I went to Barnsfold last Friday and nearly lost my fishing rod!

While casting I decided to let my intermediate sink right to the bottom and thought it would be a good opportunity to grab a couple of mouthfuls of soup while I waited for my line to sink.

While talking to my fishing companion and taking a gulp of soup my heart suddenly dropped as I heard a

"click - click - clkclkclkclkclkclkclkclkcclkweeeee"

My rod which I had placed on the bank next to my bag as I had got my soup out had sprung to life and was making a mad dash for the water!

I dropped my soup (leek and potato) and lunged for my rod, as I lifted it half bent over then went completley slack.

My heart was in my mouth and I couldn't quite work out what had happened. My friend was laughing at my stupidity as I retrieved my line to see what was left of my fly.

The leader had snapped (there was no tell tale squiggly line from a crappy knot). I was half gutted about the fact I was only using 4lb line but at the same time half relieved as had I not used 4lb the line might have held and my rod may have gotten away.

It first happened to me when my son was around 10 yrs old (more years ago than I care to remember) on Farmoor - I hooked a fish, son ran up with landing net, netted fish returned for his own rod - and it wasn't there! No-one else fishing at the time so presumably one of the residents towed it off!

Should always leave some slack line and make sure rod is secure but reel free to spin if fish takes whilst you are having that well earned brew. Better still, bring line and fly in then have brew and just watch the water.

I always take my rod out the water "just incase" sounds like you were luck you didnt have heavier leader on

I was fishing one Boxing Day with my son and two grandsons. We were fishing with fast sink lines and boobies.
Incident 1 A grandson put his rod still out down for a brew and nearly lost it.He just spotted it going into the lake in time

Incident 2 The other grandson put his rod down to net my fish. A fish carried his rod off into the reservoir and it stuck out of the water like a submarine periscope. By using a stone attached to a fly line, off a spare casette, we managed to get a line over the rod and bring it back in.

Incident 3 I dropped my rod that was out to try and save above rod. My rod went out but was stopped just in time from a watery grave by my son.

We put our careless behaviour down to the extremely cold temperature that had frozen our brains.

BK

Happened to an acquaintance of mine a few years back, at Bessy Beck fishery.
He had wound his line in, but left the fly on the waters edge, a cruising trout took it while he was talking to me.
Luckily for him BB is a small fishery and not too deep, the weight of the reel made the butt sink, and the rod top was sticking out of the water being dragged around by, we think a decent rainbow.
It was comical to watch, he was panicking, and I had a small dry fly on, but another chap close by came along and cast his heavy lure over the line and we managed to pull the line in, the fish was still on at this point.
My friend was so relieved, he grabbed the rod, and as he did so, the fish came off.
His face was a picture.
S.

__________________
"A glint of sun has warmed the air,The flies will soon hatch out, To lure and tempt from their deep lair, The bonnie speckled trout." SKB tackle supporter. I love Furled Leaders.

Well there's your problem. Everyone knows that cock a leekie soup is more appropriate when leaving a rod unattended ... especially when going for a pee.

__________________
[I]"I still don't know why I fish or why other men fish, except that we like it and it makes us think and feel."[/I] Roderick L Haig-Brown

[url]www.wildfly.net[/url]

[url]http://www.gameanglinginstructors.co.uk/[/url]

isnt leaving a fly rod unnattended against rules and in England?

isnt leaving a fly rod unnattended against rules and in England?

is pouring a cup of coffee or soup classed as leaving your rod unattended , going for a walk and talk , is different yes.

__________________
its not how you tie your flies , its how you tease your flies

This summer, I put down my rod beside me on the float tube to search for something in the boat's pockets ... next thing I see ... is the rod pulled in and being towed out ... on a sinking DI7 line. There I was ... without my precious Sintrix rod with demon reel. I drove home and me and the wife loaded pike rods with led and triples and went dragging with the two club rowing boats. ... after a couple of hours she pulled a line out. I went over and started pulling the line in ... and .. the fish was still on. And very alive. I pulled up the rod and drilled the fish I ate that one out of 'revenge'
Never will I put a rod down again. Beside feeling very stupid and ridiculous. I saved up for that rod as well.
J.J.