Tackle Retriever'$

The single most valuable piece of equipment in your tackle box

The "Tackleback"
The most popular type but you'll need a heavier retriever in fast currents.	The effectiveness is obvious.

If you look at it in this same way and you have been trolling and casting expensive lures around for a while you will be surprised as to the value your lure retriever really amounts to. Lures are expensive and on average cost around $12-$18 each and you can see why an investment of a little more than the value of a couple of lures is well worth it. I have found that loosing lures on fishing trips now is becoming rare and I get to travel home in a very happy mood knowing I didn't loose a single lure and have just enjoyed myself on the river. This is how you should always feel after a week-end of lure casting. Plus if a few more people understood this then I would think alot more people would get into lure casting with out being worried about leaving their money snagged on a submerged log at the bottom of your favourite waterway. It's a sad fact but many people tend not to take up lure casting due to the expense but if you learn how to use a tackle retriever effectively it does not have to cost you an arm or a leg. Although you must come to terms with loosing a couple every now and then as some will prove very stubborn to retrieve.

What's available

The range of lure retrievers is becoming larger by the year and are easily found in all tackle shops and large department stores. They're all designed with pretty much the same concept using a heavy weight and have some type of guide that slides the weight down your line and either have wire grabbers or some type of chain arrangement that grabs the swivel or eyelets at the tow point of your lure or they tangle on the trebles. Once the tackle retriever is tied to a good strong chord you can pull even the most well snagged lure out. Even if you bend the trebles you still get your lure back as it's just a matter of straightening the trebles back up with a good strong pair of pliers, using extreme care of course. With this in mind it is also a good idea to have spare trebles and ringlets so you can change them as needed and remember to keep your trebles sharp as after a few snag up's the trebles will start to blunt. Have a good file handy to give them a quick going over as needed and you will always have sharp trebles.

Like I said earlier, there are quite a few different types of tackle retrievers on the market these days so the choices are many. However the widespread availability can be a problem with some tackle retriever's as many are manufactured by keen entrepreneurial anglers made and distributed from their homes and this usually means that their distribution is to only a few choice Tackle Shops. It's always a good idea when your up at your favourite fishing spot to stop in to the local town and have a browse in the tackle shops there as you will be surprised to find some really good locally made products.

When considering your purchase look for really well constructed designs as you will be using these under extreme circumstances at times and will be pulling on them like there is no tomorrow. Look for good solid clips, guides and tie off points and a strong nylon chord. Most tackle retrievers don't have a chord supplied so you will have to purchase a good strong nylon chord that will take your full pulling force and also not hurt or cut into your hands. There are many good soft on the hand chords on the market and many are found in the fishing sections of major department stores or tackle shops.

The Alternatives

There are many alternative and additional tackle retrievers that can be simply made at home with relatively little expense and effort. I have a heavy duty homemade one that I use in the fast currents of the Murray River, it is very heavy so it can get down to the lure with out the current pulling on the chord and stopping it from reaching the lure, especially if it's down deep. It was made out of a length of 19mm copper pipe fitted with a line guide at each end, a tow point at one end to tie the chord on and two small lengths of chain at the other. Then once I had all these fittings located in their right positions I then filled the copper pipe with melted lead, let it cool and "Viola!". You have a simple and very cheap and effective tackle retriever that did not take very long to make. It's the best tackle retriever that I've used and I made it myself.

Another form of tackle retriever that I have found indispensable is an aluminium telescopic stick that has line guide fitted at the end with a small piece of chain. This is always the first tool I use when snagged up as I find it very easy to use and nine times out of ten it will work. You have greater control when using this and can free up snagged lures with speed and ease down to depths of 3m to 5m depending on the size of telescopic pole used. These can be made up very easily once you have sourced the pole that you want to use. Then it's just a matter of using a good strong gauge of stainless steel wire and at one end make a little pigs tail with 2 or 3 turns. You'll need to work out how you will fix this and a small piece of chain to the end and "hey presto", another fine cheap but effective tackle retriever made by yourself.

Rounding Up

If you get yourself fully prepared with the right tools for the job you will find that loosing expensive tackle will be alot less common and your lure casting days will be a whole lot more enjoyable and save you money. Just remember that a little money spent on purchasing and/or making some homemade tackle retrievers will in the long run save you a very considerable amount of money, time and heartache. So once you have your lure retrieving devices sorted you will be able to confidently cast into the snaggiest water that once you were too frightened to try knowing you have a very good chance of retrieving you lures.

GOODOO DREAMING.