Several years ago I posted a note about using an inexpensive tack hook for getting things out of ponds. In just the last couple of days I've had to use it three times. Once for a chair that blew off the dock in a storm, once for retrieving a spinning rod that blew off the dock, and last night when I threw out a trot line that I moved and forgot to tie to the shoreline. I use this thing many times a year, and it has a semipermanent home on the dock. I've even used it to remove worn out trees used for structure in the pond.
They are generally less than $5 wherever horse supplies are sold.
Ken, that's a great idea! I've got one hanging in the old stable and it's been collecting dust since I bought the place. Now I know what I can use it for.
Good idea! I tried a hay bailing hook and it didn't work very well because the hook wanted to ride up instead of down.
Cecil -- the great thing about these is that they always have two prongs on the bottom of the pond. I have at least 25 feet of rope tied to mine, maybe longer. The hook is heavy enough to throw out to the end of the rope.
Originally Posted By: JKB
My Dad use to use a similar device while dragging waters for those that have perished.
I haven't been involved in that part of life for over 40 years. These are certainly similar to those types of grappling hooks. They look similar, but my experience with the kind you referred were at least twice as big, maybe more. I don't know how they it do it now-a-days, but back 40 years ago they trolled at a several knots with a number of these on outriggers. That was in the days before good sonar. To do so, the type I was familiar with had the entire shank wrapped with about 3/8-inch lead "wire" and the hooks were sharpened. Those things were fairly heavy. The hooks were big enough to pull in a large sunken log or railroad tie.
The tack hooks are heavy enough to get to the bottom of a pond quickly, and they stay down when hand pulling the rope.
What is amazing are the number of things I've retrieved that I didn't even know I had lost!
so have you tried this out and bring in something you never expected to bring in?
Use somthing very similar to this for anchoring in debri fields while off shore fishing. Once brung up a Octopus about 7' long and never care to do that again. That sucker decided to come aboard the gunnel and believe me when I tell you a 7' octopus is strong and actually covers about 12' in diameter. That rascal broke some high dollar rods before inking the boat and and taking a few items with him.
I only keep the little ones around 2 feet or less and convert them into grouper sandwiches. The big grouper love the smaller ones. One of my most exotic prizes came from catching an octopus. He retreated into a giant helmet conch shell and I brought up him and a shell about the size of a basketball.
