I think she was more surprised than scared.
She quickly swam over to the boat and I pulled her back aboard.
( The #1 Rule of Boating Safety..... LEARN HOW TO SWIM. )
Even at 7, she realized some things that I learned a very long time ago...it is much more
DIFFICULT TO SWIM WHEN FULLY CLOTHED AND WITH SHOES ON.
.... also....
A Personal Flotation Device (P.F.D) WILL KEEP YOU AFLOAT very nicely, thank you very much.
It was only after we got her all toweled off and into dry clothes that I noticed the rod and reel were missing.
A. When fishing with kids, bring along an extra set of clothes... and a towel.
B. Worrying about the fishing rod & reel is not high on ones list of things to think about as you are falling off of the boat.
She and I were on the same page... it's only a rod and reel.
That was Friday. Today I returned to the same spot (we have got to come up for a name for this place) , tied on a metal spoon with a big star hook and started casting into the area where Haley fell off of the boat. I worked it along the bottom like you would slowly fish a plastic worm. On the 3rd cast I hooked up to a fishing line. Pulling it in, I came to the little white Senko. BINGO!
After a few moments of pulling in line I realized the bail was still open. Lucky I tie the line to the spool with a good strong knot. Some 75 yards of line later up came the rod and reel.
I called Brian over at Brian's Fishing Supply...
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id= ... 881&ref=ts
to ask if I should bring the reel in to be worked on. He said since it's freshwater, just open it up and let it dry off... everything should be fine.
I then called Haley and let her know I found her fishing rod... All she wanted to know was when we were going fishing again.
