Ten years ago I was fishing the Cowlitz with a friend in his sled. I hooked a steelhead and it was a hot one. As it constantly swam around the boat I had to follow it. On one run from one side to the other I slipped and fell and hit both wrists on the side of the sled at the same time the fish took off. I dropped the rod and watched it being pulled into the depths! Here's the story. I had the rod made way back in the day when Loomis was still making rods out of Schaefer's garage. Gary made it for me. He put my name on the rod. This was a cool 9.5 foot rod with a hardwood real seat. Anyway, I thought I would never see it again. One year later a guy calls me up and asked me if I had lost a rod. He said he took a chance and found me in the Tacoma phone book. He was a Major in the Army at Ft. Lewis. He had found the rod stuck in some bushes that had been under water for some time and when the water level came down there it was, reel and all. The rod is stuck together forever. I can't get it to sepearte so I use it as a wall decoration. There really are good people in this world. But, what are the odds? I still can't believe it. He wouldn't take anything as a reward. One year later I'm fly fishing the uuper Hoh and come across a fly rod and reel laying on the bank. I took it to the ranger at the camp ground and you know what he said? Just keep it. I said no way pal someone may come back looking for it. I left it with him. I could not believe he had that attitude.