Another cheap and easy lure retriever!

[robrdavis]

This one's known by everyone who's ever fished for salmon off of the 1st Sreet point in Benicia, CA.

Fishing from the bank is shoulder to shoulder, casting over some wicked rip-rap.  You better be retrieving as soon as your lure hits the water or you're hung up and your neighbors get surly since they can't cast until you're cleared.  (Yes, it's that busy come salmon time!)  As soon as you're snagged, the cry echoes up and down the line, "Uh oh, time to get the bottle!"

The bottle.  There's no pride left when you have to reach for it, but a quick look to either side will prove that everyone there has one. 

So, what's the dreaded "bottle?"

Take an empty soda (or pop for those who don't drink soda) bottle, fill it an inch or two deep with water and screw the top back on.  Tie a foot or so of line to it with a snap swivel on the other end.  When you get hung up you simply hang your head in shame, let out a decent amount of slack, snap the swivel onto your line and throw the whole thing out past your snag.  This will jerk your lure free and let you reel it back away from the shore, up and away from the nasty rocks.  Now all that's left is to make up some lame excuse about wanting to test that your bottle still floats or stirring up anything that was sleeping on the bottom, unclip and wait your turn to cast again.

[zimarob]

Gonna try this one in private on a nice quiet lake before taking it to busytown