Best day crappie fishing - was it worth it? You decide !

[Cruizin for Fish]

I had a 'Red Lake during the hayday' day on slabs this past weekend, however, as I was reeling up one of the numerous 12"+ slabs, I tipped over to pull one out of the hole and poof my new GPS with the 2007 chip landed directly in the center of the hole. I slammed my hand down the hole as fast as I could but only managed to touch it before I watched it plummet out of sight. I found out my GPS sank like a heavy lead weight. At the time it was as fast as you could get the bait down, bam, hooked another one.

For some reason, I was not having as much fun after that. I looked with the camera all over, but no luck.

What do you guys think - would it be worth your best day of catch and release on slabs only to find out you lost your $400 GPS unit down the hole?

I am undecided and have already placed an order for a new one - OUCH !

Cruizin

[DEADhead]

if it was an ifinder with lithium batteries, it should have floated. Ouch is right. Maybe tether your new GPS.

IMO, I don't think the fish was worth losing your GPS...

[EBass]

man that sux - I think I'd rather have the GPS though

[Deitz Dittrich]

What are you talking about.. Hip hip horay.. New GPS and new 2008 chip!!!

Bummer, sorry to hear about your loss, congrats on the great fishing!

[Sandmannd]

Yea, the fishing woulda been a blast, but not to loose your toy over. Dang man, sorry to hear that.

[FishinChad]

Maybe worth it for a 17+" crappie, but not for some 12-14" slabs. Them holes love to eat electronics, gotta be careful!

[NCLaker]

Bummer ... I think worse is that you lost all your favorite way points :-)

I have an expidition and put it in one a neoprene protective case w/ clear front. I heard that it helps keep it a float. Hope I never have to put it to the test.

[CrappieAttitude]

 Originally Posted By: NCLaker

Bummer ... I think worse is that you lost all your favorite way points :-)

I have an expidition and put it in one a neoprene protective case w/ clear front. I heard that it helps keep it a float. Hope I never have to put it to the test.

Sorry to hear about the loss man...What a drag. As far as testing the floatation of your case, I would try it out in the tub, so you don't have to always ask yourself "Will it Float" when you are on the lake.

CA

[Cruizin for Fish]

Deadhead - Your tether idea has already gone through the numb skull - maybe fasten the dead end to my neck since I know it would be tough to squeeze me through an 8" hole!

Attitude - good call on testing it in a much safer and shallower environment - looks like my kids get to have some fun in the tub with my new GPS! Believe me - the new one will be fastened at my hip and coated with 6" of foam for floatation.

Dietz - I hear ya on the new unit and new chip - guess I will get 80 more lakes to view contours for now!

I think your all right - maybe for numerous 16" - 17" + but not for the 12" - 13" I managed.

Cruizin

[ZapBranigan]

Wow tough luck for sure. But the question is like "Do you walk to work or carry your lunch?" Not really a releated issue. The GPS could have fell down the hole on your worse day just as well. So my response would be I would like to have that day of fishing without having anything fall down the hole.

Good and bad mix there but not required that one happen to have the other.

[blackdog1101]

Ouch! I'm sorry you lost your GPS.

[NCLaker]

I have been pretty lucky not losing anything down the hole yet (hope I didn't just jinx my self). The phobia of losing something has kept me away from them 10" holes.

My money is on the my cell phone as the first thing that will likely find its way in for a swim. I think my GPS would probably be the worst equipment to lose down the hole. It is a good thing they make most flashers too large to fit into most holes.

[CrappieAttitude]

 Originally Posted By: NCLaker

I have been pretty lucky not losing anything down the hole yet (hope I didn't just jinx my self). The phobia of losing something has kept me away from them 10" holes.

My money is on the my cell phone as the first thing that will likely find its way in for a swim. I think my GPS would probably be the worst equipment to lose down the hole. It is a good thing they make most flashers too large to fit into most holes.

It doesn't matter what size of a hole you are fishing out of some time down the line, you will probably be finding youself with a wet elbow after diving to try and retrieve something. I swear you could be fishing out of a 4" hole and the ice hole demons will cast a spell on the item dropped and make it "swish,nothing but net" Why is that???

CA

[kilkercal615]

It happens to the best of us...I lost my pair of 400 dollar glasses down the hole this year. I leaned over the hole and plop right off my head. I didn't know glasses could sink so fast. My buddy has lost three cell phones down his holes in two years. He finally took out insurence on them.

[wall_eye_assasin]

HMMMMMM samething happened to me last week in RED LAKE, I lost my cell phone down the hole. Cost me around 147.00 dollars when I got home to replace it. Was it worth it dang right for me it was. I caught some great fish, some huge crappies and one for the wall. With mounting the fish and losing the cell phone it was an expensive one but the memories and the great time I had was worth every penny. I can always work harder and make more money. Can't replace the memories. Sorry to hear you lost your GPS though. My cell phone will have an one-who-thinks-I-am-silly string tied to it next time.

[FishinChad]

 Originally Posted By: killercal615

It happens to the best of us...I lost my pair of 400 dollar glasses down the hole this year. I leaned over the hole and plop right off my head. I didn't know glasses could sink so fast.

I didnt know sunglasses could cost so much!

[Iambjm]

Man, and I was whining that I dropped a brand new ice scoop down the whole, not to mention the ice scoop I lost off the 4 wheeler. My husband is the kind of guy that tethers everything to his body (no kidding) and I always tease him about it. Looks like I better start looking for some cords for my phone, etc.

Barb

[SSSTaxidermy]

What a tough call…Fishing of a lifetime or GPS. I like the statement, GPS can be replaced and memories can’t. That statement kinda turned me a bit. Otherwise I would have said, I’d rather have my GPS. Loosing the GPS is part of the memory now…You will never forget it now.

I’m mad when I loose the $9.99 sunglasses I buy at Fleet.

[mr_jman]

Thats pretty tough!

If you had a GPS you could've marked where your GPS went in. (LOL)

I guess I would've spent some time working on getting it back. If it had any type of cord or rope or anything that a hook could've grabbed I would've spent a little more time trying to "catch" it.

I've been lucky so far..... My bad luck comes from getting stuck at almost every access with my car. So is getting stuck for as much as 4 hours worth getting out on the lake. YOU BETCHA!!!!!!!!!!!

[walleyeaddict]

The hole gremlins srike again!! Always seems to be when ur wackin em!!

[The Hammer]

That blows... I lost my phone down the hole a month ago on a crappie trip that was no good. It made for a long day.

[Gordie]

this past season on Mille Lacs my excpetion went down the hole 27fow and what was worse was that it was on. pulled my coat off of the bunk and heard a splash thought it was my phone and found out it was my GPS. wish it was my phone the next morning stuck the camera down and there it was so I dropped a big pimple down and couldnt hook it was to far off the side, so my buddy tied on a salmo chubby darter and the third try he hooked it and then I hand lined it all the way up. the power turned on but nothing worked so I let it sit above the wood stove for a month then put batterys in it and I"LL be a monkeys uncle it works. the best thing we caught that day was my lowrance execpition.

[Cruizin for Fish]

Assassin - I think you hit it on the head with "cant replace the memories" - that does make it a little easier. Amazing how it happened so fast though - ploop (there goes the GPS), splash (then my arm), _ _ _ _ (the slow motion words uttered by Ralphie in A Christmas Story when he accidentally hit his fathers hubcap full of lug nuts).

Jman - I did look for about an hour with the camera but it was very difficult to see anything in the murky water and the only thing I figure could be snagged was a little rubber piece that covers the computer attachment. Certainly it would not fall straight either - my luck - it landed 20 feet away and stuck in the sediment enough that even a diver could not find it.

P.S. I do have the precice coordinates and could find the exact hole I was in when my heart sank on Sunday! Not being a diver and figuring it would not be worth any additional effort I already have the replacement being shipped today.

Cruizin