To trip or not to trip - that is the question

[shaky legs2]

Doc and I sometimes get into high level discussions that causes me to threaten to bring out the duct tape and divide the house into two parts. The latest was this. We had company (Brenda and Jonny) so I was distracted. A fish hit the deadstick and before I could react, down the hole it went. Doc's comment was, "You need to trip the bail". I let that one slide as we had company. A couple of minutes later I caught a fish on the flyer and as I was taking it off the hook I noticed a line caught on one of the trebles. It was my pole that went down the hole. The next day we were cleaning fish for supper and the table sits over my deadstick hole. Same thing. Fish hits, down the same hole the same rod goes. We lower the camera. It is sitting about two feet away from the hole. I try to snag it with a darter but no luck I wrote it off. This time I was ready when Doc makes the same comment. You see, Doc is a throw-back. He still uses a jigglestick for his deadstick (from the crappie days). I said. "do you trip the bail on your jiggletick"? His comment was, "I suppose I could take the rubberband off the peg". To make a long story short,, I caught a perch and he had two hooks in his mouth and one of them was connected to the pole that went down the hole. Two recoveries in two days from the same hole with the same pole. I told Doc that if I had tripped the bail it would have taken me forever to haul in that pole and that would have cut into my fishing time.

[traveler]

I think there was a question in there somewhere:)

bail closed for me... gotta keep those lightning fast reflexes tuned up!!

[bturck]

Loooool......................

[Panfish Guy]

The only thing that could beat that would be if "The Thing" was on the end of it.

[side_laker]

Last year I had a northern pull my rod down

The hole I used a treble hook got the rod back and had the northern still on it. I think that was the best luck a guy could have. Sure is a good feelIng to get your favorite rod back when it goes down the hole.

[buzz1ng]

Seems like a no-brainer. LOL Open bail = no fishing for rod. Closed bail = Fish for rod (twice in your case) & try to snag it. Many times Ive been on Winni & told friends to leave bail open since the pike are so aggressive there. At least 3 friends have lost rods. Not a big deal if youre fishing with $15 rods, but if they are $50 its a spendy mistake. Interesting story, I didnt even know you could still get jigglesticks? LOL

[shaky legs2]

Wasn't that something Panfish Guy? I can't remember if you were up there then or came up later but I had it on for two hours with both Kelly and Jonny helping. When Doc went over to visit Kelly he told him I had had a big fish on for 45 min. I think Kelly thought Doc was joshing him. What was it?? A big northern hauling a rod around or maybe it was a sturgeon. We will never know but it sure provided a lot of excitement. The only thing that ticked me off is that noone would mix me a beverage for two hours during the ordeal.

[kelly-p]

Next time you're up I'll just bring some rope out and tie your rods to doorknobs, chairs and maybe even Doc. That'll take of that problem.

[Random guy]

but if they are $50 its a spendy mistake.

One of the first guys in the shacks this year is now an open bail guy. He gets checked in then pulls out his brand new Thorne Brothers custom made rod and custom reel for the first time. He sets it up, sets it down to get his second rod out…ploosh, down the hole it goes within seconds; it was never jigged or even held. Ouch.

[Xplorer]

We are closed bail guys with light drags when we take a break, but, we hook the reel around a leg on one of the chairs in the house. a few years ago I was using a large cooler as a table in a house and while I was cooking some fish up lost it down the hole. We were only in 7.5' of water but putting the camera down it was long gone. I couls see about 10' in every direction but not a clue.

Now I hook and unmaned rod to something that is statonary and set the drag lighter.

PS; My best recovery story is catching a slush scoop that fell thru a hole on the first Burntside bash. I missed a fish in 50' of water and hit the scoop which went straight down te hole. I watched the scoop go down on the FL-8. I missed one attempt at 25' with my jig, but caught the scoop at 47' and hauled it back up. Still have it to this day!!