Invest in rod leashes!

[ILV2F5H]

Whats going on guys. Meado, the wife and I had a pretty successful trip this weekend. Coolers full of croakers, two keeper reds and a keeper flounder.

Once it hit dark schoolie stripers were blowing up. Everything was fine and dandy until I lost my rod and reel. I was working two lures on both rods. The rod I lost was dangling a gulp about two ft in the water. I was unhooking a fish on one rod and bam other rod gets slammed and flops off the front of my yak. I felt so helpless. We spent the last hour trying to jig and drag heavy lures in 18 ft of water to no avail. All I've been doing since Saturday night is thinking about my replacement rod/reel but when you lose a loomis rod and stradic reel it hurts.

[MetroMan]

ouch! I know your pain all too well.

[DOGFISH]

Loomis and Stradic, that does hurt. Tough way to lose a rod, right at the boat. The excitement of breaking fish does cause one to not pay attention. I just can't get used to a rod leash, or any other for that matter, such as paddle.

[Grilled]

i know the feeling.....ive lost 2 combos this year.....trevala/curado 300 and st.croix mojo/lexa100.

[echo5oscar]

I lost my first rod n reel a couple weeks ago. Wasn't expensive. But like Dogfish, I can't get get use to the feeling of a leash. Lost my keys just two days before that because I was only going to be out for a couple hours, and cut corners. I am going to put them on while they are stowed in the rod holders and not being used. Picked up a lexa 300 Friday, and Saturday it almost went in as I pulled a different rod from the holder to use. So, as I upgrade from the stuff I use now, I will also buckle them up when not in use.

[dhawk]

ouch that hurts I have lost one rod overboard this year and ran over 3 luckily they were all cheap rods and all because i was tired and in a hurry i dont like rod leashes I have floats on my rods but it only makes em sink slower I have been looking at overboard rods think my next one will be from them

[frettr00]

I wear my rod/paddle/hobie fin leashes like I wear a seat belt while driving.

[bgriff]

I'm kind of new to this whole kayak fishing scene, but when I went out last weekend I made sure I had my rod leashed off. I didn't catch anything, but I can see where it would a pain playing a big fish with the leash attached. It got me wondering if there were any quick release knots that I could tie off to my rod/reel and say I got a hit while trolling grab it, release the knot and fight the fish. I found this on YouTube and I'm going to give it a shot this week while I'm down in O.C. I figure that if my rod comes out of my hand while reeling one in than I'm just a dumbass. My set up is gonna be just a stainless steel carabiner with about 3-4' of paracord tied to it and I'm just gonna tie it on my rod right in front of the reel. I practiced doing this for about a 1/2 hour and I think it will be easy enough to re-tie once undone. My only concern is that the knot might come untied if I turtled and something snagged on the end you pull to release the knot. I found that if once tied you cinch it up real good pulling on both the standing end and the loop it take a little more effort to free the knot.

http://youtu.be/mxR5HBEa76w

[tufnik]

I do use leashes on my rods/reels. And then it happened..... I didn't leash them.....yep, lost two rod/reel combos.

I think there's a fishing Murphy's law: If you kayak fish, you will lose a rod/reel....lol..

[jet]

i leash, yet to loose a combo. actually, i havent lost anything beyond a jighead. knock on wood

[HokieDJ]

Welcome to the club. I lost a Curado on a Gloomis GL3.

Try out the foam on the rod and see how it works. I don't like leashes because I'm sure I will tangle myself eventually.

[ILV2F5H]

I think you're right Tufnik. Over the memorial day weekend I fell off the yak twice in a 10 min span. Blame goes to the floating dock I was sliding off of. I launched off of it the night before with ease. The first time I fell off I had my phone in my pocket. So no matter what, all electronics are put in the dry box. Even for a short paddle. This means fish grips and pliers are also tied off.

Thanks for all the comments guys. They're actually making me feel better. Lol.

[whenican]

I lost my 4'8" fun ultralite rod but w/a messed up, worn out reel that I was just untangling a windknot...when I realised I was being blown by the wind and tide into an anchored sailboat....I threw the rod forward just in time to grab the paddle and re-position myself away from the sailboat....when I tossed my rod forward it went into the drink. I. too, tried to snag it w/a bottom rig but to no avail. The other week a guy on Solomom's pier dropped his rod into the water, tried to snag it w/another rod...but pulled up 2 kid's Spiderman rods....one recently dropped(it was clean), the other covered in crud.

[Memory Maker]

Now That Hurts ............ OUCH!!!

Sounds like 1 if CBKayakers floating rods are in the future ........

[mytmouse]

Man if I could afford the stuff ya'll use I'd have it padlocked!! LOL Most times I don't use a leash, but if its one of my more expensive setups I'll strap it up! They are a bit awkward, but like you said better safe that sorry!