Bummer on the lost fin!! That must have been great to hook one after only 4 tries though.
Repsonding to Neanderthal--my brother and I have each caught a pole out of the Willamette River in the "Garbage Hole"--He caught a custom Fenwick HMG w/Ambassador 2500c about 8 years ago and I caught a 8-17 GL2 spin rod last year!! Both while fishing for shad. Remember--they can and will hit hard!!