Lost my favorite rod/reel over the side today in 9’ of water. Quickly marked a waypoint but too cold to go for a swim like I have done before. Could not snag it with a jig or blade bait with small trebles. Looks like a foot or two of weeds where I dropped it which was hampering my efforts. d**n I am so bummed.

 

Going back hopefully in a few days with a magnet and some larger weighted treble hooks. If it’s a sunny day I’ll swim out and try to find it. Any other tips for retrieving an overboard rod?

 

Reel is a Daiwa magseal series. Think I will need to go into it after a couple days at 9 or 10’? I dropped this same d**n combo 10 days ago but it was closer we to shore and warm so found it after a few minutes of skinny dipping. 

Skinny Dipping always gets your rod wet. 

The old fish stringer with metal clips opened attacked to a cord with 1# lead weight attached to the bottom clip works good to retrieve rods over board.

Tom

Place a worthwhile bounty on it with some high school kids...

13 minutes ago, OkobojiEagle said:

Place a worthwhile bounty on it with some high school kids...

I made a bit of money my senior HS year and my 2 college years in Bemidji offering my services for rig/tackle/small item retrieval in the local lakes. It's how I financed my SCUBA gear after I got my certification.

I retrieved one once using a bicycle wheel device, spokes cut off and bent forming a big device for snagging.  Helps to have a camera device to find exactly where it is.   

Rod recovered! I made a grappling Hooke of sorts out of spare metal stock and a PVC pipe. Took a few tosses but I hooked it! 
 

Nice 

Glad you were able to recover it.

 

I have a grapple I made for snagging limbs at a spot me and my buddy lost a mess of lures.

@wasabi_VA Put a telescopic handle and foldable grapple attachments for easy stowing on the boat, you just might have something marketable……really. 

You anywhere near Houston? Still looking for my truck keys lol. 

Long rod and a 10XD. Done it before. 

There is a club on Lake Lanier that, for a donation, will dive and find stuff you dropped overboard. 

On 5/31/2025 at 3:55 PM, MN Fisher said:

that is a mermaid!!

I've been successful 3 times on retrieving rods with simple string of several larger treble hooks and weights (never exceeded 3/4 oz).  I didn't have weeds to deal with.  Just used the bow mount to slowly go back and forth over area of overboard rod and slowly dragged the hooks.  Whenever I felt resistance, I'd pull up slowly.  Best retrieval was my nieces snoopy pole in 30' of water.  Couldn't believe I could snag the line, but we got it and it made her day.

"Couldn't believe I could snag the line"

 

And that's why you learn to tie the line to the spool properly. Just in case.

My buddy made a getter outer from a 1/2" about 18" long with several big treble hooks along it.  Drilled a hole in the middle for heavy cord.