kickingfrog Posted November 24, 2009 Report Share Posted November 24, 2009 http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/ArticleDi....aspx?e=2189286 Fishing for answers Barrie man offers reward for return of beloved fishing rod Posted By J.T. McVeigh Posted 7:00am Charlie Crosby just wants his fishing rod back. The Barrie man was away fishing with some friends a couple of weeks ago for his annual week away with his fishing club, and had to leave the river to get his wife to a doctor's appointment. He put the rod and reel on the roof of his car while quickly packing up. Being in a bit of hurry, he climbed into his vehicle and drove back to Barrie. That's when he realized that he had left the rod on top of the car. "I couldn't sleep for a week after it happened," a distraught Crosby said. "This just isn't any rod, this is the Cadillac." All seemed lost until he heard that someone had called a local radio station saying that they had found a rod on the road in Wasaga Beach. The fellow knew that someone had lost something special, telling the radio station that 'he couldn't believe it, this thing is a work of art. Hearing this he quickly called the station. Crosby found that staff couldn't find the contact information the caller had left. "And that is where I'm at, I can't get a hold of this guy." Without getting into dollars and cents, this is a unique rod. Known as a float rod it is more than 13 feet long, carefully sculpted and finished. The equipment is a real eyecatcher on the rivers. The rod is made of inlaid wood and brass fittngs. Crosby's first name 'CHAS' is on the rod. ` The reel is hand-made, machined from an aluminum blank and is again perfectly balanced. "It was an anniversary present, and I would really like to have it back" said Crosby. As member of the Nottawasaga Steelheaders and volunteer with the Nottawasaga Conservation Authority, Crosby knows that the rod and reel are quite well known. Now with the radio tip going cold, Crosby is appealing to the public at large to help him retrieve his property. He has been putting up posters with pictures of the reel throughout Wasaga Beach as well as going to area newspapers and radio stations for a call out. With the reel maker now retired from the business, and the craftsman who sculpted the rod having moved the New Brunswick and having dropped out of sight, replacing the equipment is impossible. "We moved to this area in 1971 and I have been fishing the rivers around here every since, this is really important to me." Like anyone whose passion drives them, losing the equipment is taking a real toll on Crosby. "After the years of memories on the river, losing that rod is like losing my right arm." If you have any information on the whereabouts of Crosby's gear, contact him at 728-6636. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spinnerbaitking Posted November 24, 2009 Report Share Posted November 24, 2009 (edited) Good Luck to him getting his Baby back, it will be returned Richard Edited November 24, 2009 by spinnerbaitking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJL Posted November 24, 2009 Report Share Posted November 24, 2009 Sounds like a Witzke custom rod with maybe a clough…Ouch! All the best to the guy in finding it. I'd be pretty devastated too if I lost a couple of my own rods…Witzke’s rods are usually very distinct and identifiable with decorative cork handle inlays (I've seen his rods with brass, wood, sometimes even tiny flies suspended inside bubbles of hard resin put inside the cork handle) and decorative thread weaves on the butt. I had the pleasure of fishing a custom Witzke 13’6” Sage baitcaster in the whirlpool last year and it was truly a work of art. Might not have the sentimental value as the original rod but there are a couple rod builders in Canada and the US I know of who should be able to reproduce the look and feel of the original rod given a few specs and an idea of what materials were used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfish1965 Posted November 24, 2009 Report Share Posted November 24, 2009 I got this pic from another float fisherman... this is the exact spot the rod was lost, so if you know this spot keep an eye out... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJQ Posted November 24, 2009 Report Share Posted November 24, 2009 Thats funny Rick... I hope he gets his rod back.. its funny how you get attached to equipment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lew Posted November 24, 2009 Report Share Posted November 24, 2009 A few years back there was an old couple, both in their 80's, who used to jig a weedline every night at dusk and I'd always stop my boat & chat with them for a few minutes on my way out night fishing. One night I came across them and they were both looking over the side of the boat with a flashlite, obviously upset, and they told me the old boy had dropped his favorite fishing pole in the drink and couldn't find it. It was nearly dark by now and they were gonna head in to their cottage which was close by. Early the next morning I headed to the spot he'd dropped his pole and with the sun shining I was able to find it and snag it with a big treble hook. I headed in to his dock and when he saw me he came down to see what I wanted. I held up the fish'n pole and as soon as he saw it he started to cry and said he thought he'd never see it again.......and that was one of the happiest moments of my life He offered me a reward, but of course seeing the old boy so happy was reward enuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[email protected] Posted November 24, 2009 Report Share Posted November 24, 2009 I got this pic from another float fisherman... this is the exact spot the rod was lost, so if you know this spot keep an eye out... I think its funny the mods are mocking the people who edit their photos, when its the mods who tell us to not show our spots.. lol... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfish1965 Posted November 24, 2009 Report Share Posted November 24, 2009 We have never asked anyone to edit a picture. Steelheaders have been doing it for a long, long, time and other sites are rather famous for it. Not making fun of anyone..just the practise. Sorry..I just think the extreme measures some guys take to protect what they have are funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twocoda Posted November 24, 2009 Report Share Posted November 24, 2009 I got this pic from another float fisherman... this is the exact spot the rod was lost, so if you know this spot keep an eye out... hmmmmmm i cant be 100% positive cuz the rock in my backyard has a different hue to it and no bird poop on it .... hope he gets his rod back.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBW Posted November 25, 2009 Report Share Posted November 25, 2009 I got this pic from another float fisherman... this is the exact spot the rod was lost, so if you know this spot keep an eye out... I know that black cloud, it follws me fishing all the time! I too hope he get's the set up back though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamisteel Posted November 25, 2009 Report Share Posted November 25, 2009 good luck with that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glen Posted November 25, 2009 Report Share Posted November 25, 2009 I dont know where the custom rod is but i hope he gets it back. Lew Nice work getting it back to him and thanks for the story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ketchenany Posted November 25, 2009 Report Share Posted November 25, 2009 Could this gentleman not ask the radio station to announce the situation and maybe the finder will come forward again . . . It's a shot, or maybe put notices up at Wasaga. I had a box of lures I dropped in Collingwood retrieved by a fishing buddy using a marine magnet 6 months after I dropped it getting in a boat, good feeling. I hope he gets it back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misfish Posted November 25, 2009 Report Share Posted November 25, 2009 Was On the A channel tonight aswell. Hope an honest person returns it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Buck Posted November 25, 2009 Report Share Posted November 25, 2009 don't know how good a centerpin would be after it would fall off the roof of a truck?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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