Getting Unhung

D.W. Verts · March 04, 2020, 12:57:58 PM

It happens. And this old-school trick seems to be unheeded by many younger and newer anglers when it comes to freeing your lure from a snag.

It's call the "bow and arrow trick". It does take some timing and skill, but I can get at least 90% of my lures that are stuck free when using this technique.

Here's how you go about it- crank enough slack out of the line line between you and your stuck lure that you can hold your rod, pointed towards the snag, at around a 30-45 degree angle. The put a "load" on the rod, say about two pounds of pressure or so to start with, then pull a foot or so of slack out of the line between the reel and the first guide. You then raise your rod slightly more, so everything is under tension. The is like pulling the string back on a bow (if you need a visual). You then release the line with a snap, while THROWING SLACK AT IT BY DROPPING THE ROD. This is where the skill and timing come into play, and it may take a little practice.

By snapping the lure with some force, but then immediately throwing it some slack line, you can "pop" a bait loose. If you can get the tension and timing of your release of the line from your fingers, you can get a significant number of lures free without screwing up a good fishing hole. This has worked for me from lures that are visual, maybe up on the bank, to 40 feet of water on a ledge or a brush pile. It's a crazy good way to get that expensive crankbait to come loose.

It may take on any given occasion a couple of tries, and you may need to increase your tension in doing so. Always start off on the lighter side to keep from burying a hook deeper than what it already is.

Hope this helps someone. And, oh yeah- be ready when that bait "pops" loose. I've caught many a bass that have been watching the process intently, only to jump on the lure as it springs free!

Jacobguy · March 04, 2020, 01:26:24 PM

Well I'm definitely gonna try this!

Sent from my SM-G970U1 using Tapatalk

Lipripper · March 04, 2020, 02:05:18 PM

Good tip Dale. We use a form of that method on our Crappie jigs and Roadrunners. You will get your baits back about 99% of the time.

TNDiver · March 04, 2020, 02:19:03 PM

So you snap AND drop the rod at the same time? I will have to try this

Pacific NW Ron · March 04, 2020, 02:22:18 PM

I've been using that technique since I was a kid, and that's a good number of years. It does work. Saved many lures doing this. Thanks for the reminder.

coldfront · March 04, 2020, 02:53:38 PM

Quote from: TNDiver on March 04, 2020, 02:19:03 PM
So you snap AND drop the rod at the same time? I will have to try this

just spit-ballin here TN, but probly don't wanna drop the rod.

Dale: do you find that the ole bow and arrow trick works better/worse depending upon line type?
mono vs flouro vs braid?

hung guys everywhere want to know.

Donald Garner · March 04, 2020, 03:06:52 PM

Dale tks for sharing the tip

TNDiver · March 04, 2020, 03:18:27 PM

Quote from: coldfront on March 04, 2020, 02:53:38 PM
just spit-ballin here TN, but probly don't wanna drop the rod.

Well if you do, you won't be worrying about your hung lure anymore!

coldfront · March 04, 2020, 03:25:08 PM

Quote from: TNDiver on March 04, 2020, 03:18:27 PM
Well if you do, you won't be worrying about your hung lure anymore!

that would be a lot more funny if I hadn't kicked two of my favorite rod/reel combos over the side of the boat these last two years.

TNDiver · March 04, 2020, 03:31:49 PM

Ouch! Did anyone see you do it? I was trying to "help" my daughter cast one of my new lures, using her pink barbie fishing pole and it slipped out of my hand and sunk in the water! If looks could kill, I would have been dead twice! Told her I would get my scuba gear and find it. Never did. Some fish probably grinned the lure and took off with it so someone will probably catch a fish and find another lure and pink fishing pole!

loomisguy · March 04, 2020, 03:50:53 PM

I use the ol banjo also.. I fished with a guy in a BFL that held the line and let the rod go down like a spear to jar a squarebill loose..
I thought he dropped the rod but it was on purpose.

Oldfart9999 · March 06, 2020, 06:09:20 AM

Thanks for the tip Dale.
Rodney

D.W. Verts · March 06, 2020, 12:44:42 PM

Quote from: coldfront on March 04, 2020, 02:53:38 PM
just spit-ballin here TN, but probly don't wanna drop the rod.

Dale: do you find that the ole bow and arrow trick works better/worse depending upon line type?
mono vs flouro vs braid?

hung guys everywhere want to know.

It's definitely a mono/floro type thing, because of the line stretch. It's the BOIINNGGG!! makes the bait pop loose. Most of my braid deal is with 50-65#. I just muscle the stuff out with that line.

I did however pop some grubs loose from rocks that they crawled under last Winter with ten-pound braid, so it worked there too.

And no, I didn't word the "drop the rod" part properly. How about changing it to "drop the rod tip"? This thing is obviously new enough to folks that I'm glad I mentioned it. I've saved HUNDREDS of dollars, and maybe more than a few fishin' spots using this over the years. I'm serious- hundreds of dollars, in just crankbaits alone.

TNDiver · March 08, 2020, 12:24:54 PM

Quote from: D.W. Verts on March 06, 2020, 12:44:42 PM
It's definitely a mono/floro type thing, because of the line stretch. It's the BOIINNGGG!! makes the bait pop loose. Most of my braid deal is with 50-65#. I just muscle the stuff out with that line.

I did however pop some grubs loose from rocks that they crawled under last Winter with ten-pound braid, so it worked there too.

And no, I didn't word the "drop the rod" part properly. How about changing it to "drop the rod tip"? This thing is obviously new enough to folks that I'm glad I mentioned it. I've saved HUNDREDS of dollars, and maybe more than a few fishin' spots using this over the years. I'm serious- hundreds of dollars, in just crankbaits alone.

We all knew what you meant, just getting some laughs. I have bent hooks getting lures unstuck using braid. I love it.