|
|
Posts: 32
Location: Frankfort, IL | I spent an extremely short one day fishing Lake Vermillion with my brother and 14 yr old nephew (sister's kid) and had to return home for personal reasons. My nephew was using one of my rods while I was there as he was having trouble with my brother's setups (new to musky fishing), so I let him use it for the rest of the week while I returned back home to Chicago.
I received a phone call today that my new St. Croix Tournament Legend Rod / Shimano Curado 300DSV now resides somewhere in the depths of Lake Vermillion 
I wonder if it would stand up in court if he didn't make it to his 15th birthday? LOL!
Ken |
|
| |
|
Posts: 199
Location: Sandusky, OH | If you got a judge that fishes, you're in the clear.
Eric
Sorry for your luck. |
|
| |
|
| Is he a good swimmer? |
|
| |
|
| He is a kid and thats what kids do. However make him get a summer job and pay you back. You will teach him some responsibility!!! |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1270
| As a father I would have never let him make that call. I would have had him buy you a new combo and explain it to you when he gave it to you. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1504
Location: Oregon | Yep what stu said......actually I think his parents should pay for it and then ask him to pay them back. I know I would feel obligated to replace it if my boy lost it.
RM |
|
| |
|
Posts: 32955
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | I bet your nephew feels pretty bad about losing the rod, right? |
|
| |
|
Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | those are the tough life lessons that are pretty important to teach, but teach with an understanding of what the kid is going through and his feelings (i agree with steve) ... bottom line though is that you left the rod with a 14 year old knowing he was going to use it ... you know the risk, it played out and it's your own dam fault LOL ... and if it was my kid and you posted on a public forum even tongue in cheek "justifiable homicide" ... i guess i'd teach you some lessons too.
love me or hate me, but just the post and the wording is bad form when it relates to kids ... but then i've only got 4 of them, so what the heck do i know
Edited by jonnysled 7/13/2007 8:35 PM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 32
Location: Frankfort, IL | Completely 100% a joke on my part (the wording), not the best choice. I have discussed it with his mother and will support any decision she makes (from full reimbursement down to nothing). After all it is not my child and he should be raised (disciplined) as she feels fit whether I agree with it or not. I spoke to my brother and the poor kid was terrified to make the phone call. Unfortunately, his mother has been divorced on two occasions and he is having difficulty adjusting during these crucial "development" years.
In the end, we will all laugh about this in years to come.
Ken |
|
| |
|
Posts: 32955
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Yessir, you will, I have several outfits that hit the water in the hands of my kids and relatives, friends, etc. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 110
Location: NEW LENOX IL | Good excuse to go back to Vermillion and cast for a week or two and try to hook it up off the bottom. Might even get lucky an snag a fish or two!!
Dave |
|
| |
|
| where did he loose it? which bay, reef, island ect. LOL |
|
| |
|
Posts: 223
Location: minneapolis | Intent is the real issue here. If the kid had some sort of anger moment and intentionally tossed the gear in the lake- that is a situation where the lesson is learned that every action has a result-in this case- pay for your actions. If the kid accidently lost his grip and the gear went overboard- that is a different situation. We all know the possibility exists that our favorite lure, rod, whatever- has a chance of being lost when we allow someone to use our stuff. If that was the case here- personally I'd rather have a 14 year old kid losing my gear accidently- than being the type of 14 year old breaking into my house and stealing alot more than a rod and reel ! And there's plenty of 14 year olds doing that and alot worse these days. Sounds like the kid's life has had a rough go the last few years. - Go easy on him- Once you get too old to take yourself fishing- he might remember this and be the only person willing to take you fishing 
Edited by esoxlady 7/14/2007 10:54 AM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 317
| hey if the kid was man enough to make the phone call to his uncle and explaine what happened, commend him on his honesty and don't go hard on him. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 221
Location: ohio | i'm glad you worked it out, maybe you should take him out again as soon as possible, they way he feels now, he probably wont ever want to fish again. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 232
Location: Sun Prairie, WI | I would be happy to lose one of my dads or uncles combos, if they were still alive to hand it to me.
Take the kid fishing asap and further more buy him his own combo, something he can cherish as his own. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 699
Location: Hugo, MN | ESOXER had a great point. Go to Bass Pro Shops website and buy the kid his own Pete Maina combo. I'd be willing to bet, if he's a good kid, he'll never lose that thing. |
|
| |
|
| If my daughter did that, I would just forget about it and let her know that it was just an accident and to be more careful.
If it was my ex-wife, she'd still be free diving until she came up with it. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 468
Location: Not where I wanna be! | stuff like that happens...
my brother lost one of my dads rods in canada years ago.
the folloing day, my dad insisted on finding it, so he put a big ol musky killer on and slow rollled it on the bottom where the rod should be.....
i dont have this kind of luck, but he found it....and still uses it to this day....
thats my dad for ya.....
crap happens, no need to make the kid feel worse than he already does....
im sure it will get righted some day!!! |
|
| |
|
Posts: 8863
| Bottom line is somebody else's kid lost something of yours that cost several hundred dollars. It's a lot of money. I would expect to have it replaced. 14 is old enough to take responsibility for something you borrowed from someone else. Granted, you can't expect a 14 year old to have $500 laying around. Should be up to him and his mother how to work that part out. I wouldn't be mad about it -- as others have said, stuff happens. Gotta give the kid credit for being man enough to cop to it. My advice: Take him fishing. Let him and his mother know you expect to have your rod replaced. My guess is you'll never see the money, and you'll have years of "don't toss that in the lake now" jokes to look forward to. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 7
Location: Palos Hills IL / Conover WS | I hate to say it but. But you let your nephew use the rod. You are the person respoonsible for that. I would not try to get it replaced. Don't forget its your family. Family first. Now if its a friends child that is another story. But in this case just consider that a lesson that hopefully you will both learn from. But i would not try to get reimbursed from my family...
MY .02
Tim |
|
| |
|
| 1. I would be mad that your sister didnt immediately replace this gear. I think its bad that she would even let you be in the position where you would have to go after the kid for the money (as she should be the one to pay and then collect from your nephew)
2. I would definitely want the 5 bills for the rig
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 216
Location: Elk River, MN | I agree with a lot of posts - I bet a 14 year old probably would not know (understand) the difference between a $100 combo versus a $500 combo. It's definitely unfortunate that this happened to you and the 14 year old.
I remember when I was 14 I was driving my Dad's truck (with permission) and backed into a tree; damaged the drivers mirror and door. I didn't have the money to fix it.....but lesson of being more careful was learned.
Edited by dhacker 7/16/2007 1:27 PM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 8863
| I don't get this mentality where letting someone use something = taking the risk that something might happen to it and it will be your loss. Shouldn't it be the other way around?
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 382
| I am with EA on this, the dude is 14, not 6. There is this new word called "responsibility" that he is going to have to get used to, what better time to start. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 143
| this is the reason my roomate doesn't use my legend tournament when we fish. of course, replacing it wouldn't be as big a deal for him as a 14 year old.
i know for sure if i did the same thing to a family member, there is no WAY my mother would let me get away without replacing it. heck, i lost HER 7 iron in a lake when i was like 12 (or younger i don't remember) and i had to replace it. i don't remember how i got money besides mowing lawns, but i had to do it. |
|
| |
|
| MY WIFE THEW ONE OVER A FEW YEARS BACK. I SAW A NICE FISH SUFACE AND TOLD HER TO HUURY AND MAKE A CAST OVER THERE. SHE FORGOT TO PUSH THE BUTTON AND OVER IT WENT. I SPENT THREE OR FOUR CAST TRYING TO HOOK IT AND TOLD SOME FRIENDS THAT WERE IN THE AREA ABOUT IT. I THEN HANDED HER ANOTHER ROD AND REEL AND WE WERE OFF TO ANOTHER SPOT. SHE WHITE KNUCKELED IT FOR THE REST OF THE NIGHT. THE NEXT MORNING THE FRIENDS I TOLD ABOUT CAME PULLING UP WITH IT. THEY WENT SNORKELING FOR IT. FOUND IT ON THE FIRST PASS. I MADE HER A SAFTEY ROPE FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON. NOW SHE IS FINE CASTING JUST AS I DO.
TOM |
|
| |
|
Posts: 670
Location: Minnetonka , MN. | It's all part of the game . I second the idea of getting him his own combo. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1769
Location: Algonquin, ILL | POOP HAPPENS 
It's all part of the learning curve for both of you
I'm sure he now knows how to hold on better
&
You know not to let a novice use your New equipment
|
|
| |
|
| Wow. Give the kid a break. 14 years old and some of you folks are gonna make him feel even worse about his mistake? If this was my nephew, and I knew he was remorseful and felt bad about it already, I'd immediately do as others suggested and buy him a new rod/reel combo for himself.
Many very imporant lessons taught to the kid by doing this: 1. Forgiveness. 2. Unconditional love for your family members, and least important, 3. Bad stuff happens while fishing and it shouldn't ruin the overall experience.
The kid is 14 and will have many, many future lessons on responsibility. How often do you get a opportune time to truly teach the kid forgiveness and truly show the kid how much you care about him? |
|
| |
|
Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | wow is right
wanting to jump on a 14 year old kid after taking your own risk with something very expensive. did he tell the kid how much it was worth and you break it you buy it? did he understand the consequences before he got to use it? chances are that if he did, the kid would have opted out ... but he didn't get a chance.
wow, what a bunch of sallies ... i hope you guys never meet my kids ...
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 2378
| I'd chalk it up as a lesson learned for both of you. If it were my kid I'd offer to replace it, but if it were my combo I wouldn't expect it.
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 367
Location: Chicago | I'm with sled. Not like he sank the #*^@ boat after taking it without permission..... |
|
| |
|
| Pretty much the same here.
I have always encouraged my kids, my siblings, and my nephews and nieces to fish, and musky fish if they would. I have offered good quality rods and reels equal to my own, but perhaps not my "pet" combo, to fish with at anytime. If I wasn't fishing, they were welcome to use my "pet" combo too. Many inpenetrable backlashes, broken rod tips, lost favorite lures and a couple of fishing rods later, I cannot think of money I ever spent better or that yielded more life value. Not knowing how the kid lost the rig, it is hard to really respond to the thread. If it was an accident, I think then that is the price of doing the business of taking kids fishing, and you bite both the bullet and your tongue. You knew the risks and if you were unwilling to bear them, you shouldn't have made your equipment available to a 14 year old.
I took my own dose of bitter surprise a couple years ago when my kids, who I always encouraged to play guitar or any instrument, took my 30 year old accoustic guitar to church with them and brought it back in two pieces, and we are still not quite sure about the story on how. But, I really felt that I had encouraged free use of it, and on reflection, it is one of the things that can happen, and I didn't get bent too much. I was actually kind of depressed about what had happened to it, and monetarily it cost me more than any 4-5 fishing rigs in terms of devaluation, but I eventually looked at it like the occassional car accident or other damaging accidents, it's just a thing. I didn't run my kids off the guitar and one of them plays better than I can, and in the long run that has more value than any guitar I might own, so...
Generosity and forgiveness are never bad traits in a person or a relative. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1516
| My 2 cents I would not buy the kid anything. But, I would not really expect them to come up with a replacement. I guess I wouldn't have left the high dollar stuuf with the kid. I have some older stuff I don't use so that's what i would have left them to fish with anyway it's to bad you lost the rig but thats the way it goes. If you want to fish with him again better to forgive and forget |
|
| |
|
Posts: 267
Location: Right behind you (tap, tap) BOOO | I have some old setups that work fine, I just don't prefer them any more and if I have a guest in the boat these are the setups they use. Some make comments like why can't I use the St.Croix that you aren't using or something like that and I just plain and simply tell them, if they want to use the St.Croix we'll stop at Gander on the way home and you can spend your own coin.
As far as the 14 year old, I would let it go, it's a solid excuse to go out and get a new rig, only this time you can make some changes that you wish the other rig had. I have been in his position, ruin my godfather brand new in the box on the counter reel, it was an open face spinning reel and I decided to take the handle out and put it on the other side (being able to do that was new at the time) and in the midst of my screwing around I cross-threaded the post, OOOOPS. I felt horrible and explained what happen he was mad that is for sure, now we laugh about it almost every family get together.
I'm sure he has beat himself up plenty over the blunder and having made the phone call, he owned up to his mistake like a man, LESSON LEARNED, I'm sure.
just my 2 pennies
Edited by esox23 7/16/2007 9:06 PM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 38
| Ha, my girlfriend dropped my nikon digital camera in the lake with all of my musky photos from last season! She said OOpps sorry...
Makes fishing rough sometimes..
Joe |
|
| |
|
Posts: 8863
| Sled, if one of your kids lost one of my rods, you would probably run out and get me a new one before I even knew it was gone. I'm pretty sure you wouldn't just shrug your shoulders and say "sorry dude, I know that was a $500 combo, your loss..." and walk away. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 910
Location: Hastings, mn, 55033 | I agree with many of the comments but would maybe take a bit different approach. Instead of having the nephew buy a replacement for the lost combo, I would have him save his money and buy HIMSELF a new combo. That way he still has a sense of the value of what was lost while at the same time learning whats involved with caring for your equipment. When I was old enough to get my first shotgun, my Dad made me buy it myself while most of my buddies Dads bought them their first guns. Needless to say I still have my first shotgun and its in as good of condition as the day I bought it. Most of the others cant say the same thing.
When a kid has to spend their own hard earned money on something it has more value and more "meaning" to it than if they are given something/ |
|
| |
|
Posts: 785
| Thats why kids get snuppy poles to use! I dropped my share of stuff in the lake. The difference is back then my whole families rods, reels, and tackle probably didn't cost as much as that one set up of yours. Just be glad you could afford to buy it in the first place LOL.
No in reality I hope his parents reimburse you but I know how the kid feels, gone through enough. Take him fishing again asap is the best advice... and give him the cheepest combo you own to use! |
|
| |
|
Posts: 743
| i agree with Baldy and Sled. if my kids dropped it in and lost it,i'd replace it. but i would NEVER expect some one else to pay for a Kid's mistake. if you are gonna let someone else's kids play with your stuff, what do you expect? if you would have told him "this is an expensive rod/reel, are you sure you want to fish w/ it because if you break it, i'm going to tell your mom", then i bet he just would have not fished at all. and that would have been no fun for anyone.
if you have gonna let kids play with the big boy toys, expect stuff like this to happen.
tomcat
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 128
Location: ontario canada - Well Anderson Indiana now | BALDY - 7/16/2007 7:17 PM
I'd chalk it up as a lesson learned for both of you. If it were my kid I'd offer to replace it, but if it were my combo I wouldn't expect it.
But did the kid learn a lesson? I mean what kind of kid is this? Is this a fourteen year old who makes good decisions and learns from his mistakes? If this is a delinquent child this would be a great chance to teach some responsibility. On the other hand if this is a good kid...oh well mistakes happen.
Bottom line is that none of us know this kid so how can we pass judgement on how to handle this situation???
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 462
Location: Syracuse, Indiana | Similar situation happened to me recently. My fiance's brother's oldest (14) dropped a combo of mine in the drink. In fact, the kid fell completely out of the boat. He was so embarrassed and apologetic, and is such a good kid, I just chalked it up to experience. He offered (on his own) to get me a new combo, but I declined. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 2865
Location: Brookfield, WI | esoxaddict - 7/17/2007 9:46 AM
Sled, if one of your kids lost one of my rods, you would probably run out and get me a new one before I even knew it was gone. I'm pretty sure you wouldn't just shrug your shoulders and say "sorry dude, I know that was a $500 combo, your loss..." and walk away.
I'd be willing to bet Sled's kids have their own stuff. This is a family situation. I say be glad the kid wanted to fish. He feels terrible would be my guess. Imagine this kid's excitement when he was casting for muskies with the equipment his uncle let him use. He thought that Uncle was the coolest guy in the world. I bet he went from thrilled to absolutely terrified in the two seconds it took for that combo to sink out of site. Plenty of punishment right there.
I'd pat him on the head, tell him accidents happen, don't worry about it. If the Mom or Dad try to make good, great. If they don't want to, or it's beyond their means, big deal. It's a fishing rod. If they don't want to or can't, that's just one more reason to get another combo in the kid's hands and get him on the water.
Personally when it comes to STUFF, I'm willing to let anyone use anything I have, family or not. If an accident occurs, I could care less. The chances are always pretty slim there will be an accident, and I'm willing to take that kind of chance for friends, and especially family.
Sheesh, I have given people close to me money when they were in need. Some have paid me back and that's great. Others have had their struggles and I don't hold my breath waiting for pay back, or hold it against them.
A kid losing a rod and reel? I say who gives a crap. You might as well get really pissed if your kid spills some grape juice on the carpet. Kids break, lose, and spill things. That's why they're kids. If they don't, it's kind of scary.
Kevin
Reeling in King salmon in five foot waves will tire you out. I'm not kidding. Two 10+- pounders and I was tired. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 2754
Location: Mauston, Wisconsin | Ok- Been there done that! If you let a "kid' use your gear be prepared for unexpected results. My grandson (Xavier) tossed my 6'6" G-Loomis out of the boat. Haaaaaaaaaaaaa! big surprise! It has enough cork in the handle to float with a fully spooled Shimano Curado 200 on it!
Worried abouat rod floation issues go with a Professional Edge Custom rod with the extra large 18" cork handles- way eaiser to handle and very comfortable. This year that's exactly what I did-2 9 ft xxx heavy St Croix from Professional Edge.
I don't know about Diamond Back versus XYZ. My PE Rod's are everything I expected and more, i.e very rugged-light- and fish fighting machine's. On a recent trip to Dogtooth in Western Ontario (Kenora area) my 15 year old nephew was using all of my rods, including the Pro-Edge 9'rs, and while using them he put two 41 inch Northern's into the boat. The really great part of the trip was watching him realize what we were discussing about fighting fish, was reality based on lots of years of experience fishing different species, and that it was proving true at that very instant in time!
One time he muttered something about losing a nice small mouth to barbless hooks~ I immediately took offense! I responded with, that, I thought his fish fighting skills were not up to parr! Naturally "Uncle Al" was on/in for the bet, I told him what I thought he was doing wrong and I also showed him how to set the reel for the lure & the rod. We also talked about hookset's and backing off the drag! At the end of the trip- his hookset & fish fighting skills were with the best.
Have fun!
Al |
|
| |
|
Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | ea ... it's a good bet you would want to borrow his, but he probably wouldn't have room for you in "his" boat ... we use our stuff and if .... oops, when stuff gets broken, we fix it or replace it. we use our own stuff and if the neighbor kids come in the boat, they use and break our stuff ... but we invited them, so we've also taken the burden of the risk ...
my guess is the possiblity of one of my kids borrowing your rod is pretty slim |
|
| |
|
Posts: 484
Location: St. Louis, MO., Marco Is., FL, Nestor Falls, ON | I would ask the nephew what he thinks should happen. Lessons on personal responsibility can't wait till you reach a certain age. They begin when they are babies and don't stop. If you want responsible young adults, let them make decisions and enjoy the results of good decisions and the consequences of the bad ones. Just don't let them make wrong decisions that could harm them. If I as a child did not work to replace what I had lost or damaged, I would have felt bad about myself and guilty everytime I thought of it. Letting the nephew work off the cost of a new rig will make him look back with pride at doing the right thing and taking responsibility. Perhaps he can work it off around your house doing odd jobs. This will bond the two of you closer while he learns a good lesson about life. Don't be too sheltering of 14 year old kids. They already have one foot in adulthood. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 8863
| "my guess is the possiblity of one of my kids borrowing your rod is pretty slim"
That's a safe bet considering the fact that if your kids broke or lost something of mine it would be my fault for loaning it to them! |
|
| |
|
Posts: 572
| While growing up, I was taught to be responsible for any thing I borrowed. If something got broken or damaged, I was to replace or fix it. Funny, I learned to respect others property more than my own.
I've also learned it is my responsibilty for loaning any of my property. If the property is loan without conveying the responsibility, that is my fault and loss....and it may be my loss even then.
What I find interesting about this story is no one seems to mention much about the brother. It disappoints me that the brother can't step up to the plate and discuss his feelings to come to an agreement on who is responsible for the lost.
As to this whole situation, perhaps a little time could have been spent showing the brother and kid how to adjust the brother's rod and reel the kid was fishing with.... Afterall, that's what the brother thought was good enough to use. Replacing it with the loaned (expensive) rod and reel was like saying the brother must go out and buy an expensive rod and reel for the kid to fish with.....wrong...the brother was being left out of the loop.....what? Who provides for this kid?
If the brother and kid is a father / son relationship, leaving the expensive rod and reel was WRONG, not for the loss of the rod and reel, but the loss in the father and son relationship.
As it is now, this unfortunate situation may result in the brother and kid from being together a lot, whether fishing or not.
So, I feel the brother should be contacted, not for the lost of the rod and reel, but to help in adjusting his rods and reels.
If the brother feels new rods and reels would be best, then it would be best to make recommendations on how to select a good rod and reel. If money was a problem, then a little help might go a long way.
Relationships are more important than a lost rod and reel......by simple mistakes....regardless who is at fault. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 2754
Location: Mauston, Wisconsin | Like I said above if you have the right rod's they'll float. Here's the "Twin's" . One has a Calcutta 400TE and the other a Luna 300. My G Loomis's also float, i.e., 6'6" and 7' 6", both have Shimano Curado 200's on them.
Have fun!
Al
Attachments
----------------
 KT PE Rods 001.jpg (41KB - 166 downloads)
KT PE Rods 002.jpg (33KB - 154 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 358
Location: London, England | Sounds like you had a lucky escape to me. The kid did you a favor, now you've got rid of the nasty bass tackle you can replace it with a proper musky rod and reel outfit!
Edited by Tim Kelly 7/19/2007 12:01 PM
|
|
| |
