Fishing lures are expensive, and it can be frustrating to keep losing them.
At some point, most fishers will lose lures. However, some people tend to lose more lures than others which may cause them to question why this happens so often.
In this article, the reasons why you keep losing your lures, including how to prevent them, will be highlighted.
Here is why you keep losing lures:
The major reason why you keep losing lures is that the lures keep snagging, and you are unsnagging them incorrectly.
Also, casting the fishing line inappropriately and not using a strong fishing line can contribute to you losing lures regularly.
Is it normal to lose lures?
It is totally normal to lose lures. The only way to avoid losing them is to stop fishing entirely or stop using lures to fish.
Most Fishers will lose several lures here and there.
The only time it may not be considered normal is if you are losing way too many lures when you fish. That shows that there is likely to be a factor causing your loss, and it is not being appropriately addressed.
Here are four common reasons why you may keep losing fishing lures:
- You are unsnagging your lures incorrectly
It is not uncommon to have lures get snagged in the water. This can be frustrating and time-consuming.
If you unsnag the lures incorrectly, then you will have to say goodbye to a lot of lures.
How to avoid losing lures while unsnagging
When unsnagging, Avoid pulling up the line hard in an attempt to get the lures out. This may work once in a while, but there are better ways to correctly unsnag your fishing lures, minimizing the number of lures you lose.
Some of them are as follows,
- First, make your line slack to unsnag a jig lure stuck between rocks or wood. Hold the line with one hand and place your other hand down on the line to extend it, forming a bow-like shape.
Then let go of your hand that is extending the line. Letting go will release the lure with force
- For crankbaits, you can use a plug knocker. Set the knocker to slide down on your line. While the knocker travels down your line, hold the line tight. When it reaches the bottom, you can let the line loose.
The force of the plug knocker as it slides down pushes the lure out from whatever it got stuck to
- Another trick is to use a stick. Let out some line and wrap it well around a strong stick. After, try to pull the lure out with the stick.
The stick adds more force compared to pulling with the line alone
- You can also use the tip of your rod. If the water is shallow, and you can have a view of your lure and where it got snagged, you can use the tip of your rod tip to unsnag your lure.
This method can, however, damage your fishing rod, so use it only if the lure means so much to you or if you care less about the rod
- You are not casting accurately
Even though casting a line is simple and basic, many anglers commonly make an error that may be responsible for losing their lures.
This error involves casting your fishing knots through the rod guides over and over again.
Every time you hit the knots through the rode guides, it causes friction.
The friction weakens the knots over time, leaving them at a higher risk of breaking or unraveling. The consequence of this is that you may end up casting off your expensive lure.
How to avoid losing lures while casting
To prevent this, be more conscious when casting your line to reduce the frequency of the knots hitting the rod guides.
- You are not familiar with the area where you are fishing
Another reason your lures keep getting snagged and lost could be because you’re not familiar with the environment where you are fishing.
There are higher chances of losing lures if you are fishing in an area for the first time and you have no idea how deep the water is, the places with lots of large rocks, possible location of hazards, and other factors.
How to avoid losing lures in new areas
One way to avoid this is to look through Google Earth online before going through a new area to fish. It will show you a landscape of the particular place where you want to fish.
Also, you can ask questions from other people fishing around who are already familiar with the environment.
- You keep losing lures because of your fishing line
This is another reason why your fishing lures keep getting lost. It could be because the fishing line you are using is not strong.
How to avoid this
Use a braided fishing line instead. It is stronger, thinner, and stretches less than the traditional monofilament line.
Braided line also gives you more control, making it easier to detect when a lure gets snagged at the bottom and easier to pull out.
The only downside is that braid is more expensive than monofilament lines. However, it is always worth the investment because it would last longer and save you more lures than you would lose.
How do I stop losing crankbaits?
Some of the ways to stop losing crankbaits are as follows.
- Modify the hook of your crankbaits to prevent snagging
Crankbaits usually have one hook at the tail and another at the stomach area. The other hook at the stomach area is, in most cases, responsible for the crankbait snagging and getting lost.
Your best bet would be to modify that hook since removing it will make the crankbait lose balance and remain useless.
Modify the hook by heating it well and turning it inward with a plier. This hides the pointed part of the hook and reduces the chances of snagging and losing your crankbaits.
- Unsnag the crankbaits properly when they get snagged
One way to unsnag them is to use a plug knocker.
All you have to do is slide the plug knocker down your fishing line, holding the line tightly. When the plug knocker slides down to the snagged crankbait, the force through the line will pull it out.
Takeaway
While it can be pretty frustrating to lose fishing lures, the truth is that losing them is almost inevitable. However, when this becomes excessive, it can raise concerns regarding the causes.
Four reasons why you may be losing your lures, including how to prevent them, have been discussed in this article. Also, with practice and skill, you will master how not to lose your lures frequently, particularly when unsnagging them.
While you try to figure out what could be causing you to keep losing lures, don’t forget that losing lures once in a while is normal, and the only way to avoid that is to stop fishing with lures entirely.
Sources:
https://www.saltstrong.com/articles/casting-mistake-fishing-tip/
https://www.wired2fish.com/bass-fishing/4-easy-ways-to-get-your-fishing-lure-unsnagged/#slide_1