 

In Florida with gators, snakes, amebas and other things I wouldn’t dive in after the wife. 
She’s 37. Should’ve learned to swim by then. 
 

Depends on how deep it is I guess. From your description, probably not. 

I would never enter neck deep water to retrieve a pair of pliers.

 

 

Not with Zebra mussels around, and not in any of the cold months.  

omg... to me that is scarey...........  i wouldn't even have done that if it were one of those van staal? pliers? aren't those $1000? i'd drop a magnet down, though, even if it meant going back home to get it...

 

actually, a childhood pal knocked my rod and reel into the water and we were on a boat. my dad fished for it, and got it... 

8 hours ago, throttleplate said:

........

 

so i chose the rocks while the wife pulled me up with the stringer.

 

.......

 

 

Dude you need a GoPro so the rest of us can enjoy it!

I've swam for a phone and a GoPro, didn't recover either. 

Not for anything that I own, I can always get another one or something similar.

17 hours ago, GaryH said:

Not a chance. 

hell NO?

I'm not 'diving' in for anything at this point.

My Boga Grip has a float attached to it though.

Which works well, ask me how I know.

#holdmybeer

A-Jay

I dive into the water all the time just to cool off. If it’s clear enough, I try to find stuff that’s not even mine. Lost my wedding ring day 1 while swimming in a river but luckily the water was super clear and it sank right right between my feet 

I've gone swimming to retrieve a jig when I had a box full of them.  So yeah.  My friends laugh at me, but it's no big deal for me to jump into a lake.  Swimming is a one of the most fun things you can do at a lake!  I frequently fish when it's 100°+, so I usually dress with the intention of getting wet (to cool off).  My fishing clothes are stained from the red water.  

 

However, I also fish in the winter, and if the water and air is cold, then no.  It's just stuff.  

I fishing on lake Fork and I missed putting a rod back into a rod holder on the kayak and didn't know it until I heard the splash of the rod going in. I shoved my stake out pole in to mark the spot. paddled back into shore and I also did the strip down to my shorts and it was in about 5-6' of water. Paddled back out and felt around with my feet and I found the combo after about 15 minutes. The rod was a Shimano Curado 300EJ with a Kistler KLX rod. It was a Christmas present from my sweetheart. I had to get it back or explain what happened to it. Water temp was high 50's and air temp was about 65. 

Fishingmickey

NOT diving in, but I have been in waist deep water to get a nice pair of sunglasses and once for a pair of pliers. That was more like "wading" than diving, AND I could see the bottom too. NOT gonna go in blind with snapping turtles in the pond!

I've gone in after a swimbait, but I'm not going in after some $25 pliers.

7 hours ago, Fishingmickey said:

I fishing on lake Fork and I missed putting a rod back into a rod holder on the kayak and didn't know it until I heard the splash of the rod going in. I shoved my stake out pole in to mark the spot. paddled back into shore and I also did the strip down to my shorts and it was in about 5-6' of water. Paddled back out and felt around with my feet and I found the combo after about 15 minutes. The rod was a Shimano Curado 300EJ with a Kistler KLX rod. It was a Christmas present from my sweetheart. I had to get it back or explain what happened to it. Water temp was high 50's and air temp was about 65. 

Fishingmickey

50 degree water or abouts is gettin real cool, any wind makes far worse.

I used to live in las vegas and fished the colorado river below hoover dam and that water was 50 degrees and it took my breath away when i had to get into the water and clear the weeds out of my jet drive.

No way, no how. 

I’ve had diving in water twice for none rod/reel. First time for my lucky craft jerkbait in my favorite color, snag about 5-10 feet away. Second time was for my big swimbait that I just bought for 30 bucks and only cast once. I had to swim for this one about 20+ feet.

Recently I posted about my IPhone got dumped in the water 8’ deep from me jumped down to grab my rod/reel. 

 

I'd only go in the water for one of these Tools. Now I'd send one of them in after one of my big swims while I keep the boat in position.

No matter how expensive the gear I would not risk my safety, stuff is replaceable.