Lost a Loomis rod with a Diawa Tournament SS Whisker reel in a bay once in CA. About 10 years ago, we were playing around on these skiffs we rented (two of them, they are like 14' with like 8 hp motors) and throwing sardines and buckets of water at each other. Well we "got away" from our friends and started fishing again. They came up on us and we started the boat to get away and when we finally stopped the boat to fish again my pole was gone. I had never reeled it back up, and in the excitement it went in the drink. It was a light freshwater set-up. Perfect for bass fishing. Anyway $225. Ouch! I had bought the rod and reel like 5-6 years previous to that. I've never since been able to replace it. That was when you could buy a Loomis rod for $100 still. That reel actually cost more than the rod back then. lol. I don't buy expensive gear anymore, but not because of that. Give me any ol' decent graphite rod and I'm pretty happy.
In the same bay, I also lost a bait casting combo on a very big fish. Just had my rod pulled out of the boat. It's a sad sight to stand up, and just have that split second to think "jump in after it?!" but by that time, it's dissapppeared. The rod literally launched out of the boat. Probably a big ray or halibut.
Come to think of it, maybe that
is why I don't buy expensive gear anymore. Nah, I can't afford it
