My pole leapt off the boat and disappeared into the lake with hardly a splash.  The final sight was a taunting roll of the fish who had taken it.  I couldn’t believe it.

Yes, I had left my pole unattended.  We hadn’t had even a tap all day so I was busy bird watching.   Bad decision.

Kent came to the rescue.  He cast about with a weighted treble hook and managed to snag my line along the bottom of the lake.  First we retrieved the pole, rinsed the grit out of the reel, and then brought in the “lunker” that had taken the whole thing.  It was an ugly ole catfish that was promptly returned to the lake.