I went down to DC on Saturday (04/25/09) with my friend Jeff. We got out to the river at first light. It was promising to be a beautiful day. The tide was coming in and we got to the favorite spot. First we need to catch bait. The Shad where sapping on the surface. On Jeffs first cast he catches a Blue herring (It's shaping up to be a great day). We cut it into three pieces for catfish bait. Jeff cast his first catfish line out into the river and it settles about 80 yds down stream. I keep fishing for bait as he sets up another rod and BAM!!. The drag lets out a scream FISH ON!!! WOW! This is going to be a great day!!!!!. Jeff catches a 29 + lb female Blue Cat. After releasing it I reset the bait and Jeff wants to cast it out (not problem we knows where the deep water is). Jeff loads up and .....HOP!!!! The rod jumps right out of his hand, it goes abot 8 ft straight out and hovers at chest level. It seemed as time stood still and then SPLASH !  It lands into the River. We stood there for about 10 seconds then we tried to hook it with our other line to no avail. Then Jeff said I am going swimming.My reply was don't do that!!( The Potomac has a deadly current 3 ft below the surface). We talk about how somebody who has fished for 30+ years could forget to push the button (That Says Cast) before casting. We laugh our asses off the keep fishing. The lesson is: Don't Do What Jeff Did!!!

Whuppin Stick = $50

Salt water reel= $140

Watching your friend chuck it into the river.......PRICELESS!

(it don't matter if the horse is blind.Just load the cart anyway!... John Madden Hall of Fame Coach) (NAFC LM) (NAHC LM) (NRA) ("Fred"Jefferson,MD)

great story fred , and ya damn skippy the potomac will suck ya under in a heart beat even in spots where theres no ripple of current on the surface
may mother nature bless your line with every cast

My friend has done that before, luckily I haven't. It was funny the first time, but when it happened a 2nd time, he wasn't a happy camper.

your story remends me of when I was shark fishing at night at pier in Sothern CA. My fishing buddy hooked a good size shark and it pulled his rod off the pier, fortunley for him, it was the type of rod that floats!  He was able to snag it with another rod and bring it in with the help of pier net, he also was able to land a shark well over 3 feet!  Another time I had rod out fishing for catfish why I was swiming with my girlfriend. All at once I watch the rod fly into the lake!  Lucky for me I was able to rescue the rod with a five lb. Catfish.  Since these exsperances I have learned to tie down my rod when I going after sizable fish!

I guess that is about as bad as forgetting to open your bail on your spinning reel and your favorite lure goes sailing into the drink. Or whipping your rod extra hard when fishing the Charlie Nuckols style and the sinker bounces off the top of your head taking some skin with it. It's surprising how bad those small sinkers can hurt!