Fishing Rod Flotation Device Review

 Don’t think you need a life preserver or flotation device for your rod and reel?

If you are doing any fishing from a boat or kayak, and have expensive gear, you should take a look at this device.

The Case of the Flying Fishing Rod

I’d like to tell you a little story. I was fishing with my friend Vince one day on a guided trip on the Delaware River. We had just gotten to the middle of the river, in about 8 ft of heavily stained water and Vince goes to cast his tube when all of a sudden, I see a baitcasting rod and reel go flying over our heads and into the river.  

Vince had hooked my rod and next thing I know, I’m watching this rod, as if in slow motion, go flying, splashing into the middle of the river, and sinking in the stained water.  We didn’t know in the first moments if it was mine or his.  My heart sunk as I realized it was my gear that quickly sank to the bottom or was carried down river some unknown distance. 

Because he had launched it a good 20 feet, it was too far away to get to quickly and I’m sure the bass were laughing as they saw this expensive set-up sinking slowly to the bottom.  We spent a little time casting lipless crankbaits and dragging them on the bottom hoping to find and snag it but, but had no such luck.

When two avid smallmouth anglers are ishing from a boat, it is common to have 6 or 7 rods on deck and you could see how this could happen.  At the time, I wondered if there was some homing device or way to prevent this from happening.

Blakemore Fishing Rod Flotation Device Review

I was recently reminded of this problem when I read about a Bass Pro who recently lost her rod and reel in a lake and was successful in finding it by marking where she lost it on her GPS and then dragging weighted hooks on the bottom.  She was lucky enough to find the rod but in a river, the rods are pulled down river and this wouldn’t work. 

In addition, I had recently gone kayak fishing with my son and as we were reeling in a 22 inch smallie, I almost lost one of my rods overboard.  The memory of that day with Vince flashed before my eyes and I thought to myself, someone has to have come up with a solution to this problem.

I searched Bass Pro and found these Rod Floaters seemed to be the best option, so I decided to give them a try.  I figured $12 to protect 3 rods was well worth the investment if they worked. 

Watch the video as I test them out for the first time while I was wading the Schuylkill River:

httpv://youtu.be/sN3pyLWSkeY

What I like about these floaters:

• Light weight – protect my investment in my equipment without being noticed.
• Inexpensive – Save my rod from drowning and loss in the depths of the lake or river for less than the cost of a McDonald’s value meal.
• Easy to take on and off – If I am just going wading or fishing from shore, I can take them off my rods easily.
• Neutral color – blends in with the color of my fishing rods.
• Function – Best of all, they actually work and will save your expensive fishing combo from loss!

In fishing with it on the spinning rod, it didn’t seem to interfere with casting and there was no noticeable weight change.  I was impressed by this fishing rod flotation device. I actually didn’t think it would work very well but I was wrong! 

They functioned how they should and they get a big thumb’s up from me!

Get them from Bass Pro here:

TTI Blakemore Blakemore Rod Floaters – 6″ – Black – Rod Accessories

Some reviews from Basspro.com: